02.01.01 - Application Process

Effective Date: 01/01/00
Revised:  09/15/11, 01/01/13, 04/01/17, 10/1/18, 12/12/19
Cross Reference: 02.02.01 - Establishing Eligibility; 02.02.02 - Request for Additional Information

Policy Statement:

All entities who receive, review, and determine eligibility for Child Care Assistance must process applications within established guidelines and time frames.

Overview:

Child Care Resource & Referral agencies and Site Administered Providers may receive applications for child care services through a variety of methods. Parents may hand-deliver, mail, or fax a manual application in addition to applying on-line via the DHS website to request child care assistance. For a manual version of the application, use the date the written request is received by any department employee or entity acting on behalf of the agency (e.g., FCRC (local office), CCR&R, Site Administered Provider, etc.) to determine the eligibility begin date in accordance with 02.02.01, Establishing Eligibility.

If the application is received via fax, do not require the applicant to send in the original application form unless the information is illegible. Obtain needed information in accordance with 02.02.02, Request for Additional Information.

If the application is received at an incorrect CCR&R or Site Administered Provider, date stamp the form and create a CCMS Application Work Item and designate the appropriate CCR&R or Site Administered Provider as soon as possible, but no later than three (3) workday after it is received. Contact the applicant and inform them of the appropriate agency that will process and determine eligibility for their application.

For the correct agency determining eligibility, use the day the application was first received at the incorrect location to determine the eligibility begin date in accordance with 02.02.01, Establishing Eligibility. Date stamp the form when received.  The day the application is received at the correct location begins the 30 working days processing time.

Procedures:

  1. Child Care Resource & Referral & Site Administered Providers must:
    1. Date stamp the Child Care Application upon receipt.
    2. Enter the application information into the Child Care Management System (CCMS). The CCMS provides a record that the application was received and acted on within 30 working days of receipt. The CCMS will identify all missing information and track when an application should be denied due to the failure to submit missing information.  Refer to the CCMS Wizards and Job Aids for step-by-step instructions for entering the application information into the CCMS.
    3. Verify the information using available state databases (IES, AWVS, etc.) according to the IPACS Training Manual  If the information contained in any state database is not consistent with the information received, request additional information in accordance with the procedures outlined in 02.02.02.  Scan, or upload and maintain copies of all screens reviewed as part of the IPACS process to document the information that was on the systems at the time eligibility was determined.  This is extremely important for monitoring and appeal hearing purposes.
    4. Review the Child Care Application in its entirety for completeness and required documentation. If eligibility information, documentation, or signature is missing, send a Request for Additional Information in accordance with the procedures outlined in 02.02.02.
    5. Determine income and service eligibility.  If the applicant is no longer involved in the eligible activity, the case shall be denied and no payments will be issued for care provided during the eligibility determination period.
      Example:  The eligibility worker calls the employer to clarify information on the applicant's pay stubs and discovers the applicant is no longer employed.  The case must be denied, because the applicant is not in an eligible activity.
    6. Send one of the following forms to the parent and the provider within 30 working days.
      1. Approval of Request for Child Care Payments,
      2. Notice of Denial of Child Care Payments, or
      3. Request for Additional Information (See Section 02.02.02)