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Effective April 1, 2025, the provisional authorization period will change from 26 weeks with unlimited renewals to one or two 12-week periods within a 12-month authorization, depending on circumstances.

Families with a Provisional Authorization/Seeking Approved Activity that... Started before 4/1/25 Stay on their 26-week Provisional Authorization until it ends, then the new 12-week provisional policy rules will apply to them, if they do not meet another service need. Starts on or after 4/1/25 New policy applies: they may receive a 12-week Provisional Authorization, if they do not meet another service need.

▪ Provisional/Seeking Approved Activity policies Effective April 1, 2025, Income Eligible families seeking initial authorization or reauthorization approved on or after April 1, 2025 may receive a 12- week provisional/Seeking Approved Activity authorization. New families must verify their identity, residency, and household composition to be presumed eligible for child care financial assistance through a provisional authorization. Presumptive eligibility is a temporary status given to a family who is assessed to meet the minimum eligibility requirements for child care assistance based on initial screening. This status allows some families to start receiving assistance for child care while searching for an activity or gathering additional service need documentation, if they are unable to provide it within 30 days of applying for Child Care Financial Assistance.

Any family who was approved for a 26 week provisional authorization prior to April 1 will remain until their reauthorization. At that time, they may be eligible for a 12- week provisional/Seeking Approved Activity authorization, if they do not have a service need.

A provisional authorization only applies to families presumed eligible for child care financial assistance without a service need, or needing more time to verify their service need. A family must be given 30 days to provide all eligibility documentation to qualify for a 12-month authorization. The provisional authorization must not be authorized prior to the 30 day period. A family must be issued a 12 month authorization as soon as all documentation has been provided and the FAA must process the application for child care financial assistance within 10 days of receipt of the documentation.

At the end of the initial 12-week provisional period, a family may receive an additional 12 weeks only if they are able to verify a service need (other than “Seeking Approved Activity”) will begin before the end of that second provisional period. For example, a parent may be between spring and fall semesters in school and the registration period to enroll in classes has not started yet, but will within the second 12-week period.

If the family is unable to fully verify their eligibility for Child Care Financial Assistance by the end of their provisional period, the placement will end. A family has up to 30 days from the placement end date to reopen their Child Care Financial Assistance, if they are able to provide all missing eligibility documentation. If the family does not provide this within 30 days from the placement end date, their Child Care Financial Assistance will end. A family would need to request Child Care Financial Assistance through the Waitlist after that time.