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: CCS staff have access to information used in eligibility determinations for other programs including Medical Assistance, SNAP, TANF and LIEAP made by the department for mutual cases. When applicable information obtained by those programs may be applied to CCA eligibility determinations. For CCA recipients receiving TANF benefits a simplified application process designed to only request the additional information needed specifically for CCA is utilized. iii. [ ] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: iv. [x] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: The Child Care Assistance website includes information on the ￿Am I Eligible for Assistance￿ page that families can use to review countable income sources and income limits and eligibility criteria information to self-assess their household. Further development of a self-assessment tools is being evaluated in the ongoing eligibility and enrollment system being developed. 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: CCS shall determine eligibility for services within 10 days after receiving a completed application. 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: For TANF recipients CCS has developed a simplified application process, which allows employment specialists to request child care assistance to fit the applicant’s needs within child care guidelines. This reduces the need for the CCS caseworker to request additional documentation, allowing for expedited processing. TANF applications are printed on colored paper to make them more prominent, and one caseworker processes all TANF applications. [ ] 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. [ ] Other. Describe: b. Does the Lead Agency use different policies for families receiving TANF assistance? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: For TANF recipients CCS has developed a simplified application process, which allows employment specialists to request child care assistance to fit the applicant’s needs within child care guidelines. This reduces the need for the CCS caseworker to request additional documentation, allowing for expedited processing in many cases. TANF applications are printed on colored paper to make them more prominent, and one caseworker processes all TANF applications. [ ] No.