10010B CHILD CARE ELIGIBILITY
Table of The Eligibility section includes the following information Contents
Topic
Eligible Adult
ParentCaretaker is Receiving Refugee Cash Assistance
ParentCaretaker Is Receiving CalWORKs
ParentCaretaker Is Not Receiving CalWORKs
Eligible Child
Child Age Requirements
Exceptions to Age Requirements
Preferred Placement for 11 and 12 Year Old Children
Family Size
Family Size Exception
County Residence
Income Eligibility Active CalWORKs
Income Eligibility PostAid
Income Verification Post CalWORKs
Income Exclusions Post CalWORKs
Need Criteria
CalLearn Program Transition to WTW Program
Limited Term Service Leave LTSL
Religious Instruction
Time Limits
Processing Guide Verifications
Processing Guide PostAid Income
Eligible Adult To be eligible for child care services an adult must satisfy all three of the following conditions
Live in California
Have an eligible Child
Have a need for child care services
ParentCaretaker is Receiving Refugee Cash Assistance
If a parentcaretaker is receiving Refugee Cash Assistance RCA and is participating in an approved Refugee Employment Services activity then heshe is categorically eligible to child care For child care services an RCA parent is treated the same as a WelfaretoWork WTW parent
ParentIf a parentcaretaker is receiving CalWORKs and participating in an Caretaker Is approved WelfaretoWork WTW activity then heshe is categorically Receiving eligible to child care with some restrictions
CalWORKs The child is eligible for Stage 1 child care under the following circumstances
The parentcaretaker ishas And is
Eligible to CalWORKs or An immunization penalty or A school attendance penalty or an IPV Working or Participating in an approved activity
A CalLearn participant Going to school Going to school and working Note Effective July 1 2011 CalLearn participant who transitioned into the CalLearn program with employment as part of an existing case plan shall retain supportive services
Parent Caretaker is Not Receiving CalWORKs
Parentscaretakers who are not currently receiving CalWORKs may receive Stage 1 Child Care if not more than 24 months have lapsed since the parentcaretaker left CalWORKs cash aid and if child care is not available in Stage 2 or Stage 3
Receipt of Diversion Services restarts the parentscaretakers 24 months of Post Aid
Parentscaretakers who are serving a WTW sanction are eligible for child care subsidy if they are
o Working or
o Participating in a countyapproved activity
The 24month limit applies to each instance of leaving CalWORKs cash assistance
Exceeding the 24 months does not preclude eligibility to Stage 3
To prevent a break in child care services Contractor must transfer parentscaretakers to Stage 3 before the end of the 24 months Post Aid Transfers to Stage 3 shall count towards the monthly goal of transitioning cases to Stage 2
o Example The Contractors goal is to transfer 200 cases to
Stage 2 in the report month and the Contractor transfers 25 cases to Stage 3 to prevent a break in services
o Therefore the Contractor receives credit for transferring the 25 cases and shall meet the Stage 2 transition goal if the Contractor transitions an additional 175 cases to Stage 2 25 transferred to Stage 3 175 transferred to Stage 2 200 total transferred to appropriate Alternative Payment Program Provider
Eligible Child A child may receive Stage 1 Child Care in the following instances
When And
When the child is a member of the CalWORKs assistance unit or When the child would be a member of the CalWORKs assistance unit if not receiving foster care or SSISSP benefits or When the child is the child of a WTW Pregnant or Parenting Teen PPT participant or When the child is a member of a family with a former CalWORKs parentcaretaker who has a need for child care or A child whom a CalWORKs parentcaretaker is responsible to support The parentcaretaker has a need for child care services and The family is income eligible and There is no parent or legal guardian or member of the assistance unit living in the home who is able and available to provide care
Example 1 A single parent in an approved WelfaretoWork activity requests CalWORKs Stage One child care for both her children and her sisters unaided children who are residing with her while the sister is in jail The childrens fathers are absent In this case all children meet the requirement for Stage One child care The parents children are eligible as she is in a WelfaretoWork activity and the sisters children are eligible as the parent is responsible to support them
Example 2 A single parent in an approved WelfaretoWork activity requests CalWORKs Stage One child care for both her children and the children of her unaided unmarried boyfriend who is living in the home
The unmarried boyfriend is employed The parents aided children are eligible as she is in a WelfaretoWork activity but the boyfriends children do not meet the requirement as children whom the client is responsible to support
Child AgeThe following child age requirements apply to Stage 1 Requirements
10 years of age or younger
11 and 12yearold children may receive services to the extent funds are available
Exceptions to Only children under age 13 are eligible to receive child care services Age
with the following age exceptions
Requirements
Children who are under court supervision
Children 21 years of age or younger who are identified as having Exceptional Needs This means children who
o have been determined to be eligible for special education and related services by an individualized education program team
o have an active Individualized Education Program IEP and
o require the special attention of adults in a child care setting
Preferred Placement for 11 and 12 Year Old Children
The preferred placement for 11 and 12 year old children is in a before or after school program
Children who are 11 or 12 years of age shall be eligible for subsidized child care services only for the portion of care needed that is not available in a before or after school program
Families may combine care provided in a before or after school program with subsidized child care in another setting for those hours within a day when the before or after school program does not operate in order to meet the child care needs of the family
Children who are 11 or 12 years of age who are eligible for and who are receiving subsidized child care services and for whom a before or after school program is not available shall continue to receive subsidized child care services
Family Size To determine family size count the number of adults and children related by blood marriage or adoption that make up the household in which the child is living
Family Size When an adult living in the household is neither the parent of the child Exception
nor the spouse of the parent the adult and the adults children if any shall be excluded from the calculation of family size
CountyThe parentcaretaker and the children for whom they are requesting Residence
child care subsidies must live in San Diego County If a parent moves to another county but remains in California please follow instructions regarding 10010G General Administration InterCounty Transfers
Income A family that is active CalWORKs is incomeeligible for child care
Eligibility
Active
CalWORKs
Income EligibilityPostAid
If a family is PostAid the family must meet income requirements for the child care programs
A family is income eligible if the familys adjusted monthly income based upon the family size is at or below 70 of the state median income
Adjusted monthly income is the total countable income received by members of the family included in the family size determination minus verified child support payments paid by the parent whose child or guardian is receiving child care services
o Except for child support payments paid by the parent monthly income shall not be adjusted because of voluntary or involuntary deductions
o When income fluctuations occur the adjusted monthly income shall be computed by averaging the total adjusted monthly income received during the 12 months immediately preceding the month in which the family is applying
Income Income must be verified Income used in the determination of child Verification
care subsidies includes but is not limited to
Post CalWORKs
Earnings from employment
Earnings from selfemployment
CalWORKs grant
Social Security
Disability payments
Child Support
Unemployment
Inkind Income
Income Exclusions Post CalWORKs
Total countable income does not include the following
Earnings of a child under the age of 18 years
Loans grants and scholarships obtained under conditions that preclude their use for current living costs any portion of Grants and Loans intended for Tuition Books and Transportation is excluded from income
Grants and loans to students for educational purposes made or insured by a state or federal agency the portion of a grant that is identified for child care expenses does count
Allowances received for uniforms or other work required clothing food or shelter
Income that is used for business expenses for selfemployed family members or
The income of a recipient of federal Supplemental Security Income SSI and State Supplemental Program SSP benefits
Need Criteria For Active CalWORKs the ECM authorizes child care via the 27128 listing the activity and hours in which the parent is participating This satisfies the requirement to verify that the parent is in an authorized WelfaretoWork activity The CCM will gather information from the parentcaretaker to complete the needs determination Please refer to Eligible Child
If parentcaretaker is employed the nature of the work must preclude the supervision of the familys children
Family child care providers are not eligible for subsidized services because their work does not preclude the supervision of their own children
CalLearn ProgramTransition to WTW Program
When a CalLearn participant is deregisteredclosed due to graduation or aging out from the CalLearn Program the CalLearn Child Care worker will follow the instructions in CalWIN Child Care How To 842 Child Care Transition from CalLearn Program to the WTW Program
This will allow a seamless transition for child care supportive service payments for individuals transitioning into WTW who are participating in approved activities
Limited Term Limited Term Service Leave LTSL is a holding option which allows
Service Leave the child care case to be temporarily held for a period up to 1216
LTSL weeks depending on the reason without closing the case and making client reapply when activity begins
Contractors may use LTSL if the family will temporarily not have a need for subsidized child care
for up to 16 consecutive weeks for medical or family leave such as
o for the birth and care of the newborn of the parent
o care for parents child spouse or parent who has a health condition
o placement with the parent of a child for adoption or foster care or
o a period when the vocational training program is not in session or
for up to 12 consecutive weeks for reasons such as
o break in employment
o school break
o childs visit with noncustodial parent not ordered by court or
o family vacation in excess of best interest days
CCM shall take the following actions to implement LTSL
Parent is eligible for LTSL only if
o parent is waiting for an extension
o has an appointment with ECM
o parent is expected to return to school
o case is in compliance
Discontinue child care plans at last day paid LDP following timely notice and program regulations
Evaluate for overpayments
Send Child Care Discontinuance Notice of Action NA835 adding the following specific statement or use shelf stock NOA 24824 0811 Stage 1 Disc Approve LTSL or other County approved notice of action
You have been approved for a Limited Term Service Leave LTSL This leave grants you up to of weeks being approved 12 or 16 consecutive weeks without using child care services You must notify your Child Care Case Manager at least 10 days prior to the date you intend to start services again If you do not resume services by enter last day of LTSLend of 12 or 16 weeks you will be terminated from the program Last day of 27128last day paid LDP is the last day we will pay for child care Your provider has been notified
Ensure Child Care case appears as Discontinued status in CalWIN following regular discontinuance actions
Standard case comments are entered in CalWIN to explain LTSL period
LTSL 651191811 LDP effective 6411 for John with provider due to 27128 with VTR activity ended 6411 Confirmed LDP with parent and provider Spoke with provider NOA sent to parent provider and ECM
Track case for new 27128 or close case
Religious Child care centers and providers are often associated with churchesInstruction synagogues or other places of worship In such cases these providers may incorporate religion into their child care programs
This is permitted in Stage 1 but not in Stage 2
The provider must sign a statement that the child care services being provided do or do not include religious instruction or worship so we will know if the family can be transferred to Stage 2 with the same provider
Time Limits The following time limits apply to Stage 1
When the parentcaretaker has been served 60 days or more in Stage 1 the case must be evaluated for the definition of stable If the case is determined stable it must be immediately transferred to Stage 2 Please refer to Processing Guide 10010A4 Transitioning Cases to Stage 2
A parentcaretaker can receive Stage 1 benefits for a maximum of 24 months after the adult is no longer receiving CalWORKs cash aid Please refer to ParentCaretaker is Not Receiving CalWORKs
The parentcaretaker must meet all other eligibility requirements for the program