COOK COUNTY
CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
GUIDELINES
Anna Jorgenson, Coordinator
218-387-3620

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is offered by the State of Minnesota and administered by individual counties. It is designed toassist eligible parents/guardians with the costs of Child Care during employment, job search, school or other authorized activities. The ultimate goal is for the parent/guardian to become gainfully employed.The MN CCAP program uses an integrated electronic system through the Department of Human Services called MEC². Cook County Public Health and Human Services follows the Child Care Assistance Program Policy. In addition, Cook County Public Health and Human Services has written Guidelines in order to provide important basic information on the program. To see the full Policy, you may visit www.dhs.state.mn.us and type in Child Care Assistance Program Policy.

1. Eligibility Requirements

A. COMPLETE AND RETURN THE CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE APPLICATION: Contact Cook County Public Health and Human Services at 411 West 2nd Street in Grand Marais, Minnesota or at 218-387-3620 for an application. Complete the application including signature and date. The application must be received within 15 days of the applicant's date of signature. The Coordinator of the Child Care Assistance Program will process your application within 30 days and inform the applicant of eligibility.

B. PROVIDE REQUIRED VERIFICATION: Cook County reserves the right to request any information according to Child Care Assistance Policy that is necessary to determine eligibility. Failure to provide the requested information may result in denial of the application.

C. HAVE CHILDREN NEEDING CARE WHO ARE OF AN APPROPRIATE AGE: If either parent/guardian in the household is not gainfully employed, in an educational program, or participating in job search activities, they are expected to care for their children. An appropriate age for a child needing care is 12 years old or younger, or age 13 or 14 who has a disability.

D. COOPERATE WITH CHILD SUPPORT: All recipients that have minor children in the home with an absent parent are required to cooperate with child support enforcement. This includes but is not limited to DHS 2338.

E. MEET INCOME LIMITS: The entrance limit for Child Care Assistance varies within the subprograms. The general income limit is 47% of the State Median Income(SMI).

F. USE A LEGAL PROVIDER: All Providers must be registered with Cook County Public Health and Human Services prior to authorized care. Providers can be licensed, or legal-non-licensed. See Provider, section 4 on page 5.

G. PARTICIPATE IN AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES: Cook County Public Health and Human services reserves the right to determine if the applicant's activities are necessary for the family to prepare for, seek and retain employment. In general authorized activities are, employment, education and training, and job search. Authorized activities and hours vary by CCAP subprograms.

H. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION STATUS REQUIREMENTS: Parents are required to show proof of identification, such as a birth certificate or passport or other documentation. Children are required to prove that they are lawfully present in this county OR be participating in a child care setting that is subject to public educational standards such as a Head Start, or a pre-kindergarten or a school-age care program.

3. CCAP Subprograms
A. MFIP & DWP

Eligibility:
o Families participating in the Minnesota Family Investment Plan or the Diversionary Work Program that have an approved Employment Plan, working a minimum of 20 hours a week, or 10 hours per week if a full-time student and earning minimum wage, and must not have income above 67% of the State Median Income(SMI).

Authorized Activities:
o Activities that are in an approved Employment Plan can be authorized. Activities that can be authorized outside of the employment plan include ONLY employment (at least 20 hours/week or 10 hours/week if a full-time student and earn at least the applicable minimum wage) and job search (up to 240 hours/calendar year).

B. TRANSITION YEAR

Eligibility:
o Families who have received MFIP/DWP for at least three of the last six months including both voluntary and involuntary case closures.
o Households without a break in eligibility must not have income above 67% of the State Median Income(SMI).
o Households that have a break in eligibility may still apply for TY, but must meet 47% of the State Median Income(SMI) to enter the program.
Authorized Activities:
o Transition year childcare may be used to support employment a minimum of 20 hours per week, or job search up to 240 hours per calendar year.
o Full-time students needing child care for employment must work 10 hours/week earning at least the applicable minimum wage.

Fraud:
o Transition year childcare is NOT AVAILABLE to families when all caregivers in MFIP/DWP unit have been found guilty and disqualified from MFIP/DWP due to fraud.

C. BASIC SLIDING FEE:

Eligibility:
o Families who meet all eligibility requirements for child care programs and do not qualify for the MFIP/DWP or Transition Year programs as listed previous may be eligible for the Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Assistance program. The income requirement is at or below 47% of the State Median Income(SMI) to enter the program.

Authorized Activities:
o Employment of an average of 20 hours a week or 10 hours a week if a full-time student and earn at least the applicable minimum wage.

o Education that is approved by the Child Care Assistant Coordinator. An acceptable course of study would be one that follows Minnesota Statutes 119B.07. The maximum length of time a student is eligible for child care is no more than the time necessary to complete the credit requirements for an associate or baccalaureate degree as determined by the educational institution, excluding basic or remedial education programs needed to prepare for postsecondary education or employment. Clients in an educational program must maintain satisfactory progress that has been established by their education institution and abide by the attendance policy of the education program they are attending. Clients must cooperate in obtaining progress reports from the educational institution.

o Job Search up to 240 hours per calendar year.

Funding:

o The Basic Sliding Fee has limited funds available to Cook County. If there is not enough funding available, a waiting list will be established. When openings for the program occur, names will be taken from the waiting list according to State Child Care policies based on the following priority levels.

Priority For Waitlist:

1. First priority for child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program must be given to Non-MFIP eligible persons who do not have a high school or general equivalency diploma or who need remedial and basic skill courses in order to pursue education leading to employment.

Within this priority, the following sub priorities exist:

a. Child care needs for parents under age 18
b. Child care needs for parents 18-20; and
c. Child Care needs for parents 21 and older.

2. Second priority for child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program must be given to families who have completed their transition year from MFIP or those who have received less than three months of DWP and are not eligible for TY.

3. Third priority for child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program must be given to current recipients in another county who move to Cook County.

4. Families in which at least 1 parent is a veteran.

5. All other eligible families.

Temporarily Ineligible:
o When a family advances to the top of the list and is temporarily ineligible for childcare assistance, the county shall leave the family at the top of the list according to priority group and serve the applicant who is next on the list.

Waitlist Management:

o A preliminary determination of eligibility will be conducted when a family requests child care assistance. If the family appears to be eligible, they will be placed on the waiting list.

o When there is available funding, the family on the top of the waiting list will be informed. The family then has 15 days to complete the Minnesota Child Care Assistance application. If the family fails to respond within the 15 days, the County will offer the funding to the next person on the list.

o The county will review and update the waiting list at least every 6 months.

2. Participant Requirements
A. REPORTING CHANGES TO CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR: It is the responsibility of the parent to notify Cook County Public Health and Human Services within 10 days when changes in income, residence, employment status, education or training status, family status, or family size occur. Families must report change in provider at least 15 days prior to the change. Failure to meet these requirements may result in an overpayment, suspension or termination of Child Care Assistance.

B. RE-DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY: A Child Care re-determination of eligibility will be conducted at least every 6 months, at the Child Care Program Coordinators discretion or at the parent's request. The MEC² system sends out reviews by US mail.

C. NOTICES: Cook County is required to give 15-day notices of any adverse action on a Child Care Assistance Case. This may cause an overpayment of Child Care Assistance.

D. TEMPORARY INELIGIBILITY: A person on the Child Care Assistance Program, who temporarily becomes ineligible for financial assistance with childcare services, will have their slot for financial assistance held available for 90 days. Within this time period, the family must meet all eligibility requirements to have their Child Care Assistance reinstated.

E. SUSPENDING: Cases may be suspended when the family has a temporary break of childcare needed, but remains eligible. An example is school age children only needing childcare when there is no school.

F. TERMINATING: Cases may be terminated when the family requests it in writing, the family is no longer eligible, or a member of the family has been disqualified.

4. Providers
A. CHOOSING A PROVIDER: Each client is responsible for choosing a Child Care Provider as defined under Minnesota Statutes 119B.09 Subd. 5, that best meets the needs of their family.
"Provider" means: (1) an individual or child care center or facility, either licensed or unlicensed, providing legal child care services as defined under section 245A.03; or (2) an individual or child care center or facility holding a valid child care license issued by another state or a tribe and providing child care services in the licensing state or in the area under the licensing tribe's jurisdiction. A legal non-licensed family child care provider must be at least 18 years of age, and not a member of the MFIP/DWP assistance unit or a member of the family receiving child care assistance to be authorized under this chapter.

B. APPLICATION: Cook County will send provider packets via US Postal Service unless requested otherwise to interested potential providers. The application must be returned within 15 calendar days or receiving it. If it is not, it will be denied and the applicant will have to complete another application.

5. Family Copayment
A. COPAYMENT:
o The Households Gross Family Income and size determines family co-payments. Child care assistance families are required to pay the bi-weekly family copayment fee directly to their Provider.

B. RESPONSIBILITY:
o The parent/guardian is responsible for their co-payment to the Child Care Provider according to the established guidelines. The amount of the family co-payment will be deducted from the payments made to providers.

6. Conditions of Payment
A. Child Care funds cannot be paid until the family has been authorized to receive Child Care Assistance.

B. Child Care funds cannot be paid until the provider registration process is completed including the return of the background check. If and when the provider is approved, payment may be made retroactive to the date the application was received. The parent is responsible for payment prior to this date and/or if the legal non-licensed applicant is denied.

C. Child Care Assistance payments will be paid directly to the provider when care is provided in the home of the provider or other licensed facility.

MN Statutes 119B.09 subd. 10 "Payment of funds. All federal, state, and local child care funds must be paid directly to the parent when a provider cares for children in the children's own home. In all other cases, all federal, state, and local child care funds must be paid directly to the child care provider, either licensed or legal nonlicensed, on behalf of the eligible family."

D. When the Child Care recipients uses an alternative provider on an emergency basis and this provider will providing less than 30 days of care, payment from Child Care funding can be made. The exception of payment would be for a provider who has previously been denied to be a licensed or legal non-licensed provider.

E. When the county knows that a particular provider is unsafe, or that the circumstances of the child care arrangement chosen by the parent are unsafe, the county may deny a child care subsidy. Documentation or other credible evidence of any of the disqualifier defined in licensing laws or substantiated charges of abuse or neglect-5th degree or worse, may be grounds for the county to determine that a child care provider or care arrangement is unsafe when these factors reflect on the provider's ability to provider care.
7. Payments
A. A service authorization notice will be mailed to the provider and the parent. All costs exceeding the authorization will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

B. Billing forms will be mailed out the Providers using the MEC² system.

C. All billing forms must be submitted to the county within 60 days of the last date of service. Billing forms after the 60 days will be considered if there a documented good cause for late submission. "Good cause" would be considered an agency error, a health and/or safety issue. Under no circumstances will a billing form that is over 365 days old be considered for payment.

8. Absent Days
Cook County PHHS will pay for child absences in accordance with DHS 05-68-13 when:

o The provider has a written policy for child absences and charges all other families in care for similar absences, and is charging the family for this day.
o The payment is not more than the provider charges private families for the same absence period.
o The charge is not being paid by a non-CCAP source.
o The provider's service is available.
o The child is scheduled to be in childcare based on hours of care that have been authorized.

Those absences meet the criteria above and do not exceed 10 consecutive absence days, up to a total of 25 absent days in a calendar year per child. This extends across all providers used during the year. Unused days cannot be carried over to the next calendar year. The reason for an absence does not affect payment.

EXCEPTION: The standard absent day policy may be exceeded if the child has a "Child Care Assistance Program Medical Condition Documentation Form" DHS-4602 signed by a qualified medical professional. Also, absent day payment limits do not apply to children whose care is paid through the School Readiness Connections (SRC) Project program, provided the family remains eligible.

In addition, the county will pay for up to 10 federal or state holidays per year if:
o The provider is closed and not providing care.
o The provider charges all families for these days.
o The holiday falls on a day when the child is authorized and scheduled to be in attendance.

Parents may substitute cultural or religious holidays for the (10) ten recognized days when prior parental notice is provided to the county.

9. Overpayment/Recoupement
A. OVERPAYMENT: An overpayment is when a family receives more childcare assistance than they were eligible for. Overpayments can be caused by agency error, household error, or other circumstances.

B. RECOUPMENT METHODS:

o For active Child Care Assistance families, overpayments will be recouped from current benefits. The following are the recoupment rates for families:

1. If the overpayment is due to agency or provider error, the greater of ¼ of the family's copayment or $20 is recouped.
2. If the overpayment is due to the family's 1st failure to report changes, the greater of ½ of the family's copayment or $20 is recouped.
3. If the overpayment is due to the family's failure to provide accurate information at application or redetermination or the family's 2nd subsequent failure to report changes, the greater of ½ of the family's copayment or $100 is recouped.
4. When the overpayment is due to wrongfully obtaining public assistance as established by court conviction, court-ordered stay of conviction with probationary or other terms, a disqualification agreement, a pretrial diversion, or an administrative disqualification hearing or waiver, the greater to the family's copayment, 10% of the overpayment or $200 is recouped.

o When a provider has an overpayment due to agency or family error, the biweekly recoupment amount is one-tenth the provider's payment or $20, whichever is greater.

o When a provider has an overpayment due to the provider's failure to provide accurate information, the biweekly recoupment amount is one-fourth the provider's payment or $50, whichever is greater.

o When a provider has an overpayment due to a violation of Minnesota Statutes, section 256.98, subdivision 1, as established by a court conviction, a court-ordered stay of conviction with probationary or other terms, a disqualification agreement, a pretrial diversion, or an administrative disqualification hearing or waiver, the biweekly recoupment amount equals the greater of:

1. One-half the provider's payment;
2. Ten percent of the overpayment; or
3. $100.

Voluntary Repayment Agreements are available only to parents and providers who are inactive with the Child Care Assistance Program. The County must approve any agreements for repayment.

If you have any questions regarding Child Care and the above-mentioned policy, please contact Cook County Public Health and Human Services at 218-387-3620.