Page 256

Child Care Assistance Program Policy Manual Issued 08/2021 Authorizing care - Employment plans 9.1.5 An MFIP/DWP client is eligible for CCAP if the client meets all CCAP eligibility requirements. If a family meets CCAP eligibility requirements and the parent(s) has an Employment Plan, the amount of child care authorized must be based on the parents’ schedule of participation in the activities identified in the Employment Plan, the child’s school schedule, the provider’s availability, and any other factors that would affect the amount of care that the child needs. The CCAP worker must take into account the family’s reporting status before making changes to the family’s authorization. The amount of child care authorized should reflect the child care needs of the family and minimize the out-of- pocket child care costs to the family. For more information about authorizing care, see Chapter 9.1 (Child care authorization) and Chapter 9.12 (Authorization changes during the 12 month eligibility period). Communication The agency should develop a method of communication between the job counselor and the CCAP worker that supports sharing information as efficiently and as timely as possible so care can be authorized. The job counselor and CCAP worker can communicate through a variety of methods (including, but not limited to fax and email). Because families that are Schedule Reporters must have Service Authorizations changed based on their activity participation, job counselors should report changes in activity to CCAP workers at least for families who are Schedule Reporters. Agencies should determine communication guidance for CCAP workers and job counselors in their agency. If agencies develop different guidelines for communication between CCAP workers and job counselors based on a family’s reporting type, workers must coordinate to understand which reporting type the family is considered and what must be reported. See Chapter 8.3 (Reporting requirements) and Chapter 8.3.6 (Reporting types). Roles and responsibilities Your agency may determine whether the job counselor or CCAP worker is responsible for determining how many hours of child care are needed, provided that the job counselor or CCAP worker is considering: • The activity schedule (days and times) of the parent(s). • The school schedule (days and times) of the children. • The provider’s availability. Job counselor roles and responsibilities The job counselor is responsible for: • Determining the activities included in the Employment Plan. • Determining how many hours of care are needed, if the job counselor provides this information for families with Employment Plans.