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7 AAC 41.025. Program rates. (a) For purposes of calculating a family’s program benefits under 7 AAC 41.345, the program rate for each category of care authorized for a child is established in the department’s Child Care Assistance Program Rate Schedule, revised as of December 1, 2021, and adopted by reference. The rates in the schedule are set out by type of facility licensed under 7 AAC 57 or approved under this chapter, category of care, and geographic area. (b) The category of care includes the age group of the child and each unit of care authorized, as follows:

(1) age groups include

(A) infant: birth through 12 months of age;

(B) toddler: 13 months of age through 35 months of age;

(C) preschool-age child: 36 months of age through 59 months of age; and

(D) school-age child: five years of age through 13 years of age;

(2) units of care authorized include

(A) part month enrollment: fewer than 17 days of care in any combination of part or full days in a month or from 17 to 23 part days of care in a month;

(B) full month enrollment: from 17 to 23 days of care that includes at least one full day of care in a month;

(C) part day attendance: care needed for up to and including five hours of care in a day; and

(D) full day attendance: care needed for more than five hours and up to and including 10 hours of care in a day. (c) The program payment rates in the schedule are based on the following standards:

(1) to ensure that eligible families have equal access to child care services comparable to child care provided to families that are not eligible to participate in the program; if the full range of providers is available in a community, a choice of the full range of providers is available to eligible families; in this paragraph, “full range of providers” includes licensed child care providers eligible under 7 AAC 41.200(a)(1), providers eligible under 7 AAC 41.200(a)(2) — (4), relative providers exempt from licensure and approved under 7 AAC 41.200(a)(5) and 7 AAC 41.20l(d), and child care approved under 7 AAC 41.200(a)(6) and 7 AAC 41.370 in the child’s own home; and

(2) to ensure that program payment rates are adequate, as follows: