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Child Care Scholarship Policy Manual 31
Scholarship Program Staff, the Control Center Supervisor or their designee. See Exception Criteria for CPS and FC Child Care Cases. NOTE: A child who turns age 13 during their child care eligibility period will continue to receive services through the end of the current eligibility period. 2.1.2 CITIZENSHIP/QUALIFIED NON-CITIZEN A child served through the Child Care Scholarship Program must be a citizen of the United States or a qualified non-citizen. An applicant for and recipient of the child care scholarship must declare that the child for whom they are applying or receiving child care subsidy for is a citizen or qualified non-citizen. The parent’s declaration that their child is a citizen or qualified non-citizen should be accepted unless there is reason to question the validity of the declaration. If the applicant acknowledges that the child is a non-citizen, the child care worker must verify if the child is a “qualified non-citizen” able to receive federal benefits. If the child care worker has a suspicion that the documentation may be invalid or falsified, additional documentation should be requested. Incorrect reporting of citizenship or status may result in loss of child care eligibility even if otherwise eligible. An applicant who is in the TANF Program or transitioning off of the TANF Program is to be considered already verified for citizenship or eligible alien status by the State for child care purposes and will need no further verification. Verification of citizenship/non-citizen status is required for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); therefore, requirement has taken place. Note: Being a legal resident is not the same as citizenship. Applicants may be in the United States legally for work or educational purposes but may not be considered citizens or qualified non-citizens.
2.1.3 CITIZENSHIP/QUALIFIED NON-CITIZEN STATUS When an applicant’s statement on citizenship or legal non-citizen status is questionable or inconsistent with other information on the application, the child care worker will ask the applicant to provide acceptable verification of citizenship or legal non-citizen status. It is the responsibility of the applicant to secure and present valid documentation.