a. Filing an Application

The parent shall apply for assistance by submitting an application to the CCAP administrator using a form prescribed by the department. The parent may use a copy of the application form, provided the information submitted on the form is original and not copied. If the form submitted is obsolete or inadequate, the CCAP administrator may require the parent to complete a new application. The date of application shall be the date the initial application was filed.

If the family contains a minor parent, the minor or the minor’s parent may submit the application. The parent of the minor parent shall be considered the applicant and shall be required to sign the application form before assistance is granted, unless the minor parent is emancipated by marriage or court decree.

The application form shall be submitted to the address specified by the department for the submission of applications. Applications received by the department at an address other than the one specified for the submission of CCAP applications shall be forwarded to the CCAP administrator within one business day of the date the application was received.

Parents may apply or reapply for the program at any time. The parent shall be required to complete a new application form with each application, except under the following circumstances: when an application is reopened in accordance with the requirements of subsection (e) of this section, the CCAP administrator shall not require the parent to submit a new application form if the original application form submitted by the parent is not more than sixty days old; or if the original application was denied because the parent did not comply with a request for missing information or verification, the CCAP administrator shall waive the requirement for submitting a new application form if the parent submits some or all of the missing information within sixty days of the previous application date.

Telephone contacts or other requests for assistance not utilizing the prescribed application form shall be considered inquiries and do not constitute an application.

At a minimum, the application form filed shall include the full name and address of the parent, the date and the parent’s signature. Applicants shall not be required to submit a child care agreement form or other documentation with the application.

Application forms may be requested from the CCAP administrator by phone or in writing. Application forms requested by phone shall be mailed to the parent by the next business day following the date of the request. Application forms shall also be made available in local offices of the department at sites designated for the coordination of employment services activities for cash assistance recipients. Upon request, the CCAP administrator shall make application forms available in reasonable quantities to licensed child care providers, legal assistance organizations or other entities that regularly assist low and moderate income families.

Parents may be required to complete a telephone interview as part of the application process. Interviews may be scheduled by contacting the parent by phone, except that written notice shall be issued before an application is denied because the parent did not comply with attempts to complete the interview. Interviews shall be scheduled within thirty days of the date of application at a time mutually agreed to by the parent and the CCAP administrator.