2.3 Prioritizing Services for Vulnerable Children and Families

Lead Agencies must give priority for child care assistance to children with special needs, families with very low incomes (considering family size), and children experiencing homelessness. A Lead Agency has the flexibility to prioritize other populations of children. Note: Statute defines children with disabilities, and CCDF rule gives flexibility to Lead Agencies to include vulnerable populations in their definition of children with special needs. CCDF defines “child experiencing homelessness” as a child who is homeless, as defined in Section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 2.3.1 Lead Agency definition of priority groups Describe how the Lead Agency defines: d. “Children with special needs.” A child that has a disability or developmental delay that impacts their learning as measured and documented by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures by a licensed medical specialist. The disability or delay must be in one of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social development, emotional development, or adaptive development. Children with disabilities may include: a child who is eligible for early intervention services under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.); a child who is eligible for services under part B, section 619, of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419); a child who is eligible for services under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794); a child with a Medicaid waiver for persons with disabilities (i.e., Katie Beckett, NOW, or COMP); and a child receiving Supplemental Security Income for blindness or a disability. e. “Families with very low incomes.” Currently, families with very low income are defined as families whose income falls at or below 10 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. 2.3.2 Prioritization of child care services Identify how the Lead Agency will prioritize child care services for the following children and families. a. Complete the table below to indicate how the identified populations are prioritized. Population Prioritized Prioritize for enrollment in child care services Serve without placing on waiting list Waive co- payments as described in 3.3.1 Pay higher rate for access to higher quality care Use grants or contracts to reserve spots Other Children with special needs [x] [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] Describe: Families with very low incomes [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Children experiencing homelessness, as defined by CCDF [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: (Optional) Families receiving TANF, those attempting to transition off TANF, and those at risk of becoming dependent on TANF [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: a. Does the Lead Agency define any other priority groups? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, identify the populations prioritized and describe how the Lead Agency prioritizes services: To support families with the greatest needs, Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) established the additional priority groups: Child Protective Services (CPS) and court ordered supervision cases - a child who is receiving protective services; Children enrolled in Georgia’s Pre-K Program; Children in Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) Custody; Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) - Parents participating in GRG with DFCS; Minor Parents - Parents 20 years old and younger; Families experiencing 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 approval of eligibility unless verification cannot be granted after the 45- day period. For extenuating circumstances beyond 45 days, an additional waiver allowing more time must be approved by the CAPS program. In consultation with Georgia Department of Public Health, the agency in Georgia responsible for monitoring that children in child care have current immunization certificates or an approved waiver, a 45-day time frame was established as sufficient to obtain a copy of an immunization certificate or for a child to receive appropriate immunizations. Children who are in foster care: CAPS Policy Manual 6.6 specifies that families have at least 45 days to verify immunization requirements. This applies to all families including children who are in foster care. CAPS Procedure Manual 3.5.5 notes the additional 45 days does not affect approval of eligibility unless verification cannot be granted after the 45- day period. For extenuating circumstances beyond 45 days, an additional waiver allowing more time must be approved by the CAPS program. In consultation with Georgia Department of Public Health, the agency in Georgia responsible for monitoring that, children in child care have current immunization certificates or an approved waiver, a 45-day time frame was established as sufficient to obtain a copy of an immunization certificate, or for a child to receive appropriate immunizations. ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the length of the grace period was established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: c. Describe how the Lead Agency coordinates with licensing agencies and other relevant State, Territorial, Tribal, and local agencies to provide referrals and support to help families with children receiving services during a grace period comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements: The Lead Agency refers families to the county health department and other providers participating in the federal Vaccines for Children Program, which supplies vaccines free of charge to participating providers, which are made available to children up to 19 years of age who are Medicaid enrolled, uninsured, underinsured (and seen in a federally qualified health center or rural health center), or American Indian or Alaska Native.