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Child Care Scholarship Policy Manual 103
2.24 STARLIGHT (RECOVERY)
The Child Care Scholarship Program works with the Starlight Program, a community for children with their mothers who have dealt with substance abuse. The purpose of the partnership between the Child Care Scholarship Program and Starlight is to provide child care assistance for families enrolled in this program so they may focus on their treatment. Referrals are made directly from the Starlight Program to designated child care staff. The families, when approved, are given 12 months eligibility. The criteria for this program are listed below: • Parent must be enrolled in the Starlight program. • Parents are not required to be working, in school, or in training. • The Starlight Program will submit the child care application along with a verification letter indicating that the parent is participating in the program. • There is no co-pay for the families, but parents are responsible for paying the difference in what the Child Care Scholarship Program pays and what the child provider charges. • Income for this category is entered as $0. • Funding category is RECOVERY.
2.25 SNAP EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING (SNAP E&T)
The purpose of the SNAP E&T child care scholarship is to allow families participating in the SNAP E&T program to have access to quality child care assistance. Referrals are made directly from the SNAP E&T staff to the designated child care worker. For clients that call in and want to directly apply for the SNAP E&T program, the client should be directed to email their contact information to SNAP2WORK@dss.sc.gov. Child care staff do not make referrals to this program.
In order to qualify for a child care scholarship through the SNAP E&T, the E&T workers will identify families that are in need of child care services in order to complete their employment and training requirements at DSS and forward all supporting documents to the child care eligibility worker. Applicants must meet one of the following criteria in addition to participating with the program:
• Must be working, in school, in training or actively searching for work. • Must be at or below 85% of SMI at the time of application. • Must have a child under the age of 13 in need of child care services.