Eligibility for Preventive Child Care Scholarship

(a) Families shall be eligible to receive preventive child care scholarship when:

(1) The family does not have an open case with DCYF;

(2) A service plan to prevent child abuse or neglect, created by the comprehensive family support agency in conjunction with the parents, is in effect;

(3) The parent is participating in efforts to achieve the goals and objectives required by the service plan created with the comprehensive family support agency;

(4) The comprehensive family support agency has completed and submitted to the department a completed Form 1902 “Referral for Preventive Child Care Services” (June 2017); and

(5) T he provider has completed and submitted to the department Form 1864 “Protective Child Care Provider Verification” (February 2017) certifying that:

a. “I agree that I must report any changes to the cost of care no later than 10 calendar days from the date of the change.”;

b. “I understand that the Department will recover any payment made for inaccurate or fraudulent billing.”;

c. “I certify that this information is true and correct.”; and

d. “I understand that the Department may release child care payment information to the above-named provider, for the purpose of verifying child care payment by the Department of Health & Human Services.”.

(b) Eligibility for preventive child care scholarship shall not be determined solely for receipt of financial assistance.

(c) If the comprehensive family support agency determines that authorized child care is no longer needed or appropriate, the agency shall complete and submit Form 1902 “Referral for Preventive Child Care Services” (June 2017) to provider relations requesting that the authorization for child care be terminated.

(d) Child(ren) eligible to receive preventive child care scholarship shall be less than 13 years of age unless the child(ren) meets the exception criteria below:

(1) The child has cognitive or behavioral concerns, such that the child and the community would be at risk, and the child care scholarship is approved by the comprehensive family support agency; or

(2) The child is experiencing a disability or significant special needs whose condition limits the child’s ability to care for himself or herself, or he or she would cause harm to himself or herself or others without supervision as verified with a completed Form 2690 “Verification for a Child Experiencing a Disability or Significant Special Needs” (May 2020) and the child care scholarship is approved by the comprehensive family support agency.

(e) The child care level of service shall be based on the number of hours per week child care is needed as determined by the number of hours per week the parent is in an approved activity or as authorized by the comprehensive family support agency as being in the best interest of the child;

(f) The authorized service level shall be based on the service plan in (a)(2) above and applies as follows:

(1) For full time authorized service level, the number of hours shall be greater than 30 hours per week;

(2) For half time authorized service level, the number of hours shall be greater than 15 and equal to or less than 30 hours per week; and

(3) For part time authorized service level, the number of hours shall be between one and 15 hours per week.

Source. #12222, eff 7-10-17; ss by #13064, eff 7-1-20