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. [x] 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: Presumptive eligibility is offered to assist all child care Child Care Scholarship Program clients that have started a new job and is in the process of obtaining verification of the employment, including rate of pay, number of hours to be worked per week, and frequency of pay. The client is in need of child care to maintain their new job. The client will be given twelve weeks (3 months) of full time child care to allow them time to obtain the wage information from their new employer. Dual Language Learners and Head Start clients are also able to receive presumptive eligibility when needed. ii. [x] Leveraging eligibility from other public assistance programs. Describe: The lead agency also houses the child welfare programs (CPS and Foster Care), work assistance programs (TANF) and food assistance programs (SNAP and CACFP). This coordination allows the eligibility staff to use agency databases from other programs available such as TANF/SNAP and CAPSS database for income verification or other documentation needed for eligibility determination. iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: All children are given a full 12 months of eligibility when approved for child care. At any time during the 12-month period a family adds a child, services are aligned so that the new child receives 12 months, and the existing children receive 12 months in addition to the original allotment in order to ensure that the children's end dates are the same. iv. [x] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: The First Five SC (www.first5sc.org) is a holistic website, one stop portal, where parents can learn about public programs and services to help with their child’s growth and development and to increase knowledge, choice and access. The First Five SC portal supports 44 programs included in the common eligibility screener. The common eligibility screener makes it easy for families to enter a few pieces of information about their child, household and circumstances, and find out which programs they may be eligible for so they can begin the next steps of enrollment. v. [ ] Extended office hours (evenings and/or weekends). vi. [x] Consultation available via phone. vii. [x] Other. Describe the Lead Agency policies to process applications efficiently and make timely eligibility determinations: Staff are instructed to process eligibility within three to five business days from receipt of the completed child care application and all supporting documentation. 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 purpose of child care through TANF is to provide the necessary child care for a family to participate in approved employment, education, training, or to comply with their TANF Family Plan. A fundamental goal of TANF is to emphasize parental responsibility and self-sufficiency. The Lead Agency provides support services such as child care to enable the parent to move into employment, education or training. A parent participating in TANF is not required to pay a fee to the provider. However, the parent is responsible for paying the difference between what the Child Care Scholarship Program pays and what the provider charges, if applicable. The TANF case manager will make a referral to the child care worker using the DSS Form 1269, Request for Support Services. TANF child care authorization will be 12 months (52 weeks) at a time as needed for the component in which the client is participating. In order to receive child care through this category, the individual must meet the following criteria: 1. Participant must be receiving a TANF stipend. 2. Working, attending school, or training. A TANF parent may not be required to participate for a minimum of 15 hours; however, they must be in compliance with their family plan. 3. Complying with the Family Plan as agreed upon with the TANF Case Manager, participating in a TANF countable component, or attempting to start a TANF countable component within two weeks. 4. Have a need for child care for a child under age 13 NOTE: A child aged 13-19 with special circumstances may be considered for eligibility. 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. 5. Attempting to remedy a sanction (up to 30 days). [ ] 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. [x] Advance notice to providers of pending redetermination. iii. [ ] Pre-populated subsidy renewal form. iv. [x] 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: Eligibility staff may use agency databases available such as TANF/SNAP database for information to verify income when other documentation is not provided. b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: The purpose of child care through TANF is to provide the necessary child care for a family to participate in approved employment, education, training, or to comply with their TANF Family Plan. A fundamental goal of TANF is to emphasize parental responsibility and self-sufficiency. The Lead Agency provides support services such as child care to enable the parent to move into employment, education or training. A parent participating in TANF is not required to pay a fee to the provider. However, the parent is responsible for paying the difference in what the Child Care Scholarship Program pays and what the provider charges, if applicable. The TANF Case Manager will make a referral to the child care worker using the DSS Form 1269, Request for Support Services. TANF child care authorization will be 12 months (52 weeks) at a time as needed for the component in which the client is participating. In order to receive child care through this category, the individual must meet the following criteria: 1. Be receiving a TANF stipend. 2. Be a TANF participant who is either: working, attending school, or training. A TANF parent may not be required to participate for a minimum of 15 hours; however, they must be in compliance with their family plan. 3. Complying with the Family Plan as agreed upon with the TANF Case Manager, participating in a TANF countable component, or attempting to start a TANF countable component within two weeks. 4. Have a need for child care for a child under age 13 NOTE: A child aged 13-19 with special circumstances may be considered for eligibility. 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. 5. Attempting to remedy a sanction (up to 30 days). [ ] No.