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Title 13: Social Service Resources Page 9 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter G: Child Care Assistance Determining Eligiblity Revised June 14, 2024 Application

The Department’s central office determines that child care funds are insufficient to serve new applicants. The local office posts a notice that applications to be placed on a waiting list are being taken from families who meet the requirements in Priority Group 1. The J family is a five-member, two-parent household whose combined income is less than 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Mrs. J works an average of 32 hours per week during the month at minimum wage. Mr. J works 32 hours a week at minimum wage. The Js apply for Child Care Assistance for their three children and are placed on the waiting list. Four months later, funds are determined available to serve families who meet the requirements in the first priority group. The CCCAU notifies families on the waiting list to reapply if they still need services. The J family reapplies. Although Mrs. J’s work schedule has become more stable, her work hours have been reduced. She is now working only 20 hours a week. The Js no longer meet the requirement of Priority Group 1 that both parents in a two-parent household be employed at least 32 hours per week. The application cannot be approved at this time. Once approved, the family is not required to meet the priority group requirements at the next scheduled review or redetermination. Eligibility continues as long as the requirements for need for service, financial eligibility, and age of the child are met. (See Determining Eligibility.) Administration of Waiting Lists Legal reference: 441 IAC 170.3(4) The Child Care Assistance (CCA) worker or the worker’s designee must enter the family on the waiting list by the end of the third workday after the application is received. Enter each family on the waiting list according to the eligibility priority and in the sequence of when the application was date-stamped in a Department office. If more than one application is received at one time in the same priority group, enter the family on the list on the basis of the day of the month of the birthday of the oldest eligible child, with the lowest number being first on the list. Any subsequent tie is decided by the month of birth, January being month one and the lowest number.