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449 (07/2026) Chapter 2:Eligibility • Section 6: Non-financial eligibility Families who do not have verification for SNR at initial application or renewal have some options for how they would like to proceed with their application. It is important to thoroughly explain to the family the process and potential outcomes of each option. • The family can choose to move forward with their application without including SNR. If otherwise eligible, they will receive benefits immediately without SNR. This is a Soft Pend.
If the family provides valid verification for SNR at a later date, the SNR effective date will be the first of the month after the verification is submitted.
If the family does not provide verification for SNR, their ERDC will continue without including SNR. • The family can choose to wait to receive benefits until they provide the required verification for SNR. Their application will be pended and an RFI will be generated following normal RFI processes and due dates. This is a hard pend.
If the family provides valid verification within the application processing timeframe, ERDC will be approved back to the Date of Request (DOR) with the SNR authorized.
If the family does not provide verification for SNR, their request for ERDC benefits will be denied. If the SNR is requested during the certification period, allow ONE to pend for verification. In most situations, the effective date for SNR will be the month after the documentation has been submitted. At renewal, SNR must be reviewed to determine if there is a continued need for a higher level of care. A conversation with the family is needed to make this determination. If the child no longer requires a higher level of care, the SNR must be ended in ONE for that child. Add a case note explaining your conversation and the action(s) taken. Supplementing for very high needs In some cases, the special needs rate does not adequately cover the cost of caring for the children who have very high needs and require a much higher level of care than other children of the same age. This includes, but is not limited to, children diagnosed as having extreme developmental delays, very high medical needs, severe physical limitations, or significant mental health issues. For these children, the ERDC program can pay an additional amount above the special needs rate. The amount of this high needs rate payment is determined by how much additional care the child requires in the child care setting and is different for each child. To qualify, the child must be eligible for the special needs rate (SNR). In addition, the child must be enrolled, or in the process of being enrolled, in Early Intervention, Early Childhood Special Education, or School Age Special Education. The child may also qualify if they are receiving additional support services such as private therapies, or behavioral or mental health services. Documentation is required to support the child’s high needs. The caretaker must provide a written plan, treatment plan, or ongoing proof of services dated within the last 12 months to qualify. If an updated plan is not available due to program delays, the caretaker must provide documentation that an updated plan is delayed. The amount that can be approved is up to a maximum of $10 additional per hour. The maximum amount per month is $1680.