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Child Care Assistance Program Policy Manual Issued 05/2023 Special needs 9.15.15 Children over age 12 Children who are ages 13 through age 14 who have special needs may receive child care assistance. Children with special needs who turn 15 while receiving child care assistance continue to be eligible for CCAP until the family’s next redetermination. Documentation of the special needs such as an IEP or medical/psychological evaluation must be submitted and kept in the county/tribal CCAP case file in order for CCAP to be approved. Refer to the MEC² User Manual for instructions on approving CCAP eligibility for children over the age of 12. If a payment rate that exceeds the county or city maximum school age rate is requested by the parent or provider, follow instructions in this section to request special needs rates. Department of Human Services (DHS) approval is not required if the family and provider do not request a payment rate that exceeds the county or city maximum school age rate. Special needs rates Pay a special needs rate to a provider for the care of a child who has special needs due to a disability requiring specialized training, services or environmental adaptations. The parent and the provider must request a special needs rate and the rate must be approved by DHS. The county or tribe may pay special needs rates for a child with a documented special need through the child’s 14th year of age. The county or tribe may continue to pay special needs rates for a child with a documented special need after the child turns 15, up until the family’s next redetermination, if the child had an open Service Authorization when they turned 15. See Chapter 8.1.21 (Other changes). A disability is a functional limitation or health condition that interferes with a child’s ability to walk, talk, see, hear, breathe or learn. A special need may be any special medical, developmental and/or atypical behavior or condition that requires additional support to help the child successfully grow and develop to his or her full potential. Special needs payments may exceed the county’s or city’s maximum rate but must never be greater than what the provider charges the private sector for the same services. It is the provider’s responsibility to assure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A special needs rate may be requested/approved when: • The provider charges more for a child with special needs. OR • The provider spreads the cost of caring for a child with special needs across all children in care. You may only pay the higher rate for the child with special needs. Do not exceed your county’s or city’s maximum rate for all other CCAP children in care. Explore other funding sources within your region for specialized services or environmental adaptations to ensure parents are linked to important community services, and that child care funds do not supplant other resources. CCAP eligibility for a child with special needs is not contingent upon parental participation or eligibility in other support programs (for example, SSI).