2.3 Prioritizing Services for Vulnerable Children and Families

Lead Agencies must give priority for child care assistance to children with special needs, families with very low incomes (considering family size), and children experiencing homelessness. A Lead Agency has the flexibility to prioritize other populations of children. Note: Statute defines children with disabilities, and CCDF rule gives flexibility to Lead Agencies to include vulnerable populations in their definition of children with special needs. CCDF defines “child experiencing homelessness” as a child who is homeless, as defined in Section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 2.3.1 Lead Agency definition of priority groups Describe how the Lead Agency defines: d. “Children with special needs.” Special Needs Definition: Special needs is defined as a child under the age of nineteen who meets the requirements of subsection (b) of Section 17b- 149 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. A child shall be considered to have special needs if the child's independence, self-sufficiency and safety is dependent on others and the child requires extra supervision, care or assistance in the child care setting due to the following physical, mental, behavioral or emotional conditions, including, but not limited to: (a) a physical handicap or health impairment that causes chronic or acute health problems such as a heart condition, orthopedic impairment, tuberculosis, asthma, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, leukemia, or congenital abnormality that has been diagnosed by the physician; (b) intellectual incapacity or spectrum disorder as diagnosed by a physician, pediatrician, or psychologist; (c) a behavioral or emotional disturbance, maladjustment or developmental delay that causes the child to exhibit marked and inappropriate behaviors or characteristics over extended periods that has been diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other clinically trained or state certified mental health professional acting within his or her scope or practice; (d) a speech, vision, or hearing impairment that has been diagnosed by a physician or state certified health care professional acting within his or her scope; (e ) multiple handicaps that cause problems or interfere with the child's ability to function in the child care setting without extra care or supervision. e. “Families with very low incomes.” Connecticut defines families with very low income as those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) who are employed or in an approved Jobs First Employment Services Activities (JFES). 2.3.2 Prioritization of child care services Identify how the Lead Agency will prioritize child care services for the following children and families. a. Complete the table below to indicate how the identified populations are prioritized. Population Prioritized Prioritize for enrollment in child care services Serve without placing on waiting list Waive co- payments as described in 3.3.1 Pay higher rate for access to higher quality care Use grants or contracts to reserve spots Other Children with special needs [ ] [ ] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Describe: Families with very low incomes [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Children experiencing homelessness, as defined by CCDF [x] [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: (Optional) Families receiving TANF, those attempting to transition off TANF, and those at risk of becoming dependent on TANF [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: a. Does the Lead Agency define any other priority groups? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, identify the populations prioritized and describe how the Lead Agency prioritizes services: Priority Group 0A. Protective services Foster Child; Priority Group 0B. Protective Services Adopted Child; Priority Group 0C. Protective Services Homeless; Priority Group 0D, Protective Services Subsidized Guardianship. Priority Group 1. Parents receiving TFA cash assistance who are employed or participating in an approved employment services activity and working parents who are completing an approved employment services activity that started before the family’s TFA cash assistance was discontinued pursuant to subdivision (e)(3) of section 17b-749-04 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies; Group 2. Working parents whose cash assistance benefits were discontinued not more than five years prior to the date of application for CCAP; Priority Group 3. Parents under the age of twenty not receiving cash assistance who attend high school. 2.3.3 Enrollment and grace period for children experiencing homelessness Lead Agencies must allow (after an initial eligibility determination) children experiencing homelessness to receive CCDF services while required eligibility documentation is obtained. Lead Agencies must establish a grace period that allows children experiencing homelessness and children in foster care to receive CCDF assistance while providing their families with a reasonable time to take any necessary actions to comply with State, Territory, or local immunization and other health and safety requirements. The length of such a grace period must be established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency. Note: Any payment for such a child during the grace period may not be considered an error or improper payment. a. Describe the strategies to allow CCDF enrollment of children experiencing homelessness while required eligibility documentation is obtained: A separate family unit shall be established for homeless children and youths. These children will be considered a family unit of one for purposes of income eligibility. For purposes of authorizing the hours of care only, Care 4 Kids shall use the child’s parent(s) self-declared activity schedule. The child’s parent(s) shall not be considered part of the family unit for income eligibility. The income for the child’s family unit shall be waived on a case-by-case basis. If the child’s parent(s) are employed, or participating in an approved activity, child care shall authorized based on the self-declared schedule on the PPA. If the child’s parent(s) are not in an approved activity, child care shall be authorized for a maximum of half-time care, based on the self- declared schedule on the PPA. The family fee and asset limit shall be waived regardless of the parent(s) participation in an approved activity. Required documentation for eligibility determination: Completed Care 4 Kids application; Completed Parent Provider Agreement Form (PPA); and Completed McKinney-Vento Self-Attestation Form. If, within the 12- month eligibility period, an active Care 4 Kids family reports a retroactive change in living circumstances that make them eligible under a protective services class, Care 4 Kids shall approve eligibility back to the date the change occurred as reported on the McKinney- Vento Self-Attestation Form. Families will be provided a 90-day grace to take any necessary action to comply with immunizations and other health and safety requirements, and to obtain required Care 4 Kids documents necessary for program eligibility. The 90- day grace period will begin the date the application is processed by Care 4 Kids and is not a rolling deadline. At the end of the 90-day grace period all documents must be received by Care 4 Kids to continue program eligibility. b. Describe the grace period for each population below and how it allows them to receive CCDF assistance while providing their families with a reasonable time to take any necessary actions to comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements. i. Provide the policy for a grace period for: Children experiencing homelessness: Public Act 18-172 A ninety-day waiver of immunization documentation is provided to families experiencing homelessness. All families experiencing homelessness as defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001,42 U.S.C. 11434a. and who are applying for child care subsidy (Care 4 Kids ) will be granted a 90-day grace period to obtain required Care 4 Kids documents necessary for program eligibility. At the end of the 90-day grace period all documents must be received by Care 4 Kids to continue program eligibility. Children who are in foster care: Effective December 1, 2023, all children eligible for protective services as defined in C.G.S §17b-749 will be granted a 90-day grace period to take any necessary action to comply with immunizations and other health and safety requirements, and to obtain required Care 4 Kids documents necessary for program eligibility. The 90- day grace period will begin the date the application is processed by Care 4 Kids and is not a rolling deadline. At the end of the 90-day grace period all documents must be received by Care 4 Kids to continue program eligibility. ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the length of the grace period was established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: c. Describe how the Lead Agency coordinates with licensing agencies and other relevant State, Territorial, Tribal, and local agencies to provide referrals and support to help families with children receiving services during a grace period comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements: The OEC collaborates with the CT Department of Public Health to obtain children's immunization records via Connecticut's immunization system to facilitate compliance with immunization requirements readily accessible on the licensing website, thereby minimizing provider and family reporting burden to find immunization records. The OEC is working closely with the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut (CHC/ACT), to establish a closely collaborative relationship to advance and align the work of health centers to improve the health and wellness of all. The OEC is looking to ensure staff of the Community Health Centers have information about Head Start and OEC programs and initiatives, and for families to know about the Health Centers across the State to support child well visits and up to date immunizations. The OEC Head Start Collab Office tracks the work of each Head Start Health Services Advisory Committees (HSAC). The HSAC is composed of local health providers who represent a wide variety of local social services agencies; pediatricians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, nutritionists, and mental health providers. These groups are community focused and provide access to needed health services for all children in the community. A recent example, in New Haven the HSAC organized flu shot clinics, which was opened it up to all children in the New Haven area.