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1-24 (l) Payment of child care for arrangements not authorized by DFS shall be the sole responsibility of the client. (m) Payment shall be made directly to the child care provider and not to the client. (n) Payment to the provider shall be made based on the provider’s usual rate schedule for private pay customers shall not exceed the provider’s daily, weekly, or monthly rate and shall not exceed the part day and/or full day rates established by the provider for DFS purposes, whichever is less. (o) Payment rates based on the child’s age shall be determined by the child’s age on the first day of the month. (p) Payment for substitute providers shall be the responsibility of the provider who hired the substitute. (q) DFS-FO worker shall authorize payment on the DFS computer payment system. (r) DFS has no responsibility for unpaid bills for child care fees charged above the DFS rates or for the collection of the caretaker(s) obligation for the cost of care. (s) Rates for all child care program categories except payments made with SNAP E&T funds shall be based on sliding fee scale in Appendix A. (t) Payments subject to SNAP E&T regulations are limited to $200 per month for infants and $175 per month for children two (2) years or older. (u) Up to an additional $250 per month may be paid for providing special needs services for the care of a child with documented physical or psychological special needs. (i) The special needs shall be verified and specified by a medical professional. (ii) The provider shall submit proof of specialized education, experience or training needed to meet the special needs of the child from an appropriate professional. (iii) The caretaker(s) shall apply for and accept any services which are available to meet the special needs before special needs child care can be approved. (iv) A DFS eligibility supervisor or program manager shall approve the payment. (v) Special needs child care is not respite care. (v) Payment starting date for new cases is the date of the child care application, the date the child first enters care, or the date the parent began the approved activity, whichever is later when