Page 5

CHILD CARE SUBSIDY ELIGIBILITY POLICY MANUAL 1 SECTION 1. CHILD CARE SUBSIDY OVERVIEW In accordance with 5 CSR 25‐200, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) provides financial assistance for child care services through the payment of a portion of child care costs for eligible families. This program is called the Child Care Subsidy program. The Child Care Subsidy program is funded by DESE through the General Assembly and is subject to appropriation. DESE may designate another entity (“designee”) to process, review, or otherwise administer the application, eligibility, and authorization process of the Child Care Subsidy program. Any reference to DESE may include DESE’s designee, which may include, but is not limited to, the Family Support Division (FSD) of the Department of Social Services (DSS). 1.1 LEGAL BASIS Federal Authority: The Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) established the Child Care Subsidy program as a block grant in 1992. In 1996, CCDBG was amended by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (Public Law 104‐193) and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the Reauthorization Act of 2014, as implemented in regulation at 45 CFR Parts 98 and 99. State Authority: 5 CSR 25‐200 governs the eligibility and authorization process of the Child Care Subsidy program. 1.2 PARENTAL CHOICE Parents participating in the Child Care Subsidy program may choose their own child care provider. However, to qualify for payment by DESE, the chosen child care provider shall have a current Child Care Provider Contract with DESE. 1.3 CONFIDENTIALITY AND REQUEST FOR RECORDS Information obtained from Child Care Subsidy applicants or eligibility units (EU) for the Child Care Subsidy program is confidential in accordance with Section 208.120, RSMo. Requests for such information from anyone other than the applicant shall be sent to DESE legal counsel for review. 1.4 INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO APPLICANTS OR APPLICANT’S REPRESENTATIVE With a written request and proof of identification, information in the case record can be copied and given to the applicant, a current authorized representative, or a person acting on behalf of the applicant, as confirmed by the applicant with a signed release, to review material and information contained in the case record. The agency may withhold confidential information, such as the names of individuals who have disclosed information about the EU without the household’s knowledge or the nature or status of pending criminal prosecutions. 1.5 RECORD RETENTION All child care records containing household information may be destroyed five years from the date of closing, at the discretion of DESE.