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A-814.1.1 Division of Welfare and Supportive Services EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING Eligibility and Payments Manual Referrals MTL 12/04 12 Jul 01

814.1.1 Referrals Staff will provide a complete NEON Child Care Referral, Form 2728-WA, to the child care program contract staff when the work eligible applicant/recipient is in need of assistance to comply with pre-eligibility, and/or post-eligibility work activities. Note: This includes work eligible individuals with a NEON Code “E” who participate in an activity that promotes self-sufficiency and have a signed PRP supporting the need for child care. Staff must correctly identify the case as a one-parent or two-parent household on the referral form to ensure the child care assistance payments are paid through the correct funding source. There must be a purpose of care (i.e., Job Search, GED classes, PRP follow-up) and referrals must specify a set schedule indicating days and hours per day on the form. If a varied schedule exists, define number of days per week and if part-time (less than 4½ hours per day) or full-time (4½ hours or more per day). If the form is incomplete or if it appears to have been altered, it may be returned to the case manager or the contractor may contact the case manager to verify the data. If a household indicates they are in need of child care assistance, but are not required to participate in work activities (child-only, kinship care, etc.), DO NOT refer the family on a NEON Child Care Referral, Form 2728-WA. Staff should direct the client to the Child Care Unit for an eligibility determination under one of the other categories of child care assistance. 814.1.2 TANF Sanctions and Child Care Eligibility TANF-NEON cases which are terminated for non-compliance with work activities (sanctioned) are not eligible for child care assistance, unless they meet the requirements for another child care eligibility category.

Immediately notify the child care contractor via the NEON Child Care Referral, Form 2728-WA, of the imposition of a sanction and include the effective date of TANF termination (sanction). Child care staff will terminate assistance and immediately notify the child care provider of this action.

Assistance will not resume unless the case manager sends a subsequent NEON Child Care Referral, Form 2728-WA, requesting services. 814.1.3 Child Care Overpayments and Intentional Program Violations When applicants/recipients use their child care benefits for a purpose other than that which was authorized on the referral, an overpayment and/or an Intentional Program Violation (IPV) for the TANF and Child Care Programs may result.

If a child care overpayment is identified, the contractors will refer the overpayment to the Investigations & Recovery (I&R) Unit for pursuit and collection.