2.1 Reducing Barriers to Family Enrollment and Redetermination

Lead Agency enrollment and redetermination policies may not unduly disrupt parents’ employment, education, or job training activities to comply with the Lead Agency’s or designated local entity’s requirements. Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to design and implement the eligibility practices that reduce barriers to enrollment and redetermination. Examples include developing strategies to inform families and their providers of an upcoming redetermination and the information that will be required of the family, pre-populating subsidy renewal forms, having parents confirm that the information is accurate, and/or asking only for the information necessary to make an eligibility redetermination. In addition, Lead Agencies can offer a variety of family-friendly methods for submitting documentation for eligibility redetermination that considers the range of needs for families in accessing support (e.g., use of languages other than English, access to transportation, accommodation of parents working non-traditional hours). 2.1.1 Eligibility practices to reduce barriers to enrollment a. Does the Lead Agency implement any of the following eligibility practices to reduce barriers at the time of initial eligibility determination? Check all that apply and describe those elements checked. i. [ ] Establishing presumptive eligibility while eligibility is being determined. Describe the policy, including the populations benefiting from the policy, and identify how long the period of presumptive eligibility is: ii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: The Office of Income Maintenance (OIM) County Assistance Office (CAO) is the TANF eligibility agent and determines the employment and training requirements for families receiving TANF benefits. Following the determination of eligibility for TANF families, the CAO refers the family to the ELRC for subsidized child care benefits. The ELRC provides resource and referral service, enrolls the child with a child care provider and issue payment to the child care provider. iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: A family eligible for CCW has one redetermination date for the entire family regardless of how many children are receiving subsidy. If a child is added to the case in between redeterminations, the redetermination date for the family is extended to 12- months from the date the last child was added. iv. [ ] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: v. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. [ ] Consultation available via phone. vii. [ ] Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations: viii. [ ] None. b. Does the Lead Agency use an online subsidy application? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe why an online application is impracticable. c. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: The Office of Income Maintenance (OIM) County Assistance Office (CAO) is the TANF eligibility agent and determines the employment and training requirements for families receiving TANF benefits. Following the determination of eligibility for TANF families, the CAO refers the family to the ELRC for subsidized child care benefits. The ELRC provides resource and referral service, enrolls the child with a child care provider and issue payment to the child care provider. [ ] No. 2.1.2 Preventing disruption of eligibility activities a. Identify, where applicable, the Lead Agency’s procedures and policies to ensure that parents do not have their employment, education, or job training unduly disrupted to comply with the State’s/Territory’s or designated local entity’s requirements for the redetermination of eligibility. Check all that apply. i. [x] Advance notice to parents of pending redetermination. ii. [ ] Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination. iii. [x] Pre-populated subsidy renewal form. iv. [ ] Online documentation submission. v. [ ] Cross-program redeterminations. vi. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vii. [x] Consultation available via phone. viii. [ ] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. ix. [x] Other. Describe: Parents/caretakers are required to participate in a personal interview within 30 days of being determined eligible, but it is no longer required to be a face-to-face, in-person meeting. The personal interview can be in-person, by telephone or through video conference. The ELRC must accommodate the parent/caretaker’s work hours in scheduling the meeting. The ELRC may extend the 30-day time frame for the personal interview if, on or before the 30th calendar day, the parent/caretaker claims hardship due to conflicts with work hours, or illness of the parent/caretaker or another family member. When the parent/caretaker claims hardship, the ELRC may grant an additional 30 days from the date the hardship is claimed. The ELRC may waive the requirement for the personal interview if the parent/caretaker has completed a personal interview with the eligibility agency within the previous 12 months. b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: The CAO determines eligibility and completes redeterminations for families receiving TANF. [ ] No.