1. Home
  2. Analysis
  3. Blog
  4. Committee Studies Complexity of Family Support...
16 October 2026 | Economic Security Health

Committee Studies Complexity of Family Support Programs

Heather Braum | October 16, 2026

This fall, a group of 11 lawmakers met to review the restrictions and systems in place that Kansans face when applying for state programs. As the Committee learned, accessing the supports provided to struggling households is not a straightforward process.  In its two-day meeting, the 2026 Special Committee on Application and Eligibility for Public Assistance investigated ways to simplify and streamline current state processes and systems. 

They were tasked with:

  1. Studying the federal and state eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Care Assistance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as the overall application and renewal process.
  2. Studying what other states have done to simplify their eligibility, enrollment, and renewal processes for public assistance programs. 

Who Did the Committee Hear from?

Committee members heard from legislative staff; the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), which are responsible for overseeing and implementing these four programs; and two outside technology vendors working in other states.  As lawmakers sat through these presentations, they seemed interested in understanding how applicants and enrollees must navigate many program complexities. 

Throughout the presentations, it was revealed that Kansans in need of assistance must submit multiple applications to apply for four state support programs and interact sometimes with three different state agencies if the applicant is applying to programs housed within different agencies. 

Agency staff described federal and state eligibility requirements, who is enrolled in these programs, and the complex technology system managing eligibility and processes behind the scenes, called the Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System, or KEES. Agency staff identified opportunities for improvement, including automation possibilities, the need to formally integrate KDADS into KEES, and better communicating with applicants and enrollees. 

KDHE identified a particular challenge they face regarding paper and faxed applications. While a majority of applications are submitted through an online portal that speeds up processing, especially when additional documentation is needed, paper and faxed applications present difficulties, as communication back and forth occurs through the slow mail system. However, KDHE must provide these options due to federal regulations. 

Throughout these discussions with DCF and KDHE staff, lawmakers shared stories from constituents about slow systems, duplicative conflicting communications, uncertainty in approvals, the ongoing SNAP backlog, and incredulity at the complexities these agencies face due to federal requirements. 

On the second day, two technology vendors were invited to present to the Committee regarding their work to improve or simplify application processes in other states. Celonis shared about their work in Georgia, using their technology solution to identify and resolve processing bottlenecks and issues across systems.  

Civilla described their work in Michigan, reducing a lengthy Medicaid application to a simpler and clearer paper and online application, considering significant public input and feedback. Civilla even created and shared a prototype mockup application for Kansas, combining the application questions for Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and child care assistance into one application by redesigning the layout and simplifying language. Lawmakers seemed intrigued by these approaches and solutions that the companies offered.   

Public Comment

Due to its limited meeting time for such an expansive topic, the Committee accepted written-only testimony. Throughout the two-day meeting, the Committee Chair encouraged his colleagues to review the testimony submitted by 22 organizations and individuals (including KAC) that provided insight for improving and simplifying public assistance systems and processes.  

Many of the testifying organizations described serious challenges, as well as concrete solutions the Legislature could take to address them. Overall, organizations recommended streamlining and simplifying burdensome processes that result in eligible Kansans being unable to keep up with complex requirements.

A few highlights from the written comments included:

  • Several organizations recommending a single application be created for all four programs, removing the need for duplicative questions and paperwork requirements. Many pieces of testimony encouraged the agency to allow impacted people to provide input on any proposed redesigned applications or systems. 
  • Flint Hills Breadbasket sharing a heartbreaking timeline for a client losing their SNAP benefits because of DCF’s system backlog.
  • United Way of Kaw Valley navigators describing the challenges they face signing up community members for public assistance programs and the family budgetary and health impacts when assistance is delayed or rejected because of paperwork issues. 
  • Futures First staff sharing why the child support cooperation requirement to be eligible for child care assistance requirement must be removed.
  • Several maternal and child health-focused organizations sharing how complex systems can negatively impact the health of moms and kids. 
  • A parent of a medically complex child sharing challenges across multiple systems to prove eligibility, even though her child’s condition won’t change. 
  • Gardner Edgerton Nutrition services sharing the negative fallout from SNAP enrollment losses and delays on school meals access and district funding losses.
  • Multiple organizations elevating the opportunity to remove Kansas’ restriction on Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) for SNAP. This is an option to give states flexibility around federal income and asset tests. Currently, 46 states have BBCE in place. 

Committee Recommendations

Lawmakers discussed several next steps lawmakers can take to improve public assistance in Kansas.   

The recommendation that received the most discussion was that of investigating the cost and researching Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE), which is an option available to states that allows them to deem a household eligible for SNAP if they have already been approved for other public assistance programs with similar eligibility requirements. This allows for application processes to be streamlined by eliminating the need for agencies to make separate financial eligibility determinations for separate programs. 

Another recommendation included the need to modernize technology systems across agencies and bring KDADS into the processes while also using human-centered design. However, this recommendation may have significant budgetary impacts, and investing in this may not be a top priority for the incoming Legislature.

There was wide interest by the Committee in reducing paperwork to ensure eligible people could access public assistance programs. The Committee recommended that process improvement options, particularly those feasible within current agency systems, be given to the 2027 Legislature. So while the Committee made no formal recommendations for the state to partner with a contractor, they expressed interest in looking further at the technology solutions Civilla and Celonis offered, as well as interest in reducing requirements on certain individuals and improving communications with families.

Finally, there was wide agreement for the need to continue the Committee’s work in the 2027 interim. 

What Comes Next 

While there was plenty of substance that came from the Committee, the most notable outcome was the bipartisan commitment to tackling the challenges Kansans face in navigating our public assistance systems. Committee members were engaged with one another and in the work, asking questions to seek a better understanding of programs and systems and how the Legislature and agencies can work together to improve them.  

If lawmakers maintain this energy and interest into the 2027 session and beyond, Kansas could see real progress toward making these systems truly work for Kansas families. 

Learn More

< Back to the news list