5.1 Family Co-payment Requirements

OSSE establishes a sliding fee scale for family co-payments, based on family size and income, which is available on the OSSE website and on My Child Care DC (mychildcare.dc.gov). Co-payments are adjusted for full-time and part-time enrollment and there is no additional co-payment required when more than two children are receiving subsidized child care. When there are multiple children in one family, the co-payment applies to the two youngest children receiving subsidized care. Families are responsible for paying the co-payment to the provider, following the provider’s written payment policy. Providers should give receipts to families for all co-payments received. The child care facility may terminate a child’s placement following two weeks’ notice when payment has not been made for 30 or more days. If a child’s placement is terminated due to failure to pay co-payment, the family's assigned eligibility worker must determine if a redetermination of co-payment is necessary. Eligible children will receive a new placement even when the family owes money to a previous provider. OSSE is not responsible for the collection of family fees or co-payments.