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CAPS Policy – Definitions and Acronyms No.: CAPS/00-2 Effective Date: 10/01/2016 Revised: 10/06/2025 Revision Effective: 10/06/2025

CAPS Policy Manual

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Household – all persons residing in the same home.

Improper Payment – any payment received in error. This may include a payment made for an incorrect amount, a payment made on behalf of an ineligible person or a payment made for a service not rendered or improperly authorized. This includes any duplicate payments or payments for services not received.

In loco parentis – person living with the child needing CAPS services who is one of the following: a non-custodial parent; another related person who acts as a caretaker (responsible for the care) of the child; a legal guardian; an unrelated adult who is at least age twenty-one (21) and whose petition for legal guardianship of the child is pending; an unrelated adult with whom DFCS has placed a child subsequent to a court order identifying DFCS as responsible for the child’s care and supervision.

Inactive Child Care Provider – a child care provider that does not currently care for a child served by the CAPS program.

Informal Provider – family, friend, or neighbor who provides care for no more than two unrelated (or no more than six related) children for pay. Informal providers are not required to be licensed but must register with the CAPS program. Informal care can only be authorized in limited situations as detailed in CAPS Participating Providers Policy (CAPS/00-11).

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) – instruction for adult English language learners, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that provides them knowledge of the English language and other skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and to obtain United States citizenship.

Irregular Income – periodic fluctuations where earnings or payments may not reflect an accurate projected annual income when determining eligibility based upon the previous four weeks of income.

Lead Agency – see definition of DECAL.

License-Exempt Providers – child care providers that can operate legally without a license. DECAL rules and guidelines for all exempt programs can be found at http://www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/Exemptions.aspx.

Lump-Sum Repayment – repayment option where the child care program or parent repays the entire amount of a claim in one payment.

Major Parent – adult who is the parent/person responsible for a minor parent. The major parent and the minor parent reside in the same household with the minor parent’s child or children.

Maximum Allowable Income Limit – the highest income threshold for CAPS eligibility.

Military Allotments – payment received by a family unit member who is a dependent or a spouse of a military staff member.

Minor – for the purposes of CAPS eligibility, an individual who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. For the purposes of criminal records check processes, an individual who has not yet reached their 17th birthday.

Minor Parent – any person 20 years of age or younger who has a child.

Net Income from Self-Employment (Farm) – gross receipts minus operating expenses for one’s own business, professional enterprise, or partnership. Gross receipts include the value of all goods purchased, rent, heat, light, power, depreciation charges, wages, and similar items. Operating expenses include cost of feed, fertilizer, seed, and other farming supplies, cash wages paid to farmhands, depreciation changes, cash, rent, interest on farm mortgages, farm building repairs, farm taxes (not state and federal income taxes), and similar expenses. The value of fuel, food, or other farm products used for family living is not included as part of net income.

Net Income from Self-Employment (Non-Farm) – gross receipts minus expenses from one’s own business, professional enterprise, or partnership. Gross receipts include the value of all goods sold and services rendered. Expenses include cost of goods purchased, rent, heat, light, power, depreciation charges, wages, and salaries paid, business taxes, (not personal income taxes), and similar costs. The value of salable merchandise consumed by the proprietors of retail stores is not included as part of net income.