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If all documentation is provided prior to or by the end of the provisional period, the family’s Child Care Financial Assistance will continue until the end of the 12-month authorization period for which the provisional authorization was previously issued.

Additionally, this policy applies to two-parent households, where one or both parents may need a provisional period for a total of two for the household during a 12-month authorization period.

Provisional authorizations are not to be used for the following reasons: • To combine with employment of 15 hours or more • To expedite approval for Early Education and Care staff • For Parental Leave • For an activity or work verified to start within 30 days

Provisional authorization/Seeking Approved Activity may only be used when any activity, or combination of activities, is less than 20 hours per week to allow parents to increase their hours or meet another service need for continued eligibility. Seeking Approved Activity may only be combined with other service need activities when the other activities account for an average of less than 15 hours per week. Additionally, combining Seeking Approved Activity with other service need activities may only be used to grant a family a 12-week provisional authorization.

The only exception is parents with a service need of employment only, or a combination of employment and education and/or training equal to at least 15 hours but less than 25 hours weekly. Parents meeting this exception are eligible for a new service activity called Pathway to Full-Time Employment which will be included as part of their service need. See Service Needs Updates below.

▪ Income and Parent Fees If the household has countable income when a provisional authorization is entered with Seeking Approved Activity, the income must be entered and a parent fee assessed, if applicable. Once the family provides the required information to continue the authorization beyond the provisional period, the most current income information must be entered into the CCFA system. As a reminder, once a parent fee has been established for an authorization, it cannot increase until the next reauthorization. Note: Parent fees are no longer waived on provisional authorizations.

▪ Change Reporting Parents who have a loss of service need during a 12-month authorization period may have their activity changed to Seeking Approved Activity for 12 weeks. Each parent may be allowed one additional provisional only if they have proof that they will be starting an activity before that second 12-week provisional period ends. Once a family can verify that their activity will start in the next 30 days or sooner, the service need activity must be updated and the existing 12-month authorization may continue. After that, the family