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216 (07/2026) Chapter 2:Eligibility • Section 5: Financial eligibility 1. Categorical ERDC: For filing groups currently receiving TANF, or who were receiving TANF at the time of their initial Categorical ERDC approval, the child care need requirement is waived. 2. Expanded Child Welfare (EXP CW): For filing groups currently involved with, or at risk of involvement with, Child Protective Services (CPS) and receiving one of the following services, the child care need requirement is waived and income is excluded: • CPS involvement:
i. Child Prevention Services
ii. Family Reunification Services
iii. Foster Care Services
iv. Subsidized Guardianship • At risk of involvement with CPS:
i. Family Support Services
Categorical eligibility does not guarantee automatic approval for ERDC benefits. The filing group must still meet all other ERDC eligibility criteria. If the ERDC waitlist is active the filling group must also qualify for an exemption and pass the waitlist income check to be approved under these categorical eligibility pathways. Eligibility Factors Certain eligibility factors are presumed to be met when a family qualifies under specific categorical pathways. If these factors are verified through another qualifying program or service, they are also considered verified for ERDC purposes. The eligibility factors that are assumed met and not used in determining ERDC eligibility for categorically eligible filing groups are: • Categorical ERDC Child care need • Expanded Child Welfare (EXP CW) Child care need Household income ODHS|OHA will determine ERDC eligibility for all categorically eligible households. This means all of the financial and non-financial eligibility factors will be considered, other than child care need and/or income depending on the categorical eligibility pathway. These factors include: • A complete application • Residency; • Immunizations for child(ren) needing care; • Parent or caretaker (no relationship to child required); • Age to receive care; • Income limit (does not apply to EXP CW):