2.3 Prioritizing Services for Vulnerable Children and Families

Lead Agencies must give priority for child care assistance to children with special needs, families with very low incomes (considering family size), and children experiencing homelessness. A Lead Agency has the flexibility to prioritize other populations of children. Note: Statute defines children with disabilities, and CCDF rule gives flexibility to Lead Agencies to include vulnerable populations in their definition of children with special needs. CCDF defines “child experiencing homelessness” as a child who is homeless, as defined in Section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 2.3.1 Lead Agency definition of priority groups Describe how the Lead Agency defines: d. “Children with special needs.” A child who has been diagnosed as being physically or mentally incapable of self-care appropriate to the age of the child, as verified by the State, based on a determination by a physician, a licensed or certified psychologist, or a licensed social worker. Services for a child with special needs are given the same priority status as TANF, including not being waitlisted. A child with special needs may be served up to the age of 19. e. “Families with very low incomes.” Maryland defines families of very low incomes as families eligible for TANF. Families receiving TANF are given the highest priority. Families transitioning off TANF are the second highest priority because they are still at risk of becoming eligible for TANF. Low-income families currently not receiving TANF or whose TANF ended in excess of 6 months are the third priority and would be the first group to have child care Scholarship services ended if the current budget could not support all children served. 2.3.2 Prioritization of child care services Identify how the Lead Agency will prioritize child care services for the following children and families. a. Complete the table below to indicate how the identified populations are prioritized. Population Prioritized Prioritize for enrollment in child care services Serve without placing on waiting list Waive co- payments as described in 3.3.1 Pay higher rate for access to higher quality care Use grants or contracts to reserve spots Other Children with special needs [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Families with very low incomes [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Children experiencing homelessness, as defined by CCDF [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: (Optional) Families receiving TANF, those attempting to transition off TANF, and those at risk of becoming dependent on TANF [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: a. Does the Lead Agency define any other priority groups? [x] No. [ ] Yes. If yes, identify the populations prioritized and describe how the Lead Agency prioritizes services: 2.3.3 Enrollment and grace period for children experiencing homelessness Lead Agencies must allow (after an initial eligibility determination) children experiencing homelessness to receive CCDF services while required eligibility documentation is obtained. Lead Agencies must establish a grace period that allows children experiencing homelessness and children in foster care to receive CCDF assistance while providing their families with a reasonable time to take any necessary actions to comply with State, Territory, or local immunization and other health and safety requirements. The length of such a grace period must be established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency. Note: Any payment for such a child during the grace period may not be considered an error or improper payment. a. Describe the strategies to allow CCDF enrollment of children experiencing homelessness while required eligibility documentation is obtained: A 90-day child care scholarship is issued to allow the parent to come into compliance with eligibility requirements. Once a parent comes into compliance with eligibility requirements, they are eligible for 24 months of Child Care Scholarship (CCS) services. b. Describe the grace period for each population below and how it allows them to receive CCDF assistance while providing their families with a reasonable time to take any necessary actions to comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements. i. Provide the policy for a grace period for: Children experiencing homelessness: The grace period policy for children experiencing homelessness is as follows: Licensing has temporary admission to care regulations, which allows for a grace period to comply with immunizations and other health and safety requirements. Temporary Admission to Care 1) A provider may temporarily admit or retain a child in care if the child's parent or guardian is unable to provide documentation of immunization required in A(2)(b) of this regulation. 2) For a child temporarily admitted or retained in care, the parent or guardian shall present evidence of the child's appointment with a health care provider or local health department to (a) Receive a medical evaluation to include, if applicable, a lead screening test; (b) Receive a required immunization, (c) Acquire evidence of age-appropriate immunizations on a form approved by the office, or (d) Reconstruct a lost record. 3) The date or the appointment, set to D(2) of this regulation, may not be later than 20 calendar days following the date the child was temporarily admitted or retained. 4) A provider shall exclude from care a child who has been temporarily admitted or retained in care if the parent fails to provide documentation required by A(2) of this regulation within 3 business days after the date of this appointment made pursuant to D(2) of this regulation. While licensing regulations for child care programs give a 20-day grace period, the Child Care Scholarship Program allows an Immunization grace period of 60 days. The child is issued a child care scholarship during this time period to enable the parents experiencing homelessness to be issued the child care scholarship while their parents comply with the immunization requirements. The procedure ensures that the scholarships are not delayed and does not hold issuing the scholarship when ultimately, the parent has to provide proof of immunization to a formal child care provider. The Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program issues scholarships to all school- age and non-school-age children applying for a child care scholarship. Any non-school-age child with a parent electing to use informal child care must provide proof of age-appropriate immunization. Any family that cannot produce proof of immunization for a non-school-age child needing to use informal care will be issued a 90-day scholarship to comply with these regulations. MSDE Consulted with DHMH about the length of time a family should be able to come into compliance. The CCS Program allows the public school and the child care program to enforce and monitor immunization compliance for all children enrolled. Children who are in foster care: The grace period policy for children who are in foster care is as follows: Licensing has temporary admission to care regulations, which allows for a grace period to comply with immunizations and other health and safety requirements. Temporary Admission to Care 1) A provider may temporarily admit or retain a child in care if the child's parent or guardian is unable to provide documentation of immunization required in A(2)(b) of this regulation. 2) For a child temporarily admitted or retained in care, the parent or guardian shall present evidence of the child's appointment with a health care provider or local health department to (a) Receive a medical evaluation to include, if applicable, a lead screening test; (b) Receive a required immunization, (c) Acquire evidence of age-appropriate immunizations on a form approved by the office, or (d) Reconstruct a lost record. 3) The date or the appointment, set to D(2) of this regulation, may not be later than 20 calendar days following the date the child was temporarily admitted or retained. 4) A provider shall exclude from care a child who has been temporarily admitted or retained in care if the parent fails to provide documentation required by A(2) of this regulation within 3 business days after the date of this appointment made pursuant to D(2) of this regulation. While licensing regulations for child care programs give a 20-day grace period, the Child Care Scholarship Program allows an Immunization grace period of 60 days. The child is issued a child care scholarship during this time period to enable the parents experiencing homelessness to be issued the child care scholarship while their parents comply with the immunization requirements. The procedure ensures that the scholarships are not delayed and does not hold issuing the scholarship when ultimately, the parent has to provide proof of immunization to a formal child care provider. The Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program issues scholarships to all school- age and non-school-age children applying for a child care scholarship. Any non-school-age child with a parent electing to use informal child care must provide proof of age-appropriate immunization. Any family that cannot produce proof of immunization for a non-school-age child needing to use informal care will be issued a 90-day scholarship to comply with these regulations. MSDE Consulted with DHMH about the length of time a family should be able to come into compliance. The CCS Program allows the public school and the child care program to enforce and monitor immunization compliance for all children enrolled. ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the length of the grace period was established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: c. Describe how the Lead Agency coordinates with licensing agencies and other relevant State, Territorial, Tribal, and local agencies to provide referrals and support to help families with children receiving services during a grace period comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements: We coordinate with regional licensing managers/specialist to inform them of this priority. These representatives communicate this to childcare providers who have more first-hand knowledge of families experiencing homelessness. The Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program coordinates with the CCS Vendor to issue a 90-day scholarship to any parent who needs to meet the immunization requirement. This procedure enables the parent to access child care services while the immunization requirements are being met.