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Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Policy Manual

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Policy Manual


10.6.10 Redetermination Processing - Reinstatement

ISSUE DATE: 10/2025

Families have 30 calendar days after their case closes to submit the redetermination form and all required eligibility verifications. When the 30th calendar day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the 30-day time period is extended to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday. If the family meets all eligibility requirements, approve child care assistance back to the date the case closed.

If any of the required eligibility verifications or the redetermination form itself is not received within 30 calendar days after the case closes, the case must remain closed. If the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program Redetermination Form (DHS-5274-ENG) (PDF) is submitted after the 30-day reinstatement period, it cannot be used as a new application for child care assistance. The family must submit the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program Application (DHS-3550), the Combined Application – Child Care Addendum DHS-5223D (PDF) (if applicable) or an online application through MNbenefits (mnbenefits.mn.gov) to reapply for child care assistance. See Chapter 3.6 (Accepting Applications) for policies on processing a new application.

Income

If a complete redetermination form and all required verifications are received within 30 calendar days after the case closes the:

  • · Family’s income must be at or below the exit level of 67 percent of State Median Income. See Chapter 6.3 (Income Limits).
  • · Family’s income does not need to meet the 47 percent of State Median Income applicant income level. See Chapter 6.3 (Income Limits).

    • Copay changes

    Information verified at redetermination received within 30 calendar days after case closes may change the family’s copay.

  • · A copay decrease is effective the biweekly period after the redetermination is processed.
  • · A copay increase requires a 15-day notice from the day the redetermination is processed. You must ensure the family’s copay does not increase during the 12-month eligibility period. The copay increase is effective the biweekly period after the 15-day notice. The time period with the lower copay is not an overpayment unless the family failed to report a change timely.

    • Authorized hours changes

    Information verified at redetermination received within 30 calendar days after case closes may change the number of hours authorized for a child.

  • · An increase in the number of hours authorized is effective the biweekly period after the redetermination is processed. Authorized hours may also be increased for biweekly periods prior to the date the redetermination was processed if the child qualifies for more hours.
  • · A decrease in the number of hours authorized requires a 15-day notice. Give 15-day notice from the day the redetermination is processed. The decrease in the number of hours authorized is effective the biweekly period after the 15-day notice. The time period with the higher authorized hours is not an overpayment unless the family failed to report a change timely. Caseworkers should reference the MEC² User Manual > Service Authorizations > Decrease in Authorized Hours of Care Requires a 15-Day Notice to correctly reduce authorized hours with a 15-day notice.

    • Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) waiting list

    If a complete redetermination form and all required verifications are received within 30 calendar days after the case closes, the family is not subject to the Basic Sliding Fee waiting list.

    Some families receive child care assistance while on the Basic Sliding Fee waiting list. If a complete redetermination form and all required verifications are received within 30 calendar days after the case closes:

  • · Minnesota Family Investment Program/Diversionary Work Program (MFIP/DWP) Child Care for Student Parents child care can be approved back to the date the case closed. The family remains on the waiting list.
  • · Transition Year (TY) child care can be approved back to the date the case closed. The family remains on the waiting list.
  • · Transition Year Extension (TYE) child care can be approved back to the date the case closed. The family remains on the waiting list.
  • · Portability Pool (PP) child care can be approved back to the date the case closed. The family remains on the waiting list.

    • Eligibility

    The family must meet all eligibility requirements to have their case reinstated. If the family does not meet all eligibility requirements the case must remain closed.

    A family may meet all eligibility requirements for part, but not all, of the time between the case closing for no redetermination and when the worker processes the redetermination. If the family met all eligibility requirements for part of the time:

  • · If all eligibility requirements are met for a period of time directly after the case closed, but are not met at a later date, reinstate the case.
  • · If all eligibility requirements are not met for the time period directly after the case closed, the case remains closed.

    • Suspended and temporary ineligible cases

    If a complete redetermination form and all required verifications are received within 30 calendar days after a suspended case closed for no redetermination, reinstate the case back to the date the case closed, as long as the family has not exceeded the one-year time limit for suspension.

    If a complete redetermination form and all required verifications are received within 30 calendar days after a temporary ineligible case closed for no redetermination, reinstate the case back to the date the case closed, as long as the family has not exceeded the time limit for temporary ineligibility.

    Schedule verification or in-home child care request

    If schedule verifications or an in-home child care request are missing but all other required information has been returned within 30 calendar days after the case closes, reinstate the case. If the Service Authorization(s) were closed due to incomplete redetermination and the case is being reinstated, end the Service Authorization using the reason code “care no longer authorized” using the date the redetermination is processed as the end date and approve the Service Authorization to end allowing for a new 15-day notice.

    Suspend the family’s case for a period of up to one year. See Chapter 8.9 (Suspending).

    Child care can be authorized when the schedule verifications are submitted or the in-home child care request is approved by DHS. Child care can be authorized retroactively back to the date care ended or three months prior to the date the Service Authorization is issued, whichever is later (assuming that the schedule provided applies to the time period when care ended). If a provider provided care for a time period without receiving a Service Authorization and a billing form for an eligible family, care can be authorized retroactively for a maximum of three months from the date the provider is issued a Service Authorization and billing form. See Chapter 9.1 (Child care authorization).

    Child Support cooperation

    Families who are not cooperating with Child Support enforcement at the time of their redetermination will have their case closed for failure to complete redetermination. See Chapter 4.9.12 (Child Support Cooperation at Redetermination). If a family begins cooperating with Child Support enforcement within the 30-day reinstatement period, reinstate the case back to the date the case closed if all other redetermination eligibility factors are met.

    Inappropriate reinstatement

    Do not reinstate eligibility if the redetermination form and/or required verifications are received after the last day of the 30-calendar-day reinstatement period. Require the family to complete a new application.

    An inappropriate reinstatement occurs if:

  • · Eligibility is reinstated when the completed redetermination form and/or required eligibility verifications were received after the last day of the 30-calendar day reinstatement period.
  • · Eligibility is reinstated but the family did not meet eligibility requirements at redetermination.

    • If it is discovered that an inappropriate reinstatement occurred at the time eligibility is reinstated and the family is actually ineligible at redetermination, the system will not generate ineligible results in the redetermination biweekly period, even if changes are entered in the redetermination biweekly period. Contact your policy specialist if an inappropriate reinstatement occurred and the family is actually ineligible but the redetermination was reinstated and approved as eligible.

    If a case was inappropriately reinstated, determine if an overpayment occurred. See Chapter 14.1 (Assessing Overpayments) to determine when to assess an overpayment and Chapter 14.6 (Amount of Overpayment) to determine the amount of the overpayment.

    Legal authority

    Minnesota Statutes 142E.03, subd. 3
    Minnesota Statutes 142E.10, subd. 1 & 7
    Minnesota Statutes 142E.17, subd. 9
    Minnesota Rules 3400.0170
    Minnesota Rules 3400.0180

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