KANSAS DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES
Family Services
DCF Administration Building
555 S. Kansas Ave., 6th Floor
Topeka, KS 66603

To:	Regional Directors Economic and Employment Services Program Administrators Economic and Employment Services Staff Prevention and Protection Services Administrators Other Staff
Re:	Summary of Changes for Kansas Economic and Employment Services Manual (KEESM) Revision No. 91 effective Jan. 01, 2019

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

A brief overview of the major changes is described below. Other clarifications and technical corrections are also included and described in the next section. Additional technical corrections not mentioned here are being incorporated in KEESM as needed.

Food Assistance – An exception is being added for ABAWDs to reinstate food assistance.

Employment Services – As the opportunity arises, the following terms are being changed throughout, where appropriate:

• work program to employment services

• case manager to career navigator

Program Information Separation – An effort is in progress to separate program information to avoid confusion about varying policies among programs. A green vertical bar appears on the left highlighting the text moved to separate the information for the programs. Where appropriate, list items will be added. There are no highlights in the text itself unless text is being added or removed because some policy is being changed or clarified.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. All Programs
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Data Collection of Racial/Ethnic Categories - The text regarding situations where the face-to-face interview is waived is being removed from KEESM 1134 because it is no longer valid. Stipulations regarding self-identifying racial/ethnic origin are being changed to bulleted items at the end of the section.
         
         
2. Child Care
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Income Eligible (Non-TANF) Child Care – Item 2 in KEESM section 2835 is being modified to clarify that child care for FAET participation does not include the Goals – HopeWorks program.
         
         
      2. Special Types of Payments – KEESM 10260 is being revised to update it with the changes in policy regarding enrollment fees that was effective November 1, 2018.
         
         
      3. Payments for In-Home Relative Child Care – KEESM 10270 is being updated to reflect the rate adjustment that was made effective November 1, 2018.
         
         
3. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Work Related Requirements – KEESM 2515 is being changed to indicate ABAWDs are referred to Food Assistance E&T services in Shawnee, Sedgwick, Johnson, and Wyandotte counties. Limited support services are available to clients in this program. Current GOALS E&T will continue until the grant expires.
         
         
      2. Definitions – The definition of a Work Registrant is being added to KEESM 2527.
         
         
   2. Clarification
      
      
      1. For food assistance an exception is being added to KEESM 1423 to clarify when a new application is required for an ABAWD.
         
         If an ABAWD reports a change and can verify meeting an exemption for work requirements by the end of the month of closure, the food assistance case can be reopened. For ABAWDs, if a change is reported in any month following the month of closure, a new application is required.
         
         
4. Food Assistance and TANF
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Effect of Failure to Meet Work Related Requirements on Eligibility - The effects of failure to cooperate are being separated for TANF and Food Assistance. Failure for non-recipients is in 3511.1 and failure for recipients is in 3511.2.
         
         A green vertical bar appears on the left highlighting the text moved to separate the information for the programs. Where appropriate, list items will be added. There are no highlights in the text of the list items unless text is being added or removed because some policy is being changed or clarified.
         
         
         
5. Successful Families
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Curing A Work Program Penalty - A client will be considered cooperating with work programs when they complete the self-assessment during the application process.  The requirement to participate in an assigned work program activity prior to curing a work program penalty is being removed from KEESM 2552.1, 3511.2, 3522.
         
         
         
      2. TANF Protective Payees – TANF benefits are not to be withheld because of failure to name a protective payee for the Suspicion Based Drug Testing requirements. If an applicant or recipient fails to name a protective payee, the agency will assign a payee.
         
         KEESM 1414.2(3) is being updated to indicate applications are not to be denied for failure to provide a protective payee for the Suspicion Based Drug Testing requirements.
         
         KEESM 1515 is being updated to indicate cash recipients are not to be closed if they are unable or unwilling to name a protective payee, for the Suspicion Based Drug Testing requirements.
         
         A note is also being added to KEESM 1515 to see the KEES User Manual for information on when to code KEES for protective payee information.
         
         TANF and Child Care Penalties – Text is being added to KEESM 11221.2 indicating that households may elect to name a protective payee. If the household cannot name a suitable protective payee, the agency will identify one for them. If no suitable protective payee can be identified, the TANF case will close, allowing for timely and adequate notice.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Work Program Requirements for Applicants – A note is being added to the end of 2251 indicating mandatory TANF adults who are being added to an open TANF case are included in the group that must complete the orientation tutorial and the self-assessment.
   
   

FORMS (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

APPENDIX (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

Child Care

MISCELLANEOUS FORMS (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

EFFECTIVE DATE

All changes are effective January 1, 2019.

EFFECT ON LOCAL STAFF (No significant effect if not explained below.)

MATERIALS OBSOLETED BY THIS REVISION

COORDINATION EFFORTS

This change was coordinated with staff in Economic and Employment Services (EES), Executive leadership, and the EES Program Administrators.

Sincerely,
Sandra Kimmons, EES Director
Economic and Employment Services
SK:am