5101:2-16-35.1 Caretaker eligibility requirements to qualify for publicly funded child care benefits.

 

 

 

5101:2-16-35.1            Caretaker  eligibility  requirements  to  qualify  for  publicly funded child care benefits.

 

 

 

(A)   The caretaker shall submit the JFS 01138 "Application for Child Care Benefits" (rev. 2/2015)(rev. 6/2016) or both the JFS 01121 "Early Childhood Education Eligibility Screening Tool" (3/2016) and the JFS 01122 "Publicly Funded Child Care Supplemental Application" (6/2016) with at least the caretaker's name and address to the county agency in the county in which the caretaker resides to begin the application process.

 

(1)   The caretaker shall complete the application process within thirty calendar days from the date the county agency receives the JFS 01138, the JFS 01121 or the JFS 01122.

 

(2)    The application process shall be considered complete when the caretaker has submitted:

 

(a)     The JFS 01138 or both the JFS 01121 and the JFS 01122 with the caretaker's name, address, signature and all information about the caretaker's household completed.

 

(b)   Verification of citizenship or qualified alien status for children in need of care.

 

(c)      Verification of income for all household members pursuant to rule 5101:2-16-34 of the Administrative Code.

 

(d)  Verification of a qualifying activity for all caretakers.

 

(e)    The name and address of an eligible provider chosen for each child in need of care.

 

(B)   Payment shall be made for authorized child care services provided between the date the county agency receives an application and the date the caretaker is determined to be eligible.

 

(C)  Payment may be made for child care services provided for the period of time between the date the county agency receives the application and the date of denial plus five days if:

 

(1)  A complete application, as defined in paragraph (A) of this rule, was submitted;

 

 

 

 

(2)   The child in care is age eligible; and

(3)   The caretaker was not previously approved for paid publicly funded child care services after denial, in the previous twelve months.

(D)   A child may be authorized to only one provider in a weekAuthorization for care shall be made according to the following:.

The county agency may grant an additional part-time or hourly authorization in a week if the family provides documentation showing it meets one of the following exemption criteria:

(1) Authorization for care shall not exceed the maximum category of care that a caretaker(s) is eligible to receive.

(2) A child shall be authorized to only one provider in a week; unless an exemption is met as set forth in paragraph (D)(3) of this rule.

(3) The county agency may grant an additional part-time or hourly authorization in a week if the family provides documentation showing it meets one of the following exemption criteria:

(1)(a) The child needs additional care during non-traditional hours.

(2)(b) The child needs to change providers in the middle of the week and the hours of care provided by the providers do not overlap.

(3)(c) The child's provider is closed on scheduled school days off or on calamity days and the child needs care for those days.

(4)(d) The child is enrolled in a part-time program participating in step up to quality (SUTQ) and needs care from an additional provider.

(E) If the caretaker is eligible for full-time care, but the school-age child is only authorized for part-time care because of time spent at school during the school year, this authorization may be used for full-time care for weeks that include additional hours of care on days the child's school is not scheduled to be in session during the school year.

(F) If the caretaker is eligible for part-time care, but the school-age child is only authorized for hourly care because of time spent at school during the school year, this authorization may be used for part-time care for weeks that include additional hours of care on days the child's school is not scheduled to be in session during the

school year.

(G)(E) Authorizations not utilized for thirty-one consecutive days shall be ended.

(H)(F) A caretaker shall use the child care electronic swipe card upon entry to and exit from the provider's location. Use of the swipe card will automatically track attendance for each child at each authorized provider.

(I)(G) If a swipe card is lost or stolen, a caretaker shall request a replacement swipe card within seven business days from the date of the last swipe.

(J)(H) An eligible caretaker or the caretaker's designee are the only people permitted by the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) to use the swipe card to record a child's attendance. The personal identification number (PIN) created by the caretaker serves as the caretaker's electronic signature. The caretaker's designee shall not be the provider nor a person acting in any capacity for the provider. Misuse of the child care electronic swipe card may result in termination of a caretaker's eligibility.

(K)(I) A child can receive care only from a provider who has a provider agreement with the ODJFS and who has been authorized by the county agency to provide care for the child.

(L)(J) The caretaker shall make all assigned copayments to the provider.

(M)(K) A caretaker shall not receive publicly funded child care from a provider who resides in the same household as the child and caretaker.

(N)(L) If the caretaker is the owner or an owner's representative of a licensed child care center or type A home, the caretaker's children shall not be authorized to that center or type A home.

(O)(M) If the caretaker is the employee of a licensed type A home or licensed type B home the caretaker's children shall not be authorized to that licensed type A or type B home.

(P)(N) If the caretaker is the provider or provider's assistant in a licensed type B home, the caretaker's children shall not be authorized to that licensed type B home.

(Q)(O) A caretaker receiving child care benefits shall report to the county agency any changes which affect the caretaker's eligibility for child care benefits, including the name  of  the  provider  the  caretaker  has  chosen,  family  income,  employment,

participation   in   program   of   education   or   training,   household   composition, relocation to another county or if a school-age child changes schools.

(1)   The caretaker shall request any change that impacts their current authorization or authorization category prior to or within the service week that the new authorization is needed.

(2)    The caretaker shall report changes within ten calendar days of the date the change occurs.

(3)    If the caretaker fails to comply with the ten-day reporting requirement, the county agency will pursue a determination of and recovery of any overpayment.

(R)(P) A caretaker shall notify the county agency if a child needs to be authorized to a new provider.

(S)(Q) A caretaker shall complete a redetermination application and provide all required supporting documentation to the county agency annually by the end of the current eligibility period.

Effective:                                                             06/26/2016

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates:                         05/01/2019

CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Certification

06/16/2016

Date

Promulgated Under:                           119.03

Statutory Authority:                           5104.34, 5104.38

Rule Amplifies:                                  5104.01, 5104.32, 5104.34, 5104.38

Prior Effective Dates:                         7/29/91, 11/1/91 (Emer), 1/20/92, 1/1/94, 1/2/96

(Emer), 3/1/96, 10/1/97 (Emer), 12/30/97, 1/1/99, 2/14/02, 4/1/03, 7/1/05 (Emer), 9/16/05, 2/1/07,

2/1/08, 7/1/09, 3/28/10, 5/1/11, 08/28/11, 5/4/14,

9/4/14, 2/22/15, 9/28/15