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35 | P a g e FFY 2025–2027 CCDF State Plan

domestic violence. For the purpose of this policy, domestic violence includes any violent crime that is alleged by the applicant against any past or present spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents and foster children, or other persons living or formerly living in the same household. This shall also include emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse as attested to by the applicant or formally documented by a referral agency, law enforcement, or a court of competent jurisdiction; Families who have experienced a natural disaster in the family’s county of residence that has been identified by government officials as an area included in the state or federal disaster area; Need to protect - A child who needs to receive protective services but is not formally involved with Child Protective Services; Student Parent - A parent with dependent children enrolled in high school, adult education, vocational training, early childhood education credential or training courses, technical certificate of credit (TCC), technical college diploma (TCD), education or training through WorkSource Georgia, associate degree program, or bachelor’s degree program. Families in these priority groups meet first-level eligibility criteria for CAPS. In addition, the CAPS program pays the full rate for child care for families of children with special needs and children in foster care. Finally, CAPS does not assess a co-payment for minor parents below the age of 18 and children in DFCS custody. 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: Verification of priority group status is required before an initial eligibility determination. If additional documentation is not immediately available, families are allowed an additional 45 days to submit verification of the child’s citizenship or qualified alien status, child’s immunization (if applicable), activity, and income without postponing their eligibility determination. 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: CAPS Policy Manual 6.6 specifies that families have at least 45 days to verify immunization requirements. This applies to all families including children experiencing homelessness. CAPS Procedure Manual 3.5.5 notes the additional 45 days does not affect