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. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: The Lead Agency uses an integrated eligibility system (SPACES) to administer the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Information from LIHEAP, SNAP, TANF and Health Care programs are shared with CCAP. Changes reported for the other programs can be used for CCAP eligibility. iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: If a new child is added to an ongoing CCAP case after the household has been determined eligible, a new 18-month eligibility period will begin for the entire household beginning the month the new child was added. iv. [ ] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: v. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. [x] 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 implemented policies to ensure efficient processing of CCAP applications through an integrated eligibility system. This system, which also handles Medicaid, LIHEAP, TANF, and SNAP applications, tracks progress from submission to eligibility determination. Applications are assigned to eligibility workers based on timeliness priorities, with work items weighted and queued accordingly. The system's design allows the Lead Agency to monitor the entire application flow, tracking which workers handle specific cases to assess timeliness and pinpoint areas for improvement. This structured approach facilitates timely eligibility determinations and continual service enhancement. 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. [x] Cross-program redeterminations. vi. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vii. [x] Consultation available via phone. viii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. ix. [x] Other. Describe: The Lead Agency offers multiple ways for a household to complete a review in addition to online document submission, including an option for in-person drop-off of documents and an email option to our customer support center. b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: [x] No.