2.1 Reducing Barriers to Family Enrollment and Redetermination

Lead Agency enrollment and redetermination policies may not unduly disrupt parents’ employment, education, or job training activities to comply with the Lead Agency’s or designated local entity’s requirements. Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to design and implement the eligibility practices that reduce barriers to enrollment and redetermination. Examples include developing strategies to inform families and their providers of an upcoming redetermination and the information that will be required of the family, pre-populating subsidy renewal forms, having parents confirm that the information is accurate, and/or asking only for the information necessary to make an eligibility redetermination. In addition, Lead Agencies can offer a variety of family-friendly methods for submitting documentation for eligibility redetermination that considers the range of needs for families in accessing support (e.g., use of languages other than English, access to transportation, accommodation of parents working non-traditional hours). 2.1.1 Eligibility practices to reduce barriers to enrollment a. Does the Lead Agency implement any of the following eligibility practices to reduce barriers at the time of initial eligibility determination? Check all that apply and describe those elements checked. i. [ ] Establishing presumptive eligibility while eligibility is being determined. Describe the policy, including the populations benefiting from the policy, and identify how long the period of presumptive eligibility is: ii. [ ] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: The Lead Agency requires only one application per household. A family can enter all children who need care on the same application. A separate application for each child is not required. iv. [ ] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: v. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. [ ] Consultation available via phone. vii. [x] Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations: The Lead Agency has an online application that allows parents to complete and upload all required documentation at the time the application is being completed. Parents have access to this online application at all times. Once an application is complete with all documentation submitted, the Lead Agency immediately assigns that case to an eligibility worker for processing. The Lead Agency monitors application processing times to determine any ways that applications can be processed more efficiently. viii. [ ] None. b. Does the Lead Agency use an online subsidy application? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe why an online application is impracticable. c. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: [x] No. 2.1.2 Preventing disruption of eligibility activities a. Identify, where applicable, the Lead Agency’s procedures and policies to ensure that parents do not have their employment, education, or job training unduly disrupted to comply with the State’s/Territory’s or designated local entity’s requirements for the redetermination of eligibility. Check all that apply. i. [x] Advance notice to parents of pending redetermination. ii. [x] Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination. iii. [x] Pre-populated subsidy renewal form. iv. [x] Online documentation submission. v. [ ] Cross-program redeterminations. vi. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vii. [x] Consultation available via phone. viii. [ ] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. ix. [x] Other. Describe: The Lead Agency has a team of Family Navigators that assist families in a variety of ways including finding employment, enrolling in educational programs, and assisting the family with public assistance programs including the child care subsidy program. If a family reports loss of employment, the Lead Agency may make a referral to the Family Navigator program. b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: The CCDF 12-month child care service requirement overrides TANF sanctions in the event the parent does not meet TANF requirements. The Lead Agency will issue a provisional child care certificate to ensure the parent continues to receive child care services for the 12 months after being issued the initial child care subsidy certificate. [ ] No.