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Title 13: Social Service Resources Page 48 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter G: Child Care Assistance Determining Eligiblity Revised June 14, 2024 Need for Service Seeking Employment Legal reference: 441 IAC 170.2(2)“b” Policy: Families are eligible for Child Care Assistance (CCA) when the parent or parents are looking for employment. A family may be eligible for CCA as an applicant or as a recipient who loses employment during an approved certification period. CCA for job search is limited to only those hours the parent is actually looking for employment and travel time. PROMISE JOBS participants are limited to the number of hours approved by the PROMISE JOBS worker. CCA for job search can be approved for up to three months. Procedure for applicants: Approve CCA in two-parent families only during the hours when both parents are looking for employment at the same time or during the hours when one parent is looking for employment and the other parent is meeting another need for service. Approve a job search after consultation with the parent to determine the start date of the job search period. The job search shall last no longer than three months. If employment is found within this three-month period, document the income and hours and continue with the current certification period. If employment is not found, issue a notice to cancel the certification period. Complete the child’s schedule with the days and units chosen by the parent to conduct the job search. Allow a maximum of one unit of child care each day, unless the parent states they are looking for employment more than 5 hours per day. Then allow 2 units.

1. Mr. M is unemployed and applies for CCA because he needs child care while he looks for work. He decides that he will begin a job search on December 13, and will seek work Monday-Friday for approximately 4 to 5 hours each day. Therefore, Mr. M will be approved for one unit of child care per day. The notice of decision reflects a 12 month certification period and that Mr. M is authorized to use child care only Monday-Friday for one unit each day. Mr. M reports full-time employment starting February 20. Determine if additional units are necessary and continue the certification period. Do not increase the family fee amount.