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(i) obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent; (ii) adult basic education; or (iii) learning English as a second language. (b) Months during which the client received FEP CC while receiving education and training do not count toward the 24- month time limit. (c) Child Care assistance cannot ordinarily be used to support short-term workshops unless they are required or encouraged by the employer. If a short-term workshop is required or encouraged by the employer, and approved by the Department, months during which the client receives child care to attend such a workshop do not count toward the 24-month time limit. (5) Education or training can only be approved if the client can realistically complete the course of study within 24 months and demonstrates progress in the program. (6) Any CC payment to cover training participation hours made for a calendar month, or a partial calendar month, counts as one month toward the 24-month limit. (7) There are no exceptions to the 24-month time limit, and no extensions can be granted. (8) Only the last two years of a four-year program may be supported. (9) Child Care assistance is not allowed to support education or training if the client already has a bachelor's degree. (10) Child Care assistance cannot be approved for graduate study or obtaining a teaching certificate if the client already has a bachelor's degree. R986-700-712. Child Care assistance for Certain Homeless Families. (1) Child Care assistance can be provided for homeless families with one or two parents when the family meets the following criteria: (a) The family must present a referral for CC from an agency known by the local office to be an agency that works with homeless families, including shelters for abused women and children. This referral will serve as proof of the family's homeless state. Local offices will provide a list of recognized homeless agencies in the local office area. (b) The family must meet ES CC relationship and income eligibility criteria. Only the minimum work requirements are waived. (2) Child Care assistance for homeless families is provided for up to 12 months. (3) Qualifying families may use CC for any activity including, but not limited to, employment, job search, training, shelter search, or working through a crisis situation. (4) If the family is eligible for a different type of CC, the family will be paid under the other type of CC. R986-700-713. Amount of CC. CC will be paid at the lower of the following levels: (1) the maximum monthly local market rate as calculated using the Local Market Survey; or (2) the rate established by the provider for services and reported to the local Care About Child Care agency or the Department, provided that CC cannot pay more for services than is charged to the public for the same service; or (3) the unit cost multiplied by the number of hours approved by the Department. The unit cost is determined by dividing the maximum monthly local market rate by 137.6 hours. R986-700-714. CC Payment Method. (1) The provider must provide a valid financial account and routing number to allow for payment by direct deposit. For open, ongoing cases, payment will be issued on the first day of the month for services to be provided during that month. The provider is not an employee of the Department, the Office of Child Care, or the state of Utah even if the provider is only providing care for one client. (2) Under unusual or extraordinary circumstances, the Department can issue payment by check. If a provider cannot obtain a financial account for direct deposit, the provider must contact the Department and explain why direct deposit is not possible. (3) In the event that a check is reported as lost or stolen, the provider is required to sign a statement that they have not received funds from the original check before a replacement check can be issued. The check must be reported as lost or stolen within 60 days of the date the check was mailed. The statement must be signed on an approved Department form. If the original check has been redeemed, the Department will conduct an investigation and the provider may be required to provide a sworn, notarized statement that the signature on the endorsed check is a forgery. If the Department determines the redeemed check was a forgery, the Department may require a waiting period prior to issuing a replacement check. (4) The Department is authorized to stop payment on a CC check without prior notice if: (a) the Department has determined that the client or the provider was not eligible for the CC payment, the Department has confirmed with the child care provider that no services were provided for the month in question or the provider cannot be located, and the Department has made an attempt to contact the provider: or (b) when the check has been outstanding for at least 90 days; or (c) the check is lost or stolen. (5) No stop payment will be issued by the Department without prior notice to the provider unless the provider is not providing services or cannot be contacted. R986-700-716. CC in Unusual Circumstances.