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8 Chapter 2: CCPP Definitions

1. Absent Day: Any day in which a child does not attend the child care center/setting for the scheduled hours he/she is enrolled. 2. Abused Child: A child whose parent, guardian, custodian, or any person responsible for the care or support, whether legally obligated to do so or not, has caused or allowed to be caused, upon the child, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, emotional abuse, mental injury, nonaccidental physical injury or other maltreatment. An “abused child” also means a child who is or has been trafficked within the meaning of the Mississippi Human Trafficking Act by any person, without regard to the relationship of the person to the child. 3. Actual Center or Facility Hours: The time a child actually spends in a center or facility setting. 4. Administrative Agency Appeal Hearing: An informal proceeding held before an impartial Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) administrative hearing officer, in which an applicant or recipient appeals an adverse agency action. 5. Administrative Disqualification Hearing: A hearing initiated by MDHS whenever there is documented evidence to substantiate that a claimant of a state or federal program committed an act that constitutes a violation of said regulations or any related state statute, with the exception of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 6. Adverse Action: An action that denies the applicant assistance with the Child Care Payment Program. 7. Adult: A person who is of the age eighteen (18) years or older. 8. Agency Error (AE): Occurs when MDHS staff incorrectly takes action or fails to take action that causes improper payment. 9. Applicant: The person submitting the child care application on behalf of the household. 10. Attending Educational Program/Job Training: Full-time enrollment in an education and/or job training program resulting in a degree or certificate designed to promote job skills and employability, or a combination of the two (2). Full-time enrollment is defined by an accredited institution providing the education and/or job training program. 11. Authorized Representative: An individual who, via written and/or verbal authorization by the parent or legal guardian, may speak or act on the parent’s behalf. Written and/or verbal authorization must come to the Division of Early Childhood Care & Development (DECCD) directly from the parent or legal guardian and be maintained in the parent or legal guardian’s case file in the Child Care Payment System (CCPS). 12. Business Day: Any day in which MDHS is open that excludes holidays and weekends. 13. Calendar Day: Any day of the week, including holidays and weekends. 14. Care Giver: An individual at least eighteen (18) years of age with at least a high school diploma or equivalent GED who provides direct child care, supervision, and guidance to an eligible child.