Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP)

Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) is a cash assistance program for families with children who need financial help. The children must be under the age of 18 or under the age of 19 if they are in high school.   Adults and parents who apply for KTAP benefits have to do work requirements to get the cash assistance.

Yes.   If you and your family get KTAP, you also get medical assistance through Kentucky Medicaid.

To be able to get KTAP:

• You must meet income and resource requirements.  There are income limits based on your family size.  You can’t have more than $10,000 in resources that are easily changed to cash. That means things like bank accounts and cash on hand.
• You and your children must live in Kentucky.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant.
• You must be a parent or caretaker relative who is responsible for children.
• Your children must be under age 18. Or under age 19 if they meet school attendance requirements.
• All adult KTAP applicants, ages 18 through 59, must agree to register for work with the Office of Employment and Training (OET), unless exempt.

Your family can get KTAP benefits for 60 months.  Each month you get KTAP benefits counts toward the 60-month lifetime limit. For example, you can get KTAP benefits for 24 months, stop and later get 36 more months of benefits.

If you use up your 60 months, you can sometimes get benefits for more time. You should talk to your casework several months before your 60 months is up to see if you can get extra months.

Start an application for KTAP (and other benefits):

• In person at any DCBS office.   Find the DCBS office for the county you live in at here.      
• By phone by calling DCBS Call Services at (855) 306-8959 or TTY (855) 326-4654
• Online here. 

You must do an interview with a DCBS worker before the application can be completed and approved. 

You must:

• Take part in the Kentucky Works Program.  In this program, you do work, training or educational activities for a certain number of hours each month unless you meet the exemption requirements.
• Cooperate in establishing paternity and establishing and enforcing child support for the children in your family who get KTAP.
• Report any changes in your income or living situation. If you don't report these changes, you can have an overpayment problem or even be accused of fraud.

Yes. These benefits all have different requirements, but ask your caseworker about:

• Educational Bonus
• Relocation Assistance
• WIN (Work Incentive)
• Family Assistance Short-Term

If your application is denied, you get a written notice telling you why.

If you are getting benefits and they decide to stop or cut your benefits, you get a written notice telling you why.   

If you think the decision to deny,  stop or cut your benefits is wrong, you have the right to appeal.  The notice you get explains how you appeal and how much time you have to file the appeal.   Read the notice carefully and follow the instructions.  Keep the notice until your appeal is over.

If you get a denial notice or a notice saying your benefits will stop or be cut,   it is a good idea to contact your local legal aid office for help right away.

Once you tell the KTAP agency you want an appeal, they set a hearing date.  There is a hearing officer at the hearing who decides your appeal.  You can call witnesses to testify.  You can also bring evidence that shows why your application should have been approved or why your benefits should not have been stopped or cut.

Before the hearing you have the right to look at your file.  It should have all the documents that the agency used to deny, stop or cut your KTAP. Write down the points you want to make at the hearing so that you don't forget them. You also have the right to have your own witnesses testify at the hearing and the right to ask questions of any of the agency's witnesses.

If something happens at the hearing that makes you think you need to get more information to help your case, tell the hearing officer.  Ask the hearing officer to give you more time to get the information before they make a decision.

You will get the hearing officer's decision in writing. If you lose your hearing, the decision will explain how you appeal and how much time you have to file an appeal.  Read the decision carefully and follow the instructions.  If you lose, the hearing, it is a good idea to contact your local legal aid office right away for help.