2.3 Prioritizing Services for Vulnerable Children and Families

Lead Agencies must give priority for child care assistance to children with special needs, families with very low incomes (considering family size), and children experiencing homelessness. A Lead Agency has the flexibility to prioritize other populations of children. Note: Statute defines children with disabilities, and CCDF rule gives flexibility to Lead Agencies to include vulnerable populations in their definition of children with special needs. CCDF defines “child experiencing homelessness” as a child who is homeless, as defined in Section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). 2.3.1 Lead Agency definition of priority groups Describe how the Lead Agency defines: d. “Children with special needs.” "Children with special needs" are defined as children between the ages of birth and 13 with physical, mental, and/or developmental disabilities. A child between the ages of 13 years, but younger than 19 years and who is incapable of caring for him/herself may continue to receive child care until the child no longer has the disability or turns 19 years of age. e. “Families with very low incomes.” "Families with very low incomes" are defined as families receiving TANF or are transitioning off TANF. 2.3.2 Prioritization of child care services Identify how the Lead Agency will prioritize child care services for the following children and families. a. Complete the table below to indicate how the identified populations are prioritized. Population Prioritized Prioritize for enrollment in child care services Serve without placing on waiting list Waive co- payments as described in 3.3.1 Pay higher rate for access to higher quality care Use grants or contracts to reserve spots Other Children with special needs [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [x] Describe: Children with developmental delays are paid at their developmental age. Not chronological age, which is usually higher. Families with very low incomes [x] [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: Children experiencing homelessness, as defined by CCDF [x] [ ] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: (Optional) Families receiving TANF, those attempting to transition off TANF, and those at risk of becoming dependent on TANF [x] [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] Describe: a. Does the Lead Agency define any other priority groups? [ ] No. [x] Yes. If yes, identify the populations prioritized and describe how the Lead Agency prioritizes services: Foster children defined as a child in the legal custody of a children and youth agency, which maintains that custody while paying a licensed foster parent to care for the child; Children who are enrolled in PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, or Early Head Start who need wrap-around child care at the beginning and/or end of the program day; Newborn siblings of children who are already enrolled and whose parent needs timely care so he/she can return to work; Teen parents defined as children under the age of 18 who are attending high school or participating in a GED program on a full-time basis; children 18 through 22 years of age who are attending high school or a cyber school as approved by the child’s school district, on a full-time basis. These children are placed on a priority waiting list and receive child care funding first before other children on the waiting list. Copayments are waived to the minimum amount of $5.00 for foster children and teen parents. 2.3.3 Enrollment and grace period for children experiencing homelessness Lead Agencies must allow (after an initial eligibility determination) children experiencing homelessness to receive CCDF services while required eligibility documentation is obtained. Lead Agencies must establish a grace period that allows children experiencing homelessness and children in foster care to receive CCDF assistance while providing their families with a reasonable time to take any necessary actions to comply with State, Territory, or local immunization and other health and safety requirements. The length of such a grace period must be established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency. Note: Any payment for such a child during the grace period may not be considered an error or improper payment. a. Describe the strategies to allow CCDF enrollment of children experiencing homelessness while required eligibility documentation is obtained: For families experiencing homelessness, a non-working parent is provided presumptive eligibility for 92 days, during which the parent may conduct a job search, at application and redetermination. Verification of eligibility requirements may be waived for up to 92 days; however, the following eligibility requirements may not be waived: child's age; income limits; Pennsylvania residency; child's citizenship. Children experiencing homelessness are placed on a prioritized waiting list and receive funding sooner than others on the waiting list. b. Describe the grace period for each population below and how it allows them to receive CCDF assistance while providing their families with a reasonable time to take any necessary actions to comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements. i. Provide the policy for a grace period for: Children experiencing homelessness: OCDEL allows all families, if needed, a 90-day period from the date the family is determined eligible to receive subsidy, to get immunizations if the child does not have them. Immunizations are not required if the child has a medical reason, or the parent has religious reasons for not obtaining immunizations. Immunizations are self-certified, meaning the parent self-attests the child is properly immunized; this is accepted as sufficient proof of the child's immunization status. Pennsylvania’s child care regulation dealing with immunizations was developed in consultation with the Department of Health and requires a child’s initial health report no later than 60 days following the first day of their attendance at the facility (55 Pa. Code §3270.131(a); §3280.131(a); §3290.131(a)). The health report includes a record of immunizations. Pennsylvania’s subsidized child care regulations build from the child care regulations and allow an additional 30 days for children to be immunized for subsidized child care eligibility purposes to account for the 30 days it may take a family to enroll the child with a provider. Children who are in foster care: OCDEL allows all families, if needed, a 90- day period from the date the family is determined eligible to receive subsidy, to get immunizations if the child does not have them. Immunizations are not required if the child has a medical reason, or the parent has religious reasons for not obtaining immunizations. Immunizations are self-certified, meaning the parent self-attests the child is properly immunized; this is accepted as sufficient proof of the child's immunization status. Pennsylvania’s child care regulation dealing with immunizations was developed in consultation with the Department of Health and requires an initial health report no later than 60 days following the first day of attendance at the facility (55 Pa. Code §3270.131(a); §3280.131(a); §3290.131(a)). The health report includes a record of immunizations. Pennsylvania’s subsidized child care regulations build from the child care regulations and allow an additional 30 days for children to be immunized for subsidized child care eligibility purposes to account for the 30 days it may take a family to enroll a child with a provider. ii. Does the Lead Agency certify that the length of the grace period was established in consultation with the State, Territorial, or Tribal public health agency? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: c. Describe how the Lead Agency coordinates with licensing agencies and other relevant State, Territorial, Tribal, and local agencies to provide referrals and support to help families with children receiving services during a grace period comply with immunization and other health and safety requirements: The ELRCs provide referral information to families related to immunizations, as needed. Regulated providers allow families up to 60 days to get children immunized and accept the religious and medical exemption. Regulated providers will not be cited for children who are not immunized based on exemption. Children eligible for subsidy are given up to 90 days to acquire age- appropriate immunizations for their children unless there is a medical or religious reason to not do so. An additional 30 days is given beyond the 60 days that regulated providers allow because, once determined eligible for subsidy, families have 30 days to enroll the child with a provider.