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. Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe:

iii. Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: Child Care Assistance Program applications include all children in the same household and are included in the eligibility determination process.

iv. [x] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: A Child Care Eligibility Calculator available on the lead agency's web site allows a potential applicant to enter their family size, number of children in care and income information to determine if they are income eligible and what their estimated copayment would be assessed at.

v. Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends).

vi. [x] Consultation available via phone.

vii. Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations:

viii. None.

b. Does the Lead Agency use an online subsidy application?

Yes.

No. If no, describe why an online application is impracticable. The lead agency is currently working with Code for America to develop an online application, which is expected to launch in Spring 2025.

c. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance?

[x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: To meet activity requirements, families receiving TANF are eligible for any activity assigned by their TANF worker via the Responsibility and Service Plan (RSP).

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.

Advance notice to parents of pending redetermination.

Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination.

Pre-populated subsidy renewal form.

Online documentation submission.

Cross-program redeterminations.

Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends).

Consultation available via phone.

Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs.

Other. Describe:

b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance?

Yes. If yes, describe the policies: Any activity approved by a family's TANF caseworker is considered an eligible activity for CCAP.

No.