Page 47

47

3.2. Application and Assessment

A. Application Form

Parents who request child care services must sign a Child Care Subsidy Service Application and Redetermination form (Child Care Application) and cooperate with an assessment by the LDSS. The date of application is the date on which the signed application is received by the LDSS. The date of application must be entered in VaCMS when registering the application. For applications submitted through CommonHelp, an electronic signature is acceptable. Applications submitted through CommonHelp or VIEW referral applications received in My Workspace do not need to be signed by the child care worker or scanned into DMIS.

If an application submitted through CommonHelp is received outside of business hours, the date of receipt is the next business day. If the application is not received through CommonHelp, the LDSS must date stamp the application. When a child resides with both parents during some portion of the month through a shared-custody arrangement, either formal or informal, and both parents need child care assistance, each parent must apply for the period of time the child resides in his/her home.

B. Submission and Processing of Application

The Child Care Application may be submitted in person at a local office, by mail, by fax, or electronically through CommonHelp. If the applicant submits a duplicate application, the second application must be denied and a NOA sent to that effect. If an applicant submits an application to the wrong LDSS, a denial NOA must be sent informing the applicant to which LDSS they must apply. TANF/VIEW Child Care Referral Applications

A child care referral application can also be created through an approved TANF/VIEW case. Once a TANF/VIEW activity is selected in the ESP module, the TANF/VIEW worker can select if a Child Care referral shall be created. The Child Care referral date shall be the same date as the APR (Agreement of Personal Responsibility) date. A Child Care referral application will not be created if there is an existing Child Care application or an approved Child Care case. Applicant Status Changes During Intake

If there is a change in the applicant’s status before the application has been processed that would affect their program category eligibility, no new application is needed for the change in program category. If the child care application is pending, and the applicant moves prior to the application being processed, the Child Care Worker must complete the application in the locality in which the application originated and then transfer the case to the client’s new locality of residence, once completed. Processing Timeline The application must be acted on by the LDSS within 30 calendar days of receipt. This 30-day processing period covers the day following the date of receipt to the date eligibility is determined. Once eligibility is