Effective Date - January 1, 2009

1202               Establishing a Child Care Benefit Period

Child Care - ARW, Chapt. 1, Purchase of Service

A.    Determine the period of time a Child Care authorization is permitted, not to exceed six months per authorization.

B.    DO NOT begin Child Care assistance before the provider registration process is completed and before the Child Care provider is licensed, when applicable.

C.   Require the appropriate provider registration form (DFS 203a/b) to be signed and returned during the 30 day Child Care application processing time.

D.   Require the provider to submit a signed and dated Licensing Application Form (DCL-01) during the 30 day Child Care application processing time when the provider must be licensed. 

1.    Understand licensing of a provider may take up to 60 days. 

2.    Notify the client the application processing time will take longer than 30 days when the licensing process is not completed within the 30 day Child Care application processing time. 

3.    Do not deny the application in 30 days for this situation.

E.    Begin the authorization with whichever is later:

1.    The date of application; or

2.    The date the approved activity (see Section 701) began; or

3.    The date the child first entered child care;

4.    The provider met the provider eligibility requirements.

a.    Use the date of the Child Care application if met during the 30 day Child Care application processing time (may exceed 30 days if licensing application is pending),

b.    Use the date the provider change occurred if reported and the provider registration process was completed during the ten day change of report period, or

c.    Use the date the provider completed the provider registration process if met after the 30-day Child Care application processing or ten day change of report period unless a 30 day extension has been granted for the provider to meet licensing requirements.