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: Families who are determined eligible for Temporary Aid to Needy Families ("TANF"), called Reach Up in Vermont, may be determined eligible for participation in and subsidy through the Child Care Financial Assistance Program ("CCFAP") by their Reach Up Case Manager. iii. [x] Coordinating determinations for children in the same household (while still ensuring each child receives 12 months of eligibility). Describe: All children in the household at the time of determination are assessed for eligibility as part of the application processing. If a child is eligible, but not currently in care, an authorization is created for the child’s twelve (12) month eligibility period that can be later used to create a certificate to a program if the child starts attending after the initial assessment date. iv. [ ] Self-assessment screening tools for families. Describe: 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: CCCSAs have contract performance measures to ensure applications are processed efficiently and that timely eligibility determinations are made. Eighty percent (80%) of Child Care Financial Assistance applications must be initiated within seven (7) business days of receipt. Eighty percent (80%) of Child Care Financial Assistance applications must have eligibility determined or the application closed within thirty (30) days of the initial receipt of 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: Families receiving TANF (Reach Up) assistance bypass the application process. If they are determined eligible for child care subsidy by their Reach Up Case Manager, the Case Manager enters an authorization into Child Development Division Information System ("CDDIS") for their eligibility determination. All eligibility requirements are verified by the Reach Up Case Manager. All families receiving TANF assistance with a child care authorization receive a full twelve (12) month authorization. [ ] 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? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the policies: [x] No.