3.1 Family Co-payments

Lead Agencies must establish and periodically revise a sliding-fee scale for families receiving CCDF services that varies based on income and the size of the family to determine each family’s contribution (i.e., co-payment) and does not create a barrier to receiving CCDF assistance. In addition to income and the size of the family, the Lead Agency may use other factors as appropriate when determining family contributions/co-payments. Lead Agencies may not use price of care or amount of subsidy payment in determining co-payments. Lead Agencies must ensure that the total payment to a child care provider is not reduced because of family’s lowered or waived co-payment. 3.1.1 Family co-payment Lead Agencies may not charge any family more than 7% of a family’s gross income, regardless of the number of children participating in CCDF. a. What is the maximum percent of a family’s gross income any family could be charged as a co-payment? The family copayment is calculated on a sliding fee scale. Families below 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) have no copayment. Families between 101 percent to 200 percent increase from 7 percent of their income to 8.75 percent of their income. After 200 percent of the FPL, the copayment increases more dramatically, capping out at 27 percent of income for 295 percent and 300 percent of the FPL. The Department of Children and Youth (DCY) will be analyzing the fiscal impact for all of the federal child care payment rules that became effective in April 2024. DCY will plan to request a 2-year waiver while legislative and rule changes are identified and funding estimates are completed. The State's biennial budget process will begin in the fall of 2024, with the Governor preparing his proposed operating budget for the legislature by early 2025. The final statute and funding will not be known until July 1, 2025. Ohio will then begin implementing the policies that were modified and funded through the state budget process. DCY will submit a waiver by October 1, 2024 for the co-payment rule. b. Does the Lead Agency certify that their sliding fee scales are always based on income and family size (regardless of how many different scales they may use)? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 3.1.2 Sliding fee scale Provide the CCDF co-payments for eligible families in the table(s) below according to family size for one child in care. a. Is the sliding fee scale set statewide? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe how the sliding fee scale is set: b. Complete the table below. If the sliding fee scale is not set statewide, complete the table for the most populous locality: -- A B C D E F Family Size Lowest monthly income at initial eligibility where the family is first charged a co-pay (greater than $0). What is the monthly co-payment for a family of this size based on the income level in (A)? What percentage of income is the co- payment in (B)? Highest monthly income at initial eligibility where a family is charged a co-pay before a family is no longer eligible. What is the monthly co- payment for a family of this size based on the income level in (D)? What percentage of income is this co- payment in (E)? 1 2 1645.00 27.40 1.67 2383.00 47.32 1.99 3 2073.00 34.42 1.66 3004.00 59.55 1.99 4 2501.00 41.66 1.66 3625.00 71.77 1.98 5 2930.00 48.68 1.66 4247.00 84.23 1.98 c. What is the effective date of the sliding-fee scale(s)? October 1, 2023. d. Provide the link(s) to the sliding-fee scale(s): https://emanuals.jfs.ohio.gov/ChildCare/ChildCareManual/CCMPL/CCMPL-168-A.stm e. Does the Lead Agency allow providers to charge families additional amounts above the required co-payment in instances where the provider’s price exceeds the subsidy payment? [x] No. [ ] Yes. If yes: i. Provide the rationale for the Lead Agency’s policy to allow providers to charge families additional amounts above the required co-payment, including a demonstration of how the policy does not provide a barrier and promotes affordability and access for families: ii. Provide data (including data on the size and frequency of such amounts) on the extent to which CCDF providers charge additional amounts to families: