The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) today signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which would allow the state to implement its welfare reform initiatives. SRS plans to begin making the changes effective Oct. 1, 1996.

The agreement allows SRS to waive" certain federal regulations related to several public assistance programs, including Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Food Stamps. The waiver agreement also allows the state to simplify regulations governing public assistance programs.

The Kansas welfare reform plan, Actively Creating Tomorrow (ACT) for Kansas Children and Families," approved by the 1994 Kansas Legislature, strongly emphasizes employment for public assistance clients. It includes a provision involving the KansasWorks program, which focuses on moving public assistance recipients quickly into employment.

We are pleased to be moving ahead with our welfare reform initiatives," said Rochelle Chronister, SRS Secretary. The waiver give us the additional flexibility we need to effectively implement our reform plan. It strengthens our ability to work with Kansas communities in developing programs that fit our needs."

Following approval of the 1994 Kansas Legislature, SRS submitted its original welfare reform plan to HHS. In anticipation of federal reforms, that plan was modified and had been pending, waiting direction from the federal government.

Chronister said while federal welfare reform would allow the state to do some of the items included in ACT, the state reform initiative was created by Kansans for Kansans. She said input into its creation from consumers, employers, and others makes it a home-grown" product that will work best for Kansas.

Connie Hubbell, commissioner of SRS Income Support and Employment Preparation Services said the waiver will also help Kansas develop a faster time line for its welfare reform initiatives.

Thanks to the foresight and leadership provided by the 1994 Kansas Legislature, we have been able to begin our own welfare reform initiatives," Hubbell said. The waivers give us the opportunity to build on that momentum, without having to wait while federal rules and regulations are developed."

Among the goals of the Kansas reform plan are to:

• make work pay;

• expand welfare-to-work programs;

• strengthen the work experience in the public and private sectors; and,

• strengthen child support enforcement to supplement the earnings of poor families, many of which are single-parent households, headed by women.

The KansasWorks part of the waiver allows SRS to extend the number of hours AFDC and Food Stamp recipients could search for jobs and allows the parents of children under the age of six to work more than 20 hours a week.

In addition to supporting work, several Kansas waivers asked for regulatory simplification among public assistance programs.

The Kansas reform package will greatly enhance efforts to increase accountability and reduce errors," Chronister said.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001