06.02.01 - Site Administered Program

Effective Date: 04/01/04

Reference: 89 Ill. Adm. Code, Chapter IV, §50.220; Memo dated 1/8/01

Policy Statement:

Child care may be provided through one of the following methods:

  • direct payment to the clients for child care costs;
  • arranging the child care through eligible providers by use of purchase of service contracts or vouchers;
  • arranging with other agencies and community volunteer groups for non-reimbursed child care; and
  • adopting such other arrangements as the Department determines appropriate.

Applicability:

The following procedures are applicable to site administered providers.

Overview:

Topics discussed in this section are:

  • Site Administered Monthly Enrollment Report (SAMER)
  • Additional Case Form

Procedures:

  1. Site Administered Monthly Enrollment Report (SAMER)

    The SAMER (IL444-3492C) is the form site administered providers complete at the end of each month to request payment.

    A SAMER is automatically mailed to the provider’s contract address of record on the sixth business day before the last day of the month. The SAMER lists all approved cases in the CCTS as of that day. A case entered in the CCTS after the print date will appear on the next month’s SAMER. To receive payment for approved cases that are not on the preprinted SAMER, use the Additional Case Form (see II.)

    A SAMER that has been correctly and completely filled out is key to faster payment processing. Please assist IDHS staff by remembering the following points:
    1. The actual number of days the center was open to serve children must be entered in the appropriate space on the first page of the SAMER.
    2. The number of eligible days each family is eligible to attend is based on the parent’s schedule but must not exceed the number of days the center is open.
    3. Enter the actual number of days attended for each child listed. This entry may not be estimated or averaged and must be supported by the documentation (attendance records, etc) maintained in the provider’s files. This documentation must be maintained for at least five years. The lack of such documentation is a presumption in favor of the State, and the site administered provider may be subject to an overpayment.
    4. Do not adjust the approved eligible days except as provided in 04.02.01, Copayment, Section V, A. Vacations or Illness. A brief explanation for children with unusually low attendance (i.e. sick 7/1-9/03, vac 10/15-25/03, etc.) must be included either under the child’s name and DOB or in the Comments section. These two locations are the only places designed for comments or notes.
    5. Indicate, where appropriate, the center location’s attendance percentage.
    6. Do not exclude cases or reduce the number of eligible days approved in order to raise the overall attendance percentage to meet the 80% attendance rule.
    7. The pre-printed information may be corrected by drawing a single line through the incorrect information and print the correct or updated information above the crossed out pre-printed information. A brief explanation of the change must be placed under the child’s name and date of birth. Lengthier explanations may be made using the Comments section at the end of the SAMER report.
    8. Do not attach Change of Information forms and Redetermination forms to the SAMER.

      A SAMER will not be entered for payment before the first day of the month following the month of service. If a SAMER is received before the first day of the month following the month of service, it may be returned for correction or held until the first work day of the following month as deemed appropriate by BCCD staff.

      Each SAMER will be processed and coded to identify the action taken. A photocopy will be returned to the site administered provider with the appropriate payment documents after processing is completed.
  2. Additional Case Form

    The Site Administered Child Care Additional Case Form is the form used to request payment for those children believed to be eligible but which do not appear on the pre-printed SAMER. This includes, but is not limited to, new siblings, siblings added to a case for limited care (i.e. summer only), and cases approved after the SAMER print date.

    Each Additional Case Form must be fully completed with the following identifying information:
    • provider’s vendor ID number,
    • address indicator,
    • contract address,
    • actual physical location address,
    • the name and case number of each client,
    • the full name and date of birth for each child,
    • the daily rate for each child listed on the corresponding line for the type of care,
    • eligible and attended day information on the corresponding line for the type of care provided, and
    • the last date of attendance, if applicable.

      A brief explanation for children with unusually low attendance (i.e. sick 7/1-9/03, vac 10/15-25/03, etc.) must be included either under the child’s name and DOB or in the Comments section.

      Additional pages should be numbered consecutively beginning with page 1 of ___ (the total number of additional pages). Additional Case Forms are numbered separately from the number of pre-printed pages. Attach the Additional Case Form(s) to the preprinted SAMER.

      The last page of the Additional Case Form must be signed and must include a phone number where the provider may be reached for questions.