To be eligible for Transition Year Child Care, participants must meet all the following requirements:

· Have received MFIP for at least 3 of the 6 months prior to closing their cash assistance case.

· Be income eligible. See Child Care Assistance Program Manual 6.3 (Income Limits).

· Be engaged in 1 of the 2 following activities:

· Employment.

· Education or training.

If a participant is receiving MFIP child care when their MFIP benefits end:

· Transition Year Child Care begins the day after an MFIP case closes.

· A new child care assistance application is not necessary. The family automatically moves onto Transition Year Child Care.

· The participant will retain eligibility for Transition Year Child Care for up to 12 months after application – as long as the family continues to meet all eligibility requirements.

· If participants are not in an approved activity when the MFIP case closes, they receive Transition Year Child Care for up to 3 months under extended eligibility.

· To continue child care after the 3 months extended eligibility, the participant must be employed or pursuing education and training.

· Minimum hourly requirements for these activities will only apply at the child care assistance redetermination or application.

If a participant did not have or maintain eligibility on MFIP child care assistance before leaving 1 of those programs:

· The participant needs to submit a child care assistance application.

· The participant can apply anytime within the 12 months after MFIP closed.

· The participant must meet Transition Year eligibility requirements.

· Child care can be approved retroactively to the date of Transition Year eligibility requirements were met – up to a maximum of 6 months from the child care assistance program application date.

If families still need child care assistance after Transition Year Child Care ends:

If there is no waiting list for Basic Sliding Fee Child Care.	The family moves to the Basic Sliding Fee child care.
If there is a waiting list for Basic Sliding Fee Child Care.	The family moves to Transition Year Extension Child Care and their name is put on the waiting list as a Priority 2 family. For more information about priorities on the waiting list see the Child Care Assistance Program Policy Manual 4.3.12.9 (BSF Priorities).