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us-in/manual/fssa/oecosl — Axiom

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CCDF POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL Effective 10/14/2024. 2

VELOPME Contents INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE .................................................................................................................. 4

SECTION 1 PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING CCDF ELIGIBILITY .......................................................... 5 1.1 Determining CCDF and OMW Regular Eligibility ............................................................................ 5 1.2 CCDF Waitlist ..................................................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Waitlist Prioritization Policy ............................................................................................................. 6 1.4 Household Members ........................................................................................................................ 8 1.5 Residency ......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Child Eligibility ................................................................................................................................. 12 1.7 Service Need .................................................................................................................................... 15 Service Need—Employment ............................................................................................................. 15

Service Need-Self Employment ........................................................................................................ 18 Service Need-Education or Training Programs ............................................................................... 19 Service Need–Incapacitation ............................................................................................................ 21 Service Need-Child Protective Services ........................................................................................... 23 Change in Service Need/Transitional Care ...................................................................................... 24 1.8 Financial Eligibility - Countable Income ........................................................................................ 25 SECTION 2 CCDF AUTHORIZATION ...................................................................................................... 32 2.1 Authorization ................................................................................................................................... 32 2.2 Absences .......................................................................................................................................... 35

2.3 CCDF/OMW Provider Information Page and Roster Management ............................................ 36 2.4 CCDF Provider Reimbursement Rates .......................................................................................... 37 2.5 Definition of Nanny Care ............................................................................................................... 39 2.6 Child Care Subsidy & Copayments ................................................................................................ 39 2.7 Changes to Vouchers ...................................................................................................................... 40 2.8 Completing Authorization Process ................................................................................................ 42 2.9 CONSUMER EDUCATION SURVEY & DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES ....................................... 43 SECTION 3 MAINTAINING CCDF ELIGIBILITY AND REAUTHORIZATION ............................................ 44 3.1 Maintaining an Application ............................................................................................................ 44 3.2 Household Size ............................................................................................................................... 46 3.3 Loss of Service Need....................................................................................................................... 47

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3.4 Extending Subsidy End Dates ........................................................................................................ 47

3.5 Self-Employment ............................................................................................................................. 48 3.6 Temporary Fluctuation in Income (TFI) ......................................................................................... 49 3.7 Reauthorization............................................................................................................................... 50 SECTION 4 CCDF NONCOMPLIANCE .................................................................................................... 50 4.1 Notice of Adverse Action (NOA) ..................................................................................................... 50 4.2 Applicant Appeal Process ............................................................................................................... 52 4.3 Determination of a Repayment Agreement ................................................................................. 53 4.4 Program Abuse or Fraud ................................................................................................................ 55 4.5 Eligibility Office Role ....................................................................................................................... 56 4.6 Intentional Program Violation (IPV) ............................................................................................... 57 4.7 Provider Compliance / Noncompliance ........................................................................................ 57

SECTION 5 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ............................................................................................. 58 5.1 Quality Assurance and Monitoring ............................................................................................... 58 5.2 Eligibility Specialist Audit of an Application .................................................................................. 59 5.3 The Eligibility Software Quality Assurance Reports ..................................................................... 60 SECTION 7 CCDF Forms & Resources .................................................................................................. 61 7.1 CCDF Forms ..................................................................................................................................... 61 7.2 Resources ........................................................................................................................................ 61

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CCDF POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL Effective 10/14/24. 7

Benefits of OMW ➢ Family co-pays are waived for all vouchers issued during the authorization period. ➢ Extension of current benefits for all children receiving services to first Saturday in June of On Way Pre-K year (to align reauthorization dates). ➢ OMW Providers must be a high-quality program and approved by OECOSL to serve OMW children. OMW programs are required to conduct kindergarten readiness assessments. ➢ Families have support through their OMW Pre-K Project Manager.

On My Way Pre-K (OMW) Regular Applicants receiving OMW vouchers are receiving a CCDF Voucher which may entitle them to: ➢ Vouchers before the start of the pre-k year, ➢ Vouchers for before and after school care (wrap around care), ➢ Vouchers for break care, and ➢ Vouchers after the pre-k year. ➢ Families enrolling in OMW. These applications are not priority enrollment, OMW is done during specific enrollment dates determined by OECOSL.

ON MY WAY Pre-K Limited Eligibility (OMW LE) Applicants with income up to 185% of the federal poverty level may be eligible for OMW Pre-K LE services for a maximum of 46 weeks if: ➢ A parent or guardian living in the household is working, going to school, attending a job training program, or searching for a job on initial application; or ➢ A parent or guardian living in the household receives Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income (also known as SSDI or SSI) benefits for themselves.

OMW LE families are placed on a separate wait list in the order they applied because the enrollment date cannot be before June 1 of each year.

OMW LE is 100% State funded and provides services ONLY for the OMW Pre-K child during the OMW school year. Children receiving OMW LE vouchers are not eligible for wrap around care or break care. The market rate for LE is set at $147.82/week. This rate differs from OMW Regular vouchers due to legislative guidelines.

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1.6 Child Eligibility Eligible children must be under the age of thirteen (13) at the time of application or reapplication, however children turning thirteen (13) may continue to participate through the end of the subsidy period including any extension of time. A child over the age of thirteen (13) at the time of application or reapplication with appropriately documented special needs or court ordered supervision and is under the age of eighteen (18) may participate until the Sunday following their nineteenth (19th) birthday.

When entering the child’s name into the eligibility software, a child’s first and last name should be entered as recorded on the child’s form of identification. A middle initial is optional.

ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTS TO VERIFY IDENTITY AND AGE ➢ Verification of birth from any government entity. ➢ Any document originating from the hospital of birth. ➢ Any documentation verified by the Division of Family Resources (DFR). ➢ Any documentation verified by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). ➢ School Enrollment Record or Identification Card if date of birth is on the document. ➢ Medical Immunization Record if the date of birth is on the document. ➢ Other documents as approved by the CCDF Policy Consultant.

Eligible Child’s Citizenship For purposes of the Program, an eligible child must be a citizen of the United States or a qualified legal alien. Only the citizenship or immigration status of the eligible child is relevant for eligibility purposes.

ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTS It is the responsibility of the Eligibility Office to obtain documentation to verify a child requesting services is a citizen of the United States or a qualified (legal) alien. ➢ Any appropriate documentation issued by the United States ➢ Form I-551 Valid Green Card (lawful permanent resident card) ➢ Valid Visa ➢ Valid Form I-94 (Arrival / Departure Document) ➢ Form I-797C (Notice of Action) this is acceptable to establish legal status if it states granted or approved. ➢ I-571 Refugee Travel Document

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➢ Social Security Card (with the first five digits redacted) marked “valid for work only with DHS authorization” does verify legal resident alien status. ➢ Other documents as approved by the CCDF Policy Consultant PLEASE NOTE: Form I-589 is the application for asylum that provides a court date but is not acceptable to establish legal status.

PLEASE NOTE: For DCS, Foster and CPS cases presumptive eligibility will be used in place of the documentation above. When authorizing a case using presumptive eligibility, a case note must be entered in the eligibility software that states “presumptive eligibility used for citizenship”.

Presumptive Eligibility of Child’s Citizenship for DCS, Foster and CPS cases: A child must be a U.S. citizen or qualified legal alien to be eligible for CCDF. OECOSL will assume that DCS has verified, or is in the process of verifying, the child’s citizenship status: ➢ DCS will verify eligibility for citizenship. ➢ DCS will collect and maintain verification documents. ➢ DCS will notify OECOSL if birth documentation is not received within 90 days and notify the OECOSL In-House Policy Consultant. ➢ DCS will provide access to any birth or citizenship records if needed for auditing purposes.

PLEASE NOTE: Presumptive eligibility may be used for citizenship or legal alien status for

cases that are NOT DCS, foster or CPS, but the applicant and/or co-applicant will be

required to provide the appropriate verification within 16 weeks to remain eligible. The

AIS case note is still required for Monitors.

Foster Children Placed in a Licensed Foster Home

ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTS It is the responsibility of the Eligibility Office to collect documentation before exempting a foster parent’s income. ➢ Copy of the foster parent’s valid Foster Family Home License, State Form 45562, which matches the foster parent’s residency verification; or ➢ Documentation from approving authority indicating the Foster Family Home License has been renewed or address has been changed; and ➢ Verification the child is a ward of the State – Medical Authorization Card, placement letter. These documents may be used to verify the child’s identity and age.

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Change in Service Need/Transitional Care When the established service need at the time of authorization or reauthorization is no longer valid, the Applicant or Co-Applicant reports this loss to Eligibility. If the loss of service need is temporary the change in service need policy applies. If it is a permanent loss in service need the transitional care policy applies.

Definition of Change in Service Need A change in service need is defined as a temporary period when an Applicant or Co- Applicant is not participating in their service need, including but not limited to, absence from employment due to maternity, extended medical leave, changes in seasonal work schedule, or temporarily not attending an education program.

CHANGE IN SERVICE NEED POLICY: A change in service need can extend to the end of the subsidy period. An Applicant or Co- Applicant in a change of service need status at the time of reauthorization is eligible for up to sixteen (16) weeks of transitional care.

PLEASE NOTE: A break in attending an education program may not exceed thirteen (13) weeks.

Definition of Transitional Care Transitional Care is a period not to exceed sixteen (16) weeks, to be used when a service need is no longer valid.

TRANSITIONAL CARE POLICY: An active Applicant or Co-Applicant is eligible for sixteen (16) weeks of transitional care. The service need must start the following week after transitional care ends. If a valid service need is not obtained, CCDF benefits will be terminated after sixteen (16) weeks of transitional care. If properly reported, multiple periods of transitional care may occur in a subsidy period. If the Applicant and Co-Applicant obtains a valid service need prior to the end of the transitional care, they can continue with services. If the transitional care period crosses over the subsidy end date, an extension of the subsidy end date would be appropriate to accommodate the transitional care period. If an extension is not available, the case should be reauthorized, and vouchers placed in pending status at the end of the transitional care period until the service need can be verified.

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Applicant’s own business, trade or profession less business expenses declared by the Applicant or Co-Applicant. An operating loss may be incurred and is reported as zero on the Statement of Profit and Loss Form.

APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION ➢ Applicants should complete the Statement of Self Employment Profit and Loss verifying a thirty (30) day period within sixty (60) days before or after the Applicant’s signature on the Applicant Worksheet or ➢ Applicants/Co-Applicants who are self-employed and unable to exhibit income within sixty (60) days before or after the Applicant’s signature on the Applicant Worksheet, may be authorized at initial enrollment or as a new service need for fifty-three (53) weeks with zero (0) income. ➢ At reauthorization, the Applicant/Co-Applicant must be able to exhibit income within the previous one-hundred and eighty (180) days with a Statement of Self- Employment Profit and Loss.

PLEASE NOTE: o In situations where the Applicant and/or Co-Applicant is also a child care owner/licensee, and child care is requested outside of their facility or home, the Applicant/Co-Applicant’s child care program must be licensed, regulated or a legally operating child care serving five (5) or fewer unrelated children.

o If self-employed as a private nanny a statement of profit and loss dated within 60 days before or after the Applicant’s signature on the Applicant Worksheet is acceptable. Earned Income (Uber, Lyft, Door Dash, Instacart, or other gig type employment) Applicants or Co-Applicants employed by Uber, Lyft, Door Dash, Instacart, or similar companies, must provide a screen shot or copy from the company app or website for a week’s income. The screen shot or copy should include wages, pay dates and the Applicant or Co-Applicant’s name. They may also provide a copy of their company contract with their name on it, along with the income. While they do not have to submit a Profit and Loss form it may be beneficial for them to claim deductions, and this would be acceptable.

New Applicant or Co-Applicant with Fluctuating Income Policy

If a new Applicant or Co-Applicant is unable to demonstrate financial eligibility due to a temporary fluctuation in income, their application may remain incomplete and in a partial

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2.2 Absences

ABSENCE DEFINITION: Forty (40) occasional Absence days are allowed for children authorized for a CCDF and/or OMW voucher across all providers a child has vouchers assigned to within the enrollment year. Absences apply across all vouchers and are replenished on the anniversary date of the child.

ABSENCE POLICY Absence days should be used when children are scheduled to attend but are absent due to an illness, vacation, emergency, or choose not to attend for the day. ➢ The expectation is that children with full time authorizations attend the program full time. ➢ The Applicant of a child who will not be using care for two (2) weeks or more may notify the eligibility office to set a gap in the voucher or utilize absences. A gap in the voucher will result in non-payment to the program.

EXCESSIVE ABSENCE POLICY Excessive absence occurs when a child reaches forty (40) occasional absence days (or twenty (20) consecutive days) across all voucher types and programs within the enrollment year.

Terminating Child Care for Excessive Absence When a child reaches forty (40) occasional absence days across all voucher types and programs within the enrollment year, all current and future vouchers in the sequence will be terminated. If a child has twenty (20) consecutive absences the Eligibility Office will place both the current voucher for the upcoming week and any future vouchers in pending provider, reach out to the applicant to see if any changes need to be made or if services are needed. • If only one (1) child is receiving services or if ALL children on the case have reached the excessive absence limit, then the termination will be at the case level. • If only one (1) child on the case reaches the excessive absence limit, the voucher for that child will be terminated. • The child(ren) will not be eligible to reapply for the waiting list for ninety (90) days from the termination date.

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CCDF Reimbursement Rate Age Categories The Eligibility Office must select the appropriate age group based on date of birth and school participation. ➢ Infant – a child zero (0) to eleven (11) months of age ➢ Toddler – a child twelve (12) to thirty-five (35) months of age ➢ Three (3), Four (4) or Five (5) – children thirty-six (36) months to five (5) years of age ➢ Kindergarten – a child enrolled in half-day kindergarten or a child six (6) years of age regardless of whether they are attending kindergarten. ➢ School-Age – A school-age child attending before or after school (wrap around care).

PLEASE NOTE: Children participating in the OMW program through a Public, Private, or Charter school will be assigned school-age voucher for CCDF wrap around care if needed.

School-Age Other – A school-age child enrolled during non-traditional hours if their participation will exceed ten (10) hours per week or a child attending care during a break in school.

PLEASE NOTE: A child’s voucher should be assigned a new age category the Sunday following their birthday, unless their birthday falls on a Sunday in which case the new voucher shall be assigned on the child’s birthday.

School-Age Child Care Reimbursement Exceptions In accordance with Direct Service Funds federal restrictions, funds may not be used for children enrolled in grades one (1) through twelve (12) for: ➢ Any service for which such students receive academic credit toward graduation; or ➢ Any services duplicating an academic program of any public or private school.

Clarification When Care is Requested: The use of CCDF for child care services for school age children during times when schools are open, and children can attend safely in person, is restricted.

When a School-Age Other (age 7 years and older) voucher is requested during the normal school day, care is not allowed to teach or provide instruction in place of academic credit. If providing care while instruction is provided virtually, this may be allowable with verification of enrollment in virtual K-12 education program and must be approved by the CCDF Policy Consultant.

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CCDF POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL Effective August 12, 2018 revised 02/11/2021. 49

3.6 Temporary Fluctuation in Income (TFI) In situations where a reauthorizing Applicant or Co-Applicant’s income temporarily fluctuates, and exceeds the established state maximum poverty guideline, the current subsidy period of fifty-three (53) weeks may be extended up to thirteen (13) weeks to provide an opportunity for re-evaluation of their income. After entering income, a prompt will warn the Eligibility Specialist that the income exceeds the maximum poverty level. The Eligibility Specialist should cancel the warning, mark income as TFI, and the Eligibility Software will extend the subsidy end date by thirteen (13) weeks.

STEPS TO COMPLETE A TEMPORARY FLUCTUATION IN INCOME (TFI) WHEN EXTENSION IS UNAVAILABLE OR AN INCOME UPDATE IS BEING PERFORMED

STEP 1 When completing an income update, a prompt will warn the Eligibility Office that the Applicant’s income exceeds the established maximum poverty guideline. The eligibility software will offer the following two (2) options: ➢ Income is accurate and is not fluctuating. Case is to be terminated. ➢ Income is temporarily fluctuating; case will not be terminated, and subsidy should be extended.

STEP 2 If the income is expected to fluctuate, select temporary income and save. The income will save; however, the case will not terminate. A Copayment will be based on the prior documented income.

STEP 3 If at least thirteen (13) weeks remain in the subsidy period, vouchers will be placed with a pending provider starting week fourteen (14).

If less than thirteen (13) weeks remain in the subsidy period and the subsidy period cannot be extended, the remaining weeks of TFI eligibility will carry forward to the next sequence when reauthorization is completed.

STEP 4 Advise the Applicant and/or Co-Applicant an income update must be completed within thirteen (13) weeks. An Applicant or Co-Applicant may attempt to update their income multiple times in the thirteen (13) week period. Failure to update their income or document

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PLEASE NOTE: An Applicant and their provider must be notified in writing at least ten (10) calendar days before an adverse action can be taken unless the adverse action is to occur at the Applicant’s subsidy end date. If an Applicant or Co-Applicant has not appropriately responded to the Adverse Action request in a timely manner, the case shall be terminated. Any reimbursement made after the Eligibility Office’s failure to timely terminate an unresolved Adverse Action will be considered an inappropriate payment and may require a payment reduction and/or repayment from the Eligibility Office.

Reasons an application will be ineligible: 1. Household income does not meet financial eligibility. 2. Household does not meet service need requirements. 3. Child who is the primary beneficiary of service is not a US citizen, qualified alien and/or resident of Indiana. 4. Failure to select an eligible provider.

Reasons an application may be terminated: 1. Failure to provide complete information at the time of authorization, reauthorization, or update. 2. Misrepresenting, concealing, or withholding information on the Application, State Form 805. 3. Failure to remain current on any existing repayment agreements determined by OECOSL. 4. Previous substantiation of welfare fraud, any component of fraud, or illegal receipt of government funds. 5. Failure to respond to requests for information related to eligibility determination from OECOSL or the Eligibility Office within the required time frame. 6. Failure to pay weekly copayment owed, if reported within thirty (30) days from first missed payment. 7. Failure to select an eligible provider. 8. A change of residency outside of the State. 9. Substantiated fraud or intentional program violations. 10. Household income does not meet financial eligibility. 11. Household does not meet service need requirements. 12. Failure to fully reimburse eligible in-home (nanny) provider. 13. Excessive absences

(ccdf-provider-manual)Indiana Family and Social Services Administration: CCDF Provider Manual Revised April 2025;#

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CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND (CCDF) AND ON MY WAY PRE-K (OMW) PROVIDER MANUAL (Updated Feb 2025)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME TO THE CCDF/OMW PROGRAM ....................................... 4 ELIGIBILE CCDF AND OMW PROVIDERS .......................................... 5 ELIGIBLE CCDF OR OMW VOUCHER FAMILIES ................................... 7 VOUCHER INFORMATION ........................................................... 9 HOW FAMILIES CHOOSE A CCDF OR OMW PROVIDER .......................... 9 REGISTRATION FEES .............................................................. 11 HOW REIMBURSEMENT IS CALCULATED ....................................... 11 CO-PAY .............................................................................. 12 OVERAGE ............................................................................ 12 VOUCHERS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ...................................... 12 SHIFT CARE ......................................................................... 12 PROGRAMS WITH MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ...................................... 12 REGISTERING WITH THE PAYMENT VENDOR .................................. 12 PROVIDER PORTAL ................................................................ 13 DOCUMENTING ATTENDANCE ................................................... 13 PROVIDER PAID CLOSURES ....................................................... 14 CONNECTING ATTENDANCE WITH A CCMS .................................... 14 PATHS TO QUALITY™ (PTQ) LEVEL INCREASES ............................... 15 PATHS TO QUALITY™ (PTQ) LEVEL DECREASES .............................. 15 IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON MOVING… ................................................................ 15 IF A PROGRAM LOSES CCDF/OMW ELIGIBILITY ............................... 15 NON-COMPLIANCE WITH CCDF PROVIDER ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS ...... 16 PROGRAM SUSPENSION ........................................................... 17 PROGRAM TERMINATION ......................................................... 17 PROGRAM APPEALS ............................................................... 18 LIMITATIONS OF APPEAL ......................................................... 18

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AUDITS AND INVESTIGATIONS ................................................... 18 REPAYMENTS AS A RESULT OF AN INVESTIGATION .......................... 18 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ............................................... 19 PROVIDER SUPPORTS ............................................................. 20 OTHER RESOURCES ............................................................... 20 COMMONLY USED TERMS ......................................................... 21

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WELCOME TO THE CCDF/OMW PROGRAM

Thank you for choosing to serve families enrolled in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and/or On My Way Pre-K Program (OMW). The voucher program provides child care subsidies for families who are working, attending school or a training program, or searching for a job. These families rely on affordable, quality child care to become self-sufficient. Their children rely on high quality child care to be safe, healthy, learning and ready to succeed in school and life. The CCDF/OMW Pre-K Program is administered by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning. OECOSL is committed to increasing the availability of quality child care programs for all Indiana families. High quality child care programs ensure children are safe, healthy and learning. Assistance and support are available to all child care programs who wish to continue to grow professionally and offer the best quality child care possible. One of the many ways to receive this assistance is by joining Paths to QUALITY™, Indiana’s Quality Rating and Improvement System.

Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) is a free, voluntary system that allows all regulated child care programs the opportunity to join and provides families with an easy to recognize symbol of quality to assist in making child care choices which are best for their family. Each level of this four-level system builds on the foundations of the previous one, resulting in significant quality improvements at each stage and national accreditation at the highest level. There are many advantages to joining Paths to QUALITY™ including free on-site technical assistance, free and low-cost training, awards and incentives at each level and free marketing opportunities. If you are not currently participating in Paths to QUALITY™ and are interested in learning more, contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency or SPARK Learning Labs at (800) 299-1627.

The Indiana Provider Manual is intended to give eligible providers an overview of the Voucher Program, including helpful hints on getting started and details about the Voucher Program Policies and Procedures. As an eligible provider, it is your responsibility to be fully aware of and to follow all Voucher Program Policies and Procedures. It is recommended that you check the OECOSL website at www.childcarefinder.in.gov frequently for important announcements and other helpful resources.

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ELIGIBILE CCDF AND OMW PROVIDERS

All providers are required to submit a W-9 form to be verified with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Reimbursement will not be made until the verification has been completed and approved. The following categories of providers with a valid Indiana child care license are considered eligible providers.

Please note: Licensed providers that are under enforcement action will not be eligible to receive public funds through the subsidy program. Eligible providers are: Licensed Child Care Center (IC 12-7-2-28.4) – a non-residential building where at least one child receives child care from a provider: 1. While unattended by a parent, legal guardian or custodian, 2. For regular compensation, 3. For more than four (4) hours but less than 24 hours in each of ten (10) consecutive days per year excluding intervening Saturday, Sunday and/or holidays. Licensed Class I Child Care Home (Sec. 33.7 (a)) – a child care home that serves any combinations of full time and part time children, not to exceed at any one (1) time twelve (12) children plus three (3) additional children during the school year only who are enrolled in at least full day kindergarten. Except as provided in IC 12-17.25-6.3(b), the addition of three (3) school age children may not occur during a break in the school year that exceeds four (4) weeks. (b) A child: (1) for whom a provider of care in the care home is a parent, stepparent, guardian, custodian or other relative and who is at least seven (7) years of age; or (2) who is at least fourteen (14) years of age and does not require child care: shall not be counted in determining whether the child care home is within the limit set forth. Licensed Class II Child Care Home (Sec. 1) – A class II child care home serves more than twelve (12) children but not more than sixteen (16) full time and part time children at any one (1) time. All providers are required to meet CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards.

CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards (PES): Effective July 1, 2002, and amended in subsequent years (please refer to https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/files/CCDF-Provider-Eligibility-Standards-Summary.pdf)child care providers to comply with certain health and safety standards prior to their participation in the Child Care and Development Fund Voucher Program. Unlicensed child care providers must demonstrate compliance with the CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards through written documentation as well as a home/facility inspection. The verifying agencies are as follows: • Registered child care ministries – Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning Facilities Consultant • Legally License Exempt child care providers/In-home care by a non-relative (Nanny Care) – OECOSL LLEP Consultant Providers that must demonstrate they meet Provider Eligibility Standards (PES) are:

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Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministry – a child care provided as an extension of a church or religious organization that is exempt from deferral income taxation under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, unlicensed but registered with the Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning and the Indiana Fire Marshal’s Office. Legally License Exempt Provider – The following are exempt from licensure per IC 12-17-.2-2-8. 1. A program for children enrolled in grade kindergarten through 12 that is operated by the Department of Education or a public or private school. 2. A program for children who become at least three years of age as of December 1 of a particular school year (as defined in IC 20-18217) that is operated by the Department of Education or a public or private school. 3. A nonresidential program for a child that provides child care for less than four hours a day. 4. A recreation program for children that operates for not more than 90 days in a calendar year. 5. A program whose primary purpose is to provide social, recreational or religious activities for school age children, such as scouting, boys club, girls club, sports or the arts. 6. A program operated to serve migrant children that: a. Provides services for children from migrant worker families; and b. It is operated during a single period of less than 120 consecutive days during a calendar year. 7. A child care ministry registered under IC 12-17.2-6. 8. A child’s home if the provider: a. Does not receive regular compensation; b. Cares only for children who are related to the provider; c. Cares for less than six children, not including the children for whom the provider is a parent, stepparent, guardian, custodian, or other relative; or d. Operates to serve migrant children. 9. A child care program operated by a public or private secondary school that: a. Provides day care on the school premises for children of a student or an employee of the school; b. Complies with health, safety and sanitation standards as determined by the division under Section 4 of this chapter for child care centers or in accordance with a variance or waiver of a rule governing child care centers approved by the division under Section 10 of this chapter; and c. Substantially complies with the fire and life safety rules as determined by the state Fire Marshal under rules adopted by the division under Section 4 of this chapter for child care centers or in accordance with a variance or waiver of a rule governing child care centers approved by the division under Section 10 of this chapter. 10. A school age child care program (commonly referred to as a latch key program) established under IC 20-26-5-2 that is operated by: a. The Department of Education; b. A public or private school; or c. A public or private organization under a written contract with: i. The Department of Education; or ii. A public or private school.

If you are a provider that is interested in joining the On My Way Pre-K program, please review the criteria in the table below to determine if your program is eligible.

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Note: If you are a Licensed Child Care Center, a Licensed Class I Child Care Home or a Licensed Class II Child Care Home then you already meet the requirements for CCDF eligibility.

Program Type Description All Programs ALL programs must meet criteria detailed in the CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards and complete an OMW Application. Note: Providers do not need to accept CCDF vouchers to participate in On My Way Pre- K. You just need to meet the standards listed above. Community- Based Programs Community-based programs including Head Start, licensed centers, licensed family homes, and registered ministries must be rated at Level 3 or Level 4 of Paths to QUALITY™. Public and Charter Schools Public/Charter schools may choose to be non-PTQ or level 3 or 4 in Paths to QUALITY™. Private Schools Private schools can be accredited by an approved OECOSL accrediting body or level 3 or 4 in Paths to QUALITY™.

In Home / Nanny Care Child care services provided by an individual over eighteen (18) years of age, who comes into the child’s home, and does not reside at the child’s address and is not related to the child by blood, law or loco parentis (including foster parents). Nanny Care is reimbursed for a maximum of 40 hours per week, and paid at minimum wage, regardless of the number of children cared for. The child’s home must be inspected by an LLEP Consultant, and both the Applicant and the Nanny must pass background checks. A provider may not receive CCDF or OMW payments for a child if the provider is: 1. A sibling of the child being cared for and lives in the child’s household; or 2. The child’s parent or stepparent; or 3. The child’s legal guardian or foster parent.

For more information on becoming a qualified CCDF Eligible Provider, visit: http://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/2736.htm or contact an Emerging Provider Specialist at: oecoslemergingprovidersupport@fssa.in.gov ELIGIBLE CCDF OR OMW VOUCHER FAMILIES Just as providers must meet certain criteria to become eligible for the CCDF or OMW voucher program, so must families who want to enroll in the CCDF or OMW program.

CCDF or OMW OMW Limited Eligibility (LE) SERVICE NEED When Applicant and Co-Applicant, if applicable, living in the home with an eligible child can demonstrate the need for child care by providing When Applicant or Co-Applicant, if applicable, living in the home with an eligible child can demonstrate the need

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proof of participation in one or more of the following: employment activities, education and training activities, job search, or has a Child Protective Services referral. for child care by providing proof of participation in one or more of the following: employment activities, education or training activities, job search, or is receiving SSI, SSDI or Veteran’s Benefits as their service need. FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY A CCDF or OMW household with current gross monthly income from all countable sources which falls below the established federal poverty guideline percentages determined by OECOSL. An OMW household with current gross monthly income, from all countable sources, which falls below the established federal poverty guideline percentages determined by OECOSL. RESIDENCY A person who lives in Indiana. This can include a person temporarily residing in a domestic or homeless shelter and also includes children who are legal (qualified) aliens. There is no minimum length of time an applicant must reside in Indiana. A person who lives in Indiana. This can include a person temporarily residing in a domestic or homeless shelter and also includes children who are legal (qualified) aliens. There is no minimum length of time an applicant must reside in Indiana. ELIGIBLE CHILD A recipient of CCDF subsidy who is under the age of thirteen (13) at the time of application or reauthorization, however children turning thirteen (13) may continue to participate through the end of the subsidy period, including any extensions of time, who is a US citizen or legal (qualified) alien; whose family income does not exceed 85% of the State median income for a family of the same size and who does not have assets which exceed one (1) million dollars as certified by the Applicant, and who resides with a parent(s) who is working, attending a job training or educational program, job searching or has a CPS Referral. A child over the age of thirteen (13) at the time of application or reapplication with an appropriately documented special needs or court ordered supervision and is under the age of eighteen (18) may participate until the Sunday following their nineteenth (19) birthday. A recipient of OMW subsidy who is at least four (4) years old by August 1st of the enrollment year, but not yet five (5) years old. A recipient of OMW subsidy who is at least four (4) years old by August 1st of the enrollment year, but not yet five (5) years old.

Families are required to verify their eligibility annually, or before their current subsidy period ends. This process is called reauthorization and is completed through the local Eligibility Office. Failure of families to reauthorize will result in termination from the voucher program. Child care services provided after the voucher end date are the financial responsibility of the family.

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VOUCHER INFORMATION A voucher is an authorization issued to a family when they have completed the application process and been determined eligible. The voucher provides the child care provider important information about the family’s child care assistance such as the name and age group of the child, subsidy amount, co-pay and overage amounts that the family is responsible for, if applicable, and the authorized weeks of care. A child’s voucher may be amended prior to the voucher end date. It is important to check the provider portal to verify voucher end dates and reimbursement rates on a regular basis. For the best experience, providers will need an up-to-date computer with an internet connection and access to frequently used browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari to record absences. Alternatively, a mobile device can be used if it is up to date and using the default browser for that phone (e.g., Safari for an iPhone).

Providing care without an authorized voucher is at your own risk.

If a voucher is incorrect, the provider must notify the eligibility office within thirty (30) days to have it corrected, otherwise changes will only be made to future weeks.

You should keep track of the date each of your families is due for reauthorization. It is helpful for parents to get reminders about this date from both their Eligibility Office and their child care provider.

Providers must care for a child at the site listed on the child’s voucher, even if the provider operates multiple sites. A provider change must be submitted to change the location where a child is receiving services.

HOW FAMILIES CHOOSE A CCDF OR OMW PROVIDER Each time a family is enrolled or reauthorizes for the CCDF or OMW program, their provider will need to complete the Provider Information Page, documenting information about their charges for child care.

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Completing the Provider Information Page for a family that wishes to choose you as their provider does not guarantee payment for services. A family must complete the application process to receive a child care voucher. Once the application process is complete, you will be able to view the voucher on the Provider Portal. Sta The Provider Information Page MUST be completed IN FULL by the provider, and can be used for children receiving CCDF, OMW Pre-K and/or OMW Limited Eligibility (LE) vouchers. A Provider Information Page is required at every new authorization, reauthorization, or provider change (including moving children between sites operated by the same provider). Provider changes must be submitted to the eligibility office no later than noon on Thursday the week prior to the change.

A start date MUST be indicated for any NEW children that will be attending your program. Providers must list your current charge for each child, as well as the charge for their next age group, even if the price is the same (vouchers are issued for 53 weeks, so all children will have a birthday during the subsidy period).

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For school aged children, providers must list their Before and After School rate, AND the rate that they charge for School Breaks, even if the price is the same. This will reflect the correct overage for families.

For OMW LE families, the vouchers pay a maximum of $147.82 per week, so that is already populated.

If the provider charges exceed the subsidy amount, the family will be responsible for the overage. Families are responsible for paying co-pay and overage amounts, if applicable, directly to the provider each week.

PLEASE NOTE: In the event a child(ren) no longer attends your program, but remains on your roster, their start date changes, they need a gap in services, or they enroll but never attend your program, the provider MUST request the child(ren) to be removed within five (5) business days. This is the program’s responsibility to avoid overpayment. Please complete the following form to notify the eligibility office of changes https://forms.office.com/g/ZeRTgn4gny REGISTRATION FEES OECOSL will make a payment to providers once a year for Registration Fees for all children who had CCDF or OMW vouchers assigned from Oct 1st to Sept 30th of the previous calendar year. HOW REIMBURSEMENT IS CALCULATED Maximum reimbursement rates are determined by a Reimbursement Rate Survey of Indiana child care providers every few years. The rates are based on age of the child, type of program, and the program’s Paths to QUALITY™ level. The county specific reimbursement rates can be found at FSSA: Carefinder: Provider Reimbursements.

Weekly Subsidy Amounts are determined by the county Reimbursement Rate (minus any applicable co-pay). Families are responsible for paying both the co-pay and the overage, if applicable, to the provider. The subsidy rate plus any applicable co-pays and overages should equal the total provider charges. If a program wants to provide scholarships or wants to waive either of these fees, they are able to do so according to their business practices.

Subsidy Rate + Co-Pay + Overage = Provider Charges

For purposes of CCDF reimbursement rates, provider types are defined as follows: ➢ Legally License Exempt Home ➢ Legally License Exempt Child Care Facilities, including Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministry ➢ Licensed Home ➢ Licensed Center ➢ Voluntary Certification Program (VCP) Ministry

In addition, OMW Provider types are as follows: ➢ Private Accredited School ➢ Unlicensed Public, Private or Charter School

CCDF Reimbursement Rate Categories For purposes of CCDF reimbursement rates, age categories are defined as follows: ➢ Infant – a child zero to eleven (11) months of age ➢ Toddler – a child twelve (12) to 35 months of age

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➢ Three (3), Four (4) or Five (5) – a child 36 months to five (5) years of age ➢ Kindergarten – a child enrolled in half-day kindergarten or a child six (6) years of age, but has not started school ➢ School Age – a child attending school for the entire day needing care before and after school, during traditional hours, including children attending all-day kindergarten and children participating in the OMW program through a public, private or charter school ➢ School Age Other – a school age child attending child care during a school break (at least one week in length) or enrolled in care outside traditional hours (Mon-Fri 6am-6pm) CO-PAY A weekly fee for child care based on the CCDF Household’s gross monthly income. Utilizing OECOSL’s Income Eligibility Determination and Sliding Fee Scale, a co-pay will be applied once the household’s gross monthly income exceeds 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This is paid directly from the Applicant or Co-Applicant to the provider on a weekly basis. If the program is having problems collecting copayment form a specific family, they MUST contact the local eligibility office within thirty (30) days from the first missed payment. OVERAGE The portion of a provider’s charges which exceed the county Reimbursement Rate and may be charged to the Applicant or Co-Applicant. VOUCHERS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN Care provided, Sunday through Saturday, before and after the school day, during the school year will be issued as a School Age voucher. Care provided, Sunday through Saturday, for school-age children when on school breaks or during non-traditional hours (2nd shift or weekend care) will be issued as a School Other voucher. SHIFT CARE Children are assigned to shifts according to the family’s needs:

Shift 1 – 6am to 6pm Shift 2 – 6pm to 6am A child who needs care that would overlap these shifts will be assigned to both shifts.

PLEASE NOTE: The program may not enroll more children than their licensed capacity, during either shift, and the provider and should ensure private pay children are also counted in the allowed capacity to remain in compliance. PROGRAMS WITH MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Programs must provide services for a child at the address listed on the voucher. Services provided at an alternate address will not be reimbursed and can result in a provider repayment and/or decertification/revocation from the voucher program. Children cannot be moved without completing the provider change process. REGISTERING WITH THE PAYMENT VENDOR Vouchers are only issued to CCDF and/or OMW eligible providers. The provider must complete all of the paperwork to register with the payment vendor and set up their bank account for automatic deposits.

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If the provider is unable to comply with enrollment requirements or refuses to complete enrollment information, the CCDF or OMW voucher(s) will be ended, and the Applicant will be required to choose another eligible provider. Payment will not be made to the provider.

To register with Tyler Technologies and add banking information, Providers/Program Administrators should log into I-LEAD then click on “Attendance and Voucher Info.” Next, they will select the tile labeled “Payments”. From this page they will need to write down or copy the Provider Key to be used later. At the bottom of this page, Providers/Program Administrators will select “Payment Vendor Registration” They will now be in the Tyler Technologies portal. They will need to complete all required fields to register their account and enter their bank information to complete their registration. Providers have two weeks to submit a payment period after the end of a service period. But if a provider misses one (1) submission, they will still get paid. All future payments will be held until the missed submission has been completed. Providers must submit payment weeks in order from oldest to newest. Written or electronic attendance records, which may be through a CCMS system, which document the children’s first and last name and arrival and departure times, MUST be kept by all providers for Licensing and Audit. This should include a parent signature or initials, written or electronic, verifying attendance at least weekly. These must be kept on file for at least three (3) years. PLEASE NOTE: If you feel you have been overpaid, please contact your CCDF Policy Consultant or OMW Pre-K Manager for further instructions as soon as the discrepancy is found. PROVIDER PORTAL The provider portal is how providers will connect to Tyler Technologies, OECOSL’s payment vendor, and see their payment information. The portal allows providers to manage absences and off days for children enrolled in their program. Providers will also use the portal to enter and manage paid and non-paid closures, and view voucher and past absence data for the children enrolled in their program. Finally, providers will be able to set up how they would like to submit attendance and absence data (Data Entry Setup) - by using the portal or using one of the state-preferred CCMS vendors. By default, all providers will be set to enter attendance through the portal until a different method is selected. DOCUMENTING ATTENDANCE The provider is responsible for verifying properly documented attendance for all children attending the program for the CCDF and OMW programs. The Provider Portal is available to all programs to submit attendance and absences, verify payments received, and to see all active vouchers assigned to the program. Providers may choose to submit attendance data using the provider portal or a Child Care Management System (CCMS). Your reimbursement is calculated based on the following attendance rules:

A provider will be paid full-time for all children enrolled, until a child accumulates 40 absences in an enrollment year. If a child attends any part of the day, they should be marked Present. There is no minimum number of days or hours required, but the importance of regular attendance should be stressed and encouraged.

Absences should be marked (for planned or unplanned days) that a child normally attends, but did not attend (vacations, sick time, emergencies, etc.) Providers will be paid up to the child’s 40th occasional absence.

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Off Days should only be marked when a child is not regularly scheduled to attend (for example, a child that only attends 4 days a week), or a provider is not scheduled to be open and operating (for example, a provider that operates only Mon-Fri). Off days should NOT be used (for planned or unplanned days) that a child normally attends full-time. These will not count against the child’s 40-day absence total, and providers will still get paid.

Weeks with no attendance, and only Paid Closures, will still be paid in full. Providers receive 16 Paid Closure Days per calendar year for vacations, sick time, in service days, inclement weather, emergencies, etc. If a provider is closed for the whole week, then they would need to record 5 Paid Closure Days for that week.

Weeks with no attendance, and only Non-Paid Closures marked, will not be paid. Weeks with only some Non-Paid Closures marked will be prorated based on the number of Non-Paid days marked. Providers should use all 16 paid closure days before using any non-paid closures.

If a provider experiences portal or internet issues that last for more than four weeks, and prevent a provider from submitting absences, they should contact their Policy Consultant for help submitting a paper attendance for that period. PROVIDER PAID CLOSURES A provider has 16 paid closure days per calendar year (vacations, sick days, in-service days, inclement weather days, emergency closures, holidays, etc.). If a provider is closed for the whole week, then they would need to record five (5) Paid Closure Days for that week. Paid closures should all be used before selecting a Non-Paid closure. CONNECTING ATTENDANCE WITH A CCMS A Child Care Management System (CCMS) is designed specifically to support child care providers in automating their day-to-day operations, so staff have more time to spend with children and are able to monitor and manage their program proactively. CCMS tools will streamline enrollment and manage waitlists, track and report daily attendance, generate invoices and collect payment electronically, monitor and manage classroom ratios, manage staff records including professional development certifications and payroll, and communicate with families easily and consistently.

Providers who use one of the state’s preferred Child Care Management System (CCMS) vendors to track attendance will not need to duplicate their entries in the new provider portal. These include Alliance CORE powered by Early Learning Ventures, brightwheel and Playground.

Providers can capture attendance in the CCMS and transmit that same data to the state for voucher children through a data bridge, saving time and increasing accuracy. If a provider opts in to submit attendance through a state-preferred CCMS, submission methods can be changed by selecting the ‘Data Entry Setup’ tile within the portal, and their provider portal ‘absence’ screen will become read-only. This is an optional feature, and providers will not be required to use their CCMS to send attendance. PLEASE NOTE: Attendance should be carefully checked prior to submission. Once a payment period has been submitted, it cannot be unlocked. If a provider notices an error after submitting it, they should contact their Policy Consultant to have the data manually updated in the state’s system.

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PATHS TO QUALITY™ (PTQ) LEVEL INCREASES A provider is eligible for a higher Reimbursement Rate when the provider’s PTQ level increases. The system will adjust all existing vouchers to reflect the provider’s new rate of reimbursement within two weeks following the PTQ level increase approval. This will reflect on the payment within 2-3 cycles. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED FROM THE PROVIDER OR THE FAMILY. PATHS TO QUALITY™ (PTQ) LEVEL DECREASES If a provider is no longer able to maintain the higher PTQ level, the system will adjust all existing vouchers to reflect the provider’s new rate of reimbursement within two weeks following the PTQ level decreases and eligibility offices will send out new vouchers to families enrolled to reflect the change in amounts, which may affect the family’s overage. This will reflect on the payment within 2-3 cycles. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED FROM THE PROVIDER OR THE FAMILY. IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON MOVING… It is important to remember Indiana law links your license to the actual address where you provide services. Every program must document they have met CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards at the address where services are provided, therefore the local eligibility office will not be able to complete a provider change request until the new program has been fully licensed and inspected and completed a W9. Once vouchers have been assigned to the new address, the new site must register with the payment vendor.

If a program begins to provide services for children prior to demonstrating compliance with applicable licensing laws and/or CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards, the program may not be paid for services provided.

 Please note: If you’re planning to move, you must follow the steps listed below.

1. Contact your Licensing Consultant to schedule a time before you move to have the new address inspected. 2. Once you have received your new license or registration, you will need to fill out new Provider Information Pages, showing the children have changed the address where they receive services. Programs must do this before child care can be reimbursed at the new site. 3. The provider must register the new site with the payment vendor and set up their banking information for electronic deposits.

If the new address fails to meet CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards, reimbursements will not be made for services provided at the new address and families will be required to select another eligible program.

IF A PROGRAM LOSES CCDF/OMW ELIGIBILITY After you have been certified as an eligible program, your certification can be changed as defined by the law outlined below. This law includes reasons for revocation of your ability to receive voucher payments. If

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it is determined the program has given false statements on an application or any records required by OECOSL, there are credible allegations the program has committed fraud, or if criminal charges of fraud have been filed against the program, voucher eligibility will be revoked. If these conditions exist, programs will be unable to receive voucher payments effective immediately and programs will not be able to reapply for at least two (2) years.

IC 12-17.2-3.5-16 Revocation of eligibility Sec. 16. (a) The division may, according to rules adopted under IC 4-22-2, decertify a provider for any of the following reasons: (1) The provider fails to comply with this chapter. (2) The provider refuses to allow, during normal business hours, the division or an agent of the division to inspect the facility where the provider operates a child care program. (b) A provider is ineligible, and the division may revoke for a period of not less than two (2) years from the date on which a final determination is made under IC 4-21.5 a provider's eligibility to receive a voucher payment under this chapter for any of the following reasons: (1) The provider is determined by the division to have made false statements in the provider's: (A) application for eligibility to receive a voucher payment; or (B) records required by the division; under this chapter. (2) Credible allegations of fraud have been made against the provider, as determined by the division. (3) Criminal charges of welfare fraud have been filed against the provider. (4) Allegations of welfare fraud committed by the provider have been substantiated by the division. As added by P.L.225-2013, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.171-2014, SEC.8.

NONCOMPLIANCEWITH CCDF PROVIDER ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS An eligible program must ensure CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards (PES) are maintained at all times. Failure to maintain compliance may result in decertification through a Notice of Order:

• The program will be given the opportunity to come into compliance prior to the issue of a Notice of Order for decertification. This will apply to all non-compliances other than allowing a disqualified individual to work at a program or live in an exempt home in accordance with IC 12-17.2-3.5-4. • Once a citation of non-compliance is issued during an inspection, the program will be given twenty- one (21) days from the date of inspection to return the completed notice of non-compliance (Plan of Improvement) and supporting documentation. • If the notice of non-compliance is not received and approved by OECOSL in a timely manner it will result in a Notice of Order for decertification. The program must be in compliance with all requirements and any follow up visits conducted by the licensing consultant before the notice of non- compliance return date. If no gap in eligibility to provide services exists, your families may continue receiving services without interruption. For a complete list of the child care laws, please refer to: https://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/2734.htm

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PROGRAM SUSPENSION In certain situations where there are immediate concerns for the protection of children or the integrity of the program, OECOSL may take adverse action against a program, affecting the ability of the program to participate in the voucher program. Reimbursement will cease upon suspension or termination of an eligible program. A CCDF or OMW program may be suspended from participating in the voucher program by OECOSL for the following reasons:

• Death or serious injury of a child while in the program’s care, pending the outcome of the investigation; • A pending abuse or neglect charge against the program, an existing employee or volunteer of the program, or in the case of a licensed or legally license exempt child care home, a member of the provider’s household; • Substantiated health or safety hazard posing an immediate threat to the health or safety of the children in care; • Threatening behavior directed towards a representative of OECOSL or its agents; • Providing false or misleading information on any form connected with the Voucher Program; • Illegally operating a child care program; • Failure to respond to OECOSL’s request for information, including but not limited to, written attendance records; • Failure to meet the CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards (PES), IC 12-17.2-3.5; • Documentation of an eligible child’s attendance, by the program, in a manner not allowed by OECOSL (including receiving payment for a child that is not enrolled and attending the program); • Failure to respond to a repayment agreement or to remain current with any repayment agreement in place with OECOSL; • Failure to allow OECOSL staff or its agents access to the child care program, child care staff and/or other child care records; • Charging the voucher program for time the eligible child was not cared for at the approved address; • Substantiated violation of voucher program policies and procedures; • Substantiated fraud, any components of fraud, or the illegal receipts of government funds. PROGRAM TERMINATION Termination of a program will become effective immediately upon notice. Reimbursement will cease upon termination of the ineligible program. A program will be terminated by OECOSL for the following reasons:

• A Child Protective Services (CPS) substantiation of abuse or neglect against the program, an existing employee or volunteer of the program, or in the case of a licensed or legally license exempt child care home, a member of the provider’s household; • Substantiated fraud, any component of fraud, or the illegal receipts of government funds by any governmental agency; • For licensed child care programs, the loss of licensure; • Illegally operating child care programs; • Repeated failure to meet CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards (PES) under IC 12-7.2-3.5 even if insufficiencies have been corrected; • Pending criminal charges for fraud, any component of fraud and/or voucher program policies or procedures by any governmental agency; • Repeated substantiated violation of voucher program policies and procedures; • Providing false or misleading information on any form connected with the voucher program; • Charging the voucher program for time a voucher child was not in attendance, excluding approved days as allowed by OECOSL;

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• Charging the program for time a voucher child was not cared for at the approved address; • Charging families for any liquidating damages or overages owed by the program. If termination action is taken, families will be advised to choose another eligible provider immediately. Reimbursement will cease upon termination of the program. PROGRAM APPEALS If you object to this action of decertifying your ability to participate as a child care provider in the CCDF program, you are entitled to file a written request for an administrative appeal to the following address within thirty-three (33) days after receipt of the letter, pursuant to the Administrative Adjudication procedures established under 470 IAC 1-4:. You may be provided with the opportunity for an informal meeting with the Division. The operator of the child care program must request the meeting within ten (10) working days after the receipt of the notice. If you would like to schedule an informal meeting, a written request, separate from the appeal, should be directed to:

Family and Social Services Administration Office of Early Childhood & Out of School Learning 402 West Washington Street, Room W-362, MS-02 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2739 Attn: Pam Roadruck

LIMITATIONS OF APPEAL If a program misses the timeline, the right to appeal is forfeited. All appeals sent by program will be counted as sent on the date as postmarked. All dates on responses by the state will be counted as sent on the date as postmarked.

Payments will not be made during the appeals process. Any families assigned to your program will be notified by the local eligibility office to choose another Eligible Provider. AUDITS AND INVESTIGATIONS As an eligible program, you are subject to random audits. When programs become certified, they agree to allow access to the program by any representative of FSSA. This consent includes FSSA Field Auditors. These auditors are responsible for determining if appropriate reimbursement has been made to eligible programs for providing services to eligible children. To make this determination, FSSA Field Auditors may conduct on-site inspections. These inspections will include viewing and copying, or requesting copies, of the alternate written attendance documentation. FSSA audits may also include desk audits of the electronic attendance of enrolled families and payments made to programs.

Auditors for the state will monitor attendance data submitted through the provider portal for discrepancies. Providers are still required to keep their back-up attendance method (e.g., CCMS, electronic tracking, paper attendance) for licensing and auditing purposes. Providers should expect to maintain these records for at least three (3) years. REPAYMENTS AS A RESULT OF AN INVESTIGATION If an audit of the program’s records indicates receipt of an ineligible reimbursement, programs will receive written notification of the intent to collect repayment. The notification will inform programs of their right to appeal.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS • How do I get paid? o Your payment will be electronically transmitted to your bank account every two weeks. Electronic funds transfer is very accurate and timely when compared to mailing checks.

• When can I expect to receive my reimbursement? o Funds are transferred every two weeks on Thursdays to the bank account you registered with the payment vendor. Reimbursements are made nineteen (19) days after the last day of a two-week service period.

• What if I have a question about my payment? o Please contact your Policy Consultant with any questions related to payments. • What if I have a question about my provider portal account? o Please call the SPARK Help Desk at 800-299-1627.

• How do I change my direct deposit account? o If you need to update your bank account information, you can update it by using the associate a new bank account button in the provider portal.

• How do I know if the child I am serving is eligible? o Children will be issued a voucher when they are eligible to start receiving services. Providers can see all children assigned to their program under the “My Vouchers” section on the provider portal. Providing care without an authorized voucher is at your own risk.

• What happens at reauthorization? o Reauthorization packets are sent to Applicants thirty (30) days prior to their subsidy end date. Families have to submit all of the required documents in order to continue their vouchers. If a family fails to reauthorize before the end of their subsidy period, their case will be terminated, which can be viewed on your provider portal account. You can help enrolled families by keeping track of their subsidy end date and sending out reminders to reauthorize.

• The family is not making their copayment. Who is responsible? o It is the program’s responsibility to collect the copayment as specified on the child’s voucher. If the program is having problems collecting copayment form a specific family, contact the local eligibility office within thirty (30) days from the first missed payment. The eligibility office can determine if the family is still in compliance with voucher policies.

• If a family is not paying the overage charge, can the local eligibility office require the family to pay the charge? o An overage is the portion of your charges which exceed the maximum allowable reimbursement. It is the program’s responsibility to address the payment arrangements needed to cover these charges with the family.

• What happens if I increase my charges before the voucher end date? o Vouchers pay the maximum county reimbursement. If a program increases their rates, over the maximum reimbursement rate, the voucher will not change. Families just need to be informed that their overage will be increasing.

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PROVIDER SUPPORTS If you have questions regarding vouchers, voucher payments, etc.

SPARK SPARK Help Desk - SPARK Learning Labs (indianaspark.com) (800) 299-1627 • Paths to Quality™ (PTQ) • Educational and business resources for child care providers • Logging in and navigating the provider portal Eligibility Office Child Care and Development Fund (in.gov) • Report children are no longer enrolled • Report co-payment not being paid • Questions about the Provider Information Page • Submit Provider Information Pages for new or reauthorizing families Policy Consultant Child Care and Development Fund Policy Consultant Map (d190qg16zubs76.cloudfront.net) • Questions about voucher payments • Policies and Procedures and Program Support for programs • Setting up new Providers

OMW Pre-K Manager On My Way Pre-K Project Manager Map (in.gov) • Policies and Procedures and Program Support for OMW programs Licensing/LLEP Consultant FSSA: Carefinder: Child care licensing consultants and supports • Issues pertaining to licensing or registration • Issues with your Tax ID number/W9 Form • Questions about your Provider Eligibility Standards • Considering a move to a new location • Questions about a Notice of Order • Your facility is not available for selection by the eligibility office CCDF Fraud Coordinator – to report suspected fraud 1-800-403-0864 or ReportFraud@fssa.IN.gov

OTHER RESOURCES Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning (OECOSL) - FSSA: Carefinder: Child Care Assistance • Commonly used voucher forms • Reimbursement rates • Info on becoming a licensed or regulated provider • Application for families to apply for vouchers Brighter Futures Indiana - www.brighterfuturesindiana.org • Resources for Programs, Families, and Partners • Information on services available to families • Referrals to the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies • Help with I-Lead

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COMMONLY USED TERMS ABSENT (AB) Absent should be used when a child is regularly scheduled to attend but was not in attendance at all on a given date (pre-planned or not) for a child's vacations, sick days, emergencies, etc. ACCREDITATION A voluntary system which evaluates child care programs against specific criteria in areas of curriculum, health and safety, parent communication and staff qualifications which has been validated by a nationally recognized early childhood organization or institution.

ACSI ACCREDITATION A voluntary, nationally recognized accreditation system for child care programs. It is authorized and validated by American Christ Schools International (ACSI). ADVERSE ACTION An action toward an Applicant/Co-Applicant that includes potential denial or termination of services. The Applicant/Co-Applicant and eligible provider(s) must be notified at least ten (10) calendar days before an Adverse Action will be imposed.

AGE CATEGORY A category by age; infants (0-11 months), toddlers (12-35 months), three (3) years through five (5) years, kindergarten (children that are 6 years old but have not yet started school), and school-age. APPEAL The right for providers to request a hearing or administrative review as a result of a Notice of Order, suspension or termination. ATTENDANCE An electronic or written record of child care attendance which includes date and time of arrival and departure and has been verified by the Applicant, Co-Applicant or their authorized representative (excluding their child care provider) for an identified period. BREAK CARE VOUCHER A document which states the authorized subsidy for school age child care services for a child during a school break, which is at least one week. Multiple vouchers, within a subsidy period may be created to accommodate family needs. CCDF ELIGIBLE CHILD A recipient of CCDF subsidy who is under the age of thirteen (13) at the time of application or reauthorization, however children turning thirteen (13) may continue to participate through the end of the subsidy period, including any extensions of time. A child over the age of thirteen (13) at the time of application or reapplication with an appropriately documented special needs or court ordered supervision and is under the age of eighteen (18) may participate until the Sunday following their eighteenth (18) birthday; who is a US citizen; whose family income does not exceed 85% of the State median income for a family of the same size and who does not have assets which exceed one (1) million dollars as certified by the applicant, and who resides with a parent(s) who is working, attending a job training or educational program, has a referral from Child Protective Services, or who is job searching, if applicable. CCDF ELIGIBLE PROVIDER An individual, eighteen (18) years of age or older, who is responsible for the direct care, protection and supervision of children in the absence of their parent/guardian. A CCDF eligible provider must be either

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licensed or exempt from being licensed by law and have met all applicable CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards and have completed the application process. This includes licensed programs (centers and homes), unlicensed registered day care ministries, legally license-exempt child care facilities and homes, relative care (grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt and/or uncle of the eligible child), and nanny care (see definition).

CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND (CCDF) The CCDF Program was authorized by Congress through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). The purpose of the CCDF Program is to increase the availability, affordability, and quality of child care.

CHILD CARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CCMS) A Child Care Management System (CCMS) is designed specifically to support child care providers in automating their day-to-day operations. CCMS tools will streamline enrollment and manage waitlists, track and report daily attendance, generate invoices and collect payment electronically, monitor and manage classroom ratios, manage staff records including professional development certifications and payroll, and communicate with families easily and consistently.

CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL (CCR&R) An agency to help families make decisions about quality child care for their child(ren). CCR&R Agencies also offer various training opportunities, and business and child care resources to providers.

CHILD CARE SUBSIDY The maximum child care reimbursement paid by the state to the provider, minus applicable copayment.

COPAYMENT A weekly fee for child care based on the CCDF Household’s income exceeding 100% of the federal poverty guidelines and their years of CCDF participation utilizing OECOSL’s Child Care Income Eligibility Determination and Sliding Fee Scale.

COA ACCREDITATION A voluntary, nationally recognized accreditation system for early child centers and school age programs. It is authorized and validated by the Council on Accreditation (COA).

ELIGIBILITY OFFICE An entity which is, by contract, obligated to perform CCDF and OMW eligibility functions according to state guidelines. These functions include, but are not limited to verifying service need, verifying financial eligibility, accurately enrolling a child with a CCDF or OMW eligible provider according to the family’s needs, issuing vouchers, and reporting suspected fraud. EXCESSIVE ABSENCES Absences will be tracked against an excessive absence policy of 40 days across all providers where a child is enrolled. Warning letters will be issued to families and all providers where a child is enrolled at 10, 20, 30 and 35 days with voucher termination at 40 days. If a child is terminated for excessive absences, the family will have to wait 90 days before re-applying for that child. Vouchers will also be ended if a child has 20 consecutive absence days. FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME PROVIDER An individual who provides child care services in a residential structure other than the child’s residence.

FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY

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A CCDF household with current gross monthly income from all countable sources which falls below the established federal poverty guideline percentages determined by OECOSL.

INDIANA FAMILY AND SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (FSSA) Indiana’s lead agency for CCDF funding.

LEGALLY LICENSED EXEMPT PROVIDER (LLEP) An unlicensed provider, who is exempt from licensure per IC 12-17-.2-2-8.

LICENSED CHILD CARE PROVIDER A provider meeting the legal requirements of the state to provide child care services and has been issued a license by OECOSL to operate a child care facility or home.

NAEYC ACCREDITATION A voluntary, nationally recognized accreditation system for all types of early childhood centers and schools. It is authorized and validated by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

NAFCC ACCREDITATION A voluntary, nationally recognized accreditation system for family child care homes. It is authorized and validated by the National Association of Family Child Cares (NAFCC).

NANNY CARE (IN-HOME CARE BY A NON-RELATIVE) Child care services provided by an individual over eighteen (18) years of age, who comes into the child’s own home, and does not reside at the child’s address and is not related to the child by blood, law or loco parentis (including foster parents).

NECPA ACCREDITATION A voluntary, nationally recognized accreditation system for early childhood centers. It is authorized and validated by the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission (NECPA). NON-TRADITIONAL CARE Care provided outside of Monday through Friday, 6:00 am – 6:00 pm.

OFF DAY (OD) Off Days should be used when the provider does not regularly operate (not for closures), or the child is not regularly scheduled to attend on this day (for example, the child only attends Mon-Thurs). These days are paid and do not count against the child’s excessive absence total. These should only be used for part-time children. OMW PRE-K ELIGIBLE CHILD A child who is at least four (4) years old by August 1st of the enrollment year, but not yet five (5) years old.

OMW PRE-K ELIGIBLE PROVIDER Approved programs may be located in a public or private school, licensed child care center, licensed family home, or registered ministry. All programs must meet the CCDF Provider Eligibility Standards. Community based centers, homes and ministries must be a level 3 or 4 on Paths to QUALITY™. Private schools can be accredited by an approved OECOSL accrediting body or level 3 or 4 in Paths to QUALITY™. Public/Charter schools may choose to be non-PTQ or level 3 or 4 in Paths to QUALITY™. All programs must register as an On My Way Pre-K provider by completing an application. OMW PRE-K PROGRAM END DATE

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OMW program end date is the date the Pre-K program ends as reported by the provider on the Provider Information Page (cannot be later than the first Saturday in June).

OMW PRE-K PROGRAM START DATE The Pre-K program start date is the date the program will begin offering services as reported by the provider on the Provider Information Page (cannot be more than 46 weeks). OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND OUT OF SCHOOL LEARNING (OECOSL) The lead agency for CCDF administration responsible for issuing program policies and procedures, as well as monitoring contractors and collecting data. Additionally, OECOSL develops and administers the CCDF State Plan and is accountable for administration of vouchers funds and is responsible for the licensing and registration of child care programs, as well as Quality supports for programs including PTQ and professional development trainings.

OVERAGE The portion of a provider’s charges which exceed the applicable county Reimbursement Rate and may be charged to the Applicant/Co-Applicant.

PATHS TO QUALITY™ (PTQ) Paths to QUALITY™ is a system where each level builds on the foundation of the previous one, resulting in significant quality improvements at each stage and national accreditation at the highest level. The system validates programs and provides for ongoing efforts to achieve higher standards of quality and provides incentives and awards for success. PROVIDER PORTAL Providers/Program Administrators can access the provider portal by logging in through I-LEAD and selecting “Attendance and Voucher Info.”

TYLER TECHNOLOGIES The current payment vendor under contract with OECOSL to process CCDF and OMW payments.

REIMBURSEMENT RATE County maximum reimbursement rates for child care by age category, provider type and Paths to QUALITY™ level.

RELATIVE CARE An individual provider who resides in the child’s home and is a grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt or uncle of the eligible child. SCHOOL AGE CARE Care provided for school age children, before and after the school day, when school is in session.

SHIFT CARE Children are to be assigned to one of two 12 hour shifts (6am to 6pm or 6pm to 6am) or a combination of both, according to the family’s need. The provider may not enroll more than their licensed capacity during either 12 hour shift. A child who needs care that would overlap these shifts will be assigned to both shifts. SUBSIDY BEGIN DATE The date the CCDF or OMW household is eligible to begin receiving child care services. The subsidy begin date must occur the week of or the week following eligibility processing.

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SUBSIDY END DATE The date CCDF or OMW services will end, unless the Applicant or Co-Applicant completes the reauthorization process according to established CCDF policies and procedures.

TANF IMPACT A Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program that provides services to parents who are involved in job-related activities. UNLICENSED REGISTERED CHILD CARE MINISTRIES Child care services provided by a religious organization which is exempt from state licensing, but must meet the minimum requirements of sanitation, fire prevention and building safety pursuant to IC 12-3-2-12.7(c). VOLUNTEER An individual who provides services without compensation for more than eight hours a month at a child care program.

VOUCHER An authorization for child care services which includes the CCDF or OMW eligible provider, voucher start and end dates, subsidy amount, co-pay and overage for a specific child. Multiple vouchers within the subsidy period may be created to accommodate family needs.

VOUCHER BEGIN DATE The date a voucher is considered valid for reimbursement to a CCDF or OMW eligible provider. The first voucher begin date may be the same as the subsidy begin date, unless the CCDF Applicant or Co-Applicant has requested an alternate begin date. Vouchers always begin on a Sunday.

VOUCHER END DATE The date a voucher is no longer considered valid for reimbursement to a CCDF or OMW eligible provider. Vouchers always end on a Saturday. WAITING LIST A list of children from households who preliminarily meet financial eligibility and declare a service need of employment, education/training, or job search but for whom there are not available CCDF or OMW funds.

(ccdf-policy-manual)Indiana FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning: CCDF Policy Manual#

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(ccdf-policy-manual)Indiana FSSA Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning: CCDF Policy Manual#

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(ccdf-provider-manual)Indiana Family and Social Services Administration: CCDF Provider Manual Revised April 2025;#

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