Page 24

CAPS Policy – Application Process No.: CAPS/00-4 Effective Date: 10/01/2016 Revised: 10/06/2025 Revision Effective: 10/06/2025

CAPS Policy Manual

Page 24 of 109 4.3.5 A complete paper application should be submitted to the following address:

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning CAPS Division 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE Suite 754, East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334

4.3.6 The official application date shall be the date the initial application was received by CAPS.

Funding Availability 4.4.1 At the discretion of DECAL and/or due to federal regulations, funding may not always be available. 4.4.1.1 Notifications about funding availability will be posted on the CAPS website. 4.4.1.2 When funding is not available, applicants will be alerted at the time the application is submitted. 4.4.1.3 If a family’s application is denied for CAPS due to funding availability, the family may reapply when funding becomes available. A denial due to lack of funding is not appealable.

CAPS Interview 4.5.1 An interview must be conducted to determine eligibility (except for children in Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) custody). Interviews can be conducted via phone, in person, or virtually. The purpose of the interview is to ensure that all aspects of the family’s situation have been recorded and that all needed verification documents have been received. 4.5.2 Interviews may occur at any time during business hours during the 30-day application review period. 4.5.3 Failure to participate in the interview may result in the application being denied.

Verification 4.6.1 An applicant will be required to submit verification documents as prescribed in CAPS Eligibility Requirements Policy (CAPS/00-6), CAPS Priority Groups (CAPS/00-07), and CAPS Income Calculations Policy (CAPS/00-8). The applicant will be given a specific time period to submit the supporting documents and information. Verification documents may be submitted in person, by mail, or online through the state’s integrated eligibility system.

Application Status and Dispositions 4.7.1 CAPS staff have up to 30 calendar days from the date the application is received to provide an applicant with a written disposition of the application. 4.7.1.1 The application processing period may be extended beyond 30 calendar days for good cause, with management approval, when the verification provided demonstrates a good faith effort by the parent to comply with a request for documentation. 4.7.2 An application shall have one of the following statuses or dispositions: 4.7.2.1 Approved – An application may be approved if the family meets applicable activity, income, and other requirements during the application process. A. An application may be approved even when the parent has not selected a child care provider. CAPS staff should work with the parent, share resources, and inform the parent about child care options and quality learning environments that best fit the needs of the family. Families will receive a 45-calendar day grace period to select a child care provider. The parent must notify CAPS of the selected provider within 45 calendar days after the determination of eligibility. If a provider is not selected and reported to CAPS by the end of the 45-day period, the case may close. B. An application may be approved even when a parent has not provided all verification documents as required under CAPS Policy 7.6, 7.10, and 7.11. Families will receive a 45-calendar day grace period to