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Child Care Assistance Program Policy Manual Issued 08/2021 Weekly authorization to high quality providers 9.1.12 The Weekly Authorization to High Quality Providers policy supports consistent care for young children attending high quality care. Some children attending high quality care can be authorized for more hours than they would normally be eligible for. Their providers can be paid up to the applicable weekly maximum rate, not to exceed the provider’s charge. The parent and provider determine a schedule of care that is not tied to the specific days and times the parent is in an authorized activity. The child may attend care according to the schedule of care, even if some of the care is not needed to support the parent’s activities. Under this policy, CCAP may routinely pay providers for some scheduled and authorized care that is not needed to support the parent’s activities. Unless an overpayment exists for other reasons, no overpayments exist if the parent whose child has a weekly authorization with a high quality provider chose to use their hours during times when they were not scheduled to be in their authorized activity. See Chapter 14 (Overpayments) to determine when to assess an overpayment. Provider requirements Providers must be eligible for a higher rate for quality to be eligible. Eligible providers are: • Providers with a three or four-star Parent Aware rating. See Chapter 9.24.12 (Higher Rates for Quality – Parent Aware Rated Providers). • Centers accredited by certain organizations. See Chapter 9.24.9 (Higher Rates for Quality – Accreditation/Credential). • Licensed family child care providers that hold certain current early childhood development credentials or are accredited by the National Association for Family Child Care. See Chapter 9.24.9 (Higher Rates for Quality – Accreditation/Credential). Agency identified/Department of Human Services (DHS) approved at-risk providers are eligible if they meet the provider requirements. See Chapter 9.15.15 (Special Needs) for more information on at-risk providers. NOTE: Legal nonlicensed providers are not eligible for weekly authorizations to high quality providers. Child requirements The child must: • Be ages zero through five but not yet in kindergarten, • Qualify for at least 30 hours of child care per week at the high quality provider, and • Attend a high quality provider. Qualifying for 30 hours of child care per week The child must qualify for at least 30 hours of child care per week at the high quality provider: