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. 99 effective July 01, 2020

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.

Child Care – This revision incorporates the expansion of the definition of Social Service child care that was implemented April 20, 2020, with the Hero Relief Program to include essential workers during a state declared disaster or emergency.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. All Programs
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      

      None

   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Protective Payees – Language is being changed so it doesn't imply that DCF is mandated to identify a protective payee if a household cannot name a suitable one. A prudent person example is being added to the list of potentially unqualified protective payees.
         
         KEESM 1515 is being updated with this information.
         
         
2. Child Care
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Social Service Child Care – KEESM 2831, Item 3, and 2835, Item 5, are being revised to include parents performing essential functions during a state declared disaster or emergency.  KEESM 2831, Item 3, also includes a change to reflect the current policy that went into effect on July 1, 2019 providing child care for any child in foster care.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Termination of Child Care Plans – KEESM 7640, item 1 (a), is being revised to add clarifying language around the 3-month continuation of care policy.
         
         
      2. Processing Changes Reported by Change Reporting Households – KEESM 9121.1, item 5, is being revised to clarify that a reduction in child care benefits may occur as a result of a reported change in providers if the new provider’s rate is less than that of the previous provider.

2. Employment Services
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Primary Employment Service Activities – The following activities are being removed from Unsubsidized Employment (3310.1) and relocated as shown below.
         
         
      • Work Study is being split into two separate types:
        
        
        • Non-federal Work Study under Subsidized Private Employment (3310.2) and
          
          
        • Federal Work Study under Subsidized Public Employment (3310.3)
          
          
      • Apprenticeship is being moved to On-the-Job Training (3310.5).
        
        
      2. Job Search/Job Readiness – 3310.8 is being reorganized and Job Readiness will be allowed for a single parent of a child under 1 participating in an in-home parenting skills program.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Designations are being removed for Activities which can be utilized by GOALS and E&T. Only the Activities which are not available to E&T will have a designation as (TANF or GOALS only)
         
         
      2. Case manager is being changed to career navigator and Employment Services Manager is being changed to Employment Services Program Administrator where appropriate.
         
         
      3. On-the-Job Training – Job Retention and Supported employment are being removed from (3310.5)
         
         
      4. Alcohol and Other Drug Assessment and Treatment – A note is being added to 3330.1 explaining a GOALS and E&T client may be placed in this activity when self-engaged in treatment but no referral or payment can be made for these services.
         
         
      5. Head Start and Early Head Start – Any hours required by KEHS that are in excess of the DCF requirements are not to be added to the parent’s self-sufficiency agreement. This explanation is being added to the Head Start and Early Head Start activity in 3330.5.
         
         
      6. Mentoring – Clarification of when to use Mentoring as an activity is being added to 3330.8.
         
         
      7. Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault – 3330.9 being changed to align the definition of Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault with the federal definition. A statement is being added to clarify SSI recipients are not eligible for ES services.
         
         
3. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. TANF Drug Testing Comparable Disqualifications – KEESM 2552.2 Individuals not identified for treatment per the DCF contractor must complete the approved substance abuse course and skills based training. Failure to complete the substance abuse course and skills based training will result in a disqualification being imposed (1st Positive Test) or continued disqualification.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. TANF Drug Testing Comparable Disqualifications – KEESM 2552.2 Reworded for clarity.
         
         
      2. Homeless Shelter Expense – A clarifying phrase is being added to 7226.6 indicating the homeless shelter expense is allowed if a household incurs or reasonably expects to incur any shelter or utility expense.
         
         
4. TANF
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. TANF Suspicion Based Drug Testing –The sentence is being removed from the end of 2260 because it repeats what is stated earlier in the same paragraph.
         
         
      2. Cooperation with Drug Testing Process –.
         
         Notes are being added to KEESM 2260.2 to clarify that a mandatory TANF recipient
         
         
         1. who does not meet an SBDT indicator but is requesting services to help maintain sobriety may be referred for SRCC services.
            
            
         2. who meets an indicator and tests negative will be referred for SRCC services.
            
            
      3. Suspicion Based Indicators – KEESM 2260.3 is being reformatting for clarity along with the following:
         
         
         1. Provided clarification wording on indicators.
            
            
         2. Added list of documentation needed when making a referral for drug testing.
            
            
      4. Request for Retest – A statement is being added to KEESM 2260.8 that Career Navigator will contact the SBDT staff to begin the process.
         
         
      5. Skills Based Training – KEESM 2260.12 Reformatted and reworded for clarity. A statement was added that the plan for training will need to be in place within 30 days of the agency receiving the test results.
         
         
      6. Appeals – KEESM 2260.14. added SBDT Program Administrator and removed “regional drug coordinator” for clarity.
         
         
      7. The following sections are being reworded for clarity and/or consistency:
         
         

         Drug Testing – KEESM 2260.4

         Testing Negative for Illegal Use of Controlled Substance – KEESM 2260.5

         Testing Positive for Illegal Use of a Controlled Substance – KEESM 2260.6

         No Shows and Refusals to Cooperate with Testing Process – KEESM 2260.7

         Protective Payee – KEESM 2260.9

         Referral/Turnaround form for Substance Abuse Treatment – KEESM 2260.10

         Regaining Eligibility – KEESM 2260.13

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

All Programs

ES-3100, Application for Benefits. The following changes were made to English and Spanish versions of this document in 05-20.

• Voter Registration was moved to Section B.

• Special Services was moved to section C, replacing Acknowledgement of TANF Suspicion-based Drug Testing Policy, which was moved to the end of page 21.

• Child Support questions were changed to better align with information needed for CSS.

• The answers were switched to have Yes first then No.

• Icons were updated.

• Several questions were added or modified.

• Work Registration and SNAP-ED pages were added at the end.

ES-3200, Kansas Voter Registration Application, is being added, with ES-3200S as the Spanish version.

 

Employment Services

The following were made fillable and added in 05-20:

ES-4413, SRCC Monthly Report, Word and PDF

ES-4415, DCF/DSA Monthly Progress Report, Word only

ES-4416, DCF/DSA Referral Form, Word only

ES-4304, TANF Work Hours Verification Checklist, was added in to the list prior to the July 2020 revision.

TANF

ES-3100DT, Acknowledgement of TANF Suspicion Based Drug Testing Policy. This form is being updated to reflect requirements of 1st positive drug test and fee for testing if a retest of the original sample is requested by the client.

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

Child Care

W-14, Social Service Essential Function 250% FPL Worksheet – The income worksheet used for the Hero Relief Program was developed and added prior to the July 2020 revision.

Employment Services

E-13, KEHS-CC Instructions for Participation Hours in Employment Services, is being added as guidance for considerations in work program participation.

TANF

E-3, SBDT Referral Process Guide and SBDT Referral Process Guide (text only). This is a desk aid that is to be used when making an SBDT Drug Test Referral.

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

EFFECTIVE DATE

All changes are effective July 1, 2020.

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, Assistant EES Director
Economic and Employment Services
SK:am