Time is running out. An estimated 150 Kansas families now receiving cash assistance through Temporary Assistance to Families (TAF) will begin their final 12 months in the program by year’s end. And by June, 2002, another 350 families may begin the final 12 months of the 60-month time limit for cash assistance.

Because the clock is ticking for a number of clients, staff with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) are working to make sure all who may lose their eligibility for cash assistance have been given every opportunity to become employed. They are also working to increase community awareness of the TAF time-limits and seeking community help in making employment opportunities available.

In announcing the "Every Effort Campaign," SRS Secretary Janet Schalansky said field offices across the state will continue to do all they can to help clients find and hold on to employment. She said SRS Economic and Employment Support staff continue to work closely with those who may be affected by the five year limitation, identifying barriers to employment and helping move them toward programs or other assistance to overcome those barriers. They also are making sure clients know about support programs that are not time limited such as the Medicaid and HealthWave, Food Stamps, child care subsidies, and child support.

"It is imperative that every effort be made to uncover all employment barriers and offer all appropriate services to each cash assistance client," she said. "We want to ensure that no employment barrier has gone undetected among families nearing their 60th month on TAF."

Under federal welfare reform put in place October 1, 1996, families were limited to 60 months of cash assistance. For those who were receiving TAF at the time welfare reform was implemented and continue receiving the assistance without interruption, their time in the program will run out September 30, 2001.

Besides working with families to make sure employment barriers are identified and acted on, SRS also is reaching out to communities with the Every Effort Campaign. The goals of the campaign are as follows:

• Raise awareness among clients, community stakeholders and throughout the agency of the potential that some families who do not meet hardship criteria will lose cash assistance soon.
• Help communities realize the loss of cash assistance as a source of income for families without other means of support impacts the community both socially and economically and that assisting the poor is the responsibility of the community, not just SRS.
• Involve community partners in encouraging ‘at risk’ families to cooperate with SRS in finding employment and in planning to assist families who lose cash assistance and remain either unemployed or underemployed.
• Stimulate all of SRS to work even more aggressively with families in their last months on cash assistance.
• Inform clients that important support services such as Medicaid and HealthWave, Food Stamps, child care subsidies, and child support can continue after cash assistance ends.

Federal welfare reform work requirements have been successful in reducing Kansas cash assistance caseloads by nearly 50 percent, mostly due to individuals finding employment. SRS estimates that between 300 and 500 families will reach their 60-month time limit during the 9-month period between October 2001 and June 2002. The number of families reaching the time limit will continue to increase in the ensuing months as more reach their 60-month time limit.

Federal welfare reform law allows states to grant hardship exemptions for 20 percent of families who remain on cash assistance following 60 months in the program in their lifetime, allowing these families to continue receiving cash assistance after their 60th month.

Working with advocates for the poor, SRS developed criteria for the hardship exemption. Asking for public comment on the criteria, the agency placed a public notice in the Kansas Register requesting comments. The following hardship criteria are proposed for use in determining the Kansas families who will receive cash assistance beyond 60 months on cash assistance:

• Caretakers of disabled household members.
• Persons aged 60 and over.
• Persons with severe disabilities who are presently unable to work as identified through a vocational assessment.
• Persons whose involvement with the agency’s Children and Family Services division precludes employment as defined in their social service plan.
• Persons who are doing everything within their ability to be successful but who remain unemployed or underemployed after working cooperatively with SRS to identify and resolve employment barriers.
• Persons who begin to cooperate during their 49th through 60th month on assistance and continue to be financially eligible for a cash grant when their 60th month of eligibility expires. These persons may continue to receive cash benefits until the first month cooperation ceases.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the hardship exception criteria should direct comments to Sandra C. Hazlett, director of Economic and Employment Support, 915 Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66612. In order to be considered in formulating the final criteria, written comments must be received by December 1.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001