2.1 Reducing Barriers to Family Enrollment and Redetermination

Lead Agency enrollment and redetermination policies may not unduly disrupt parents’ employment, education, or job training activities to comply with the Lead Agency’s or designated local entity’s requirements. Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to design and implement the eligibility practices that reduce barriers to enrollment and redetermination. Examples include developing strategies to inform families and their providers of an upcoming redetermination and the information that will be required of the family, pre-populating subsidy renewal forms, having parents confirm that the information is accurate, and/or asking only for the information necessary to make an eligibility redetermination. In addition, Lead Agencies can offer a variety of family-friendly methods for submitting documentation for eligibility redetermination that considers the range of needs for families in accessing support (e.g., use of languages other than English, access to transportation, accommodation of parents working non-traditional hours). 2.1.1 Eligibility practices to reduce barriers to enrollment a. Does the Lead Agency implement any of the following eligibility practices to reduce barriers at the time of initial eligibility determination? Check all that apply and describe those elements checked. i. [ ] Establishing presumptive eligibility while eligibility is being determined. Describe the policy, including the populations benefiting from the policy, and identify how long the period of presumptive eligibility is: ii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: In Idaho, child care subsidy eligibility and payments are processed in the Idaho Benefit Eligibility System (IBES). This is also the eligibility system for Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD). Processing eligibility in a unified system means that changes and information shared with one program can be used to inform others at the request of the applicant. For example, income reported for a SNAP application can be used for a child care subsidy application with no additional effort on the part of the applicant. Applications are assigned to eligibility workers based on timeliness priorities, with work items queued accordingly. The system's design allows the Lead Agency to monitor the entire application flow, tracking which workers handle specific cases to assess timeliness and pinpoint areas for improvement. This structured approach facilitates timely eligibility determinations and continual service enhancement. iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: All subsidy participating children in the same household are determined eligible using the same verifications at the time of application. At this time, children added to an existing, approved benefits case have the same reevaluation date as the household they join. The lead agency will work to update this process within our automated eligibility system with future updates. iv. [ ] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: v. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. [x] Consultation available via phone. vii. [x] Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations: IDHW maintains a highly efficient benefit eligibility system we track and monitor the eligibility determination process to ensure that clients are served as quickly as possible. Idaho will process all ICCP applications within 30 days. (IDAPA 16.06.12.050) viii. [ ] None. b. Does the Lead Agency use an online subsidy application? [ ] Yes. [x] No. If no, describe why an online application is impracticable. IDHW offers multiple ways for a household to provide information addition to online document submission, including an option for in-person drop-off of documents, fax, verified collateral calls, and an email option to our customer support inbox. At this time, an online application for child care is under consideration, but an automation timeline has not yet been established due to the complexities of our integrated universal eligibility system. c. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: [x] No. 2.1.2 Preventing disruption of eligibility activities a. Identify, where applicable, the Lead Agency’s procedures and policies to ensure that parents do not have their employment, education, or job training unduly disrupted to comply with the State’s/Territory’s or designated local entity’s requirements for the redetermination of eligibility. Check all that apply. i. [x] Advance notice to parents of pending redetermination. ii. [x] Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination. iii. [x] Pre-populated subsidy renewal form. iv. [x] Online documentation submission. v. [x] Cross-program redeterminations. vi. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vii. [x] Consultation available via phone. viii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. ix. [ ] Other. Describe: b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: [x] No.