Authorization must continue at the same number of hours or more hours until redetermination. Overpayments are not assessed if the parents chose to use their hours during times when they were not scheduled to be in their authorized activity.

Maintain steady authorizations

Authorization continues at the same number of hours or more hours, including when:

· The other parent moves in and is working, in school or has an approved Employment Plan.

· The other parent moves in and is not in an activity. See Chapter 9.15.6 (Extended Eligibility).

· A parent no longer meets minimum activity requirements but is still working.

· Employment Plan activity hours decrease.

· The three-month period ends for a family experiencing homelessness.

· A parent temporarily stops working or attending an approved education program. Temporary changes include circumstances such as medical leave, inpatient or outpatient treatment, maternity or paternity leave, seasonal employment fluctuations, or a school break between semesters. See Chapter 9.15.3 (Care During Temporary Breaks from Authorized Activities).

Increasing authorized hours

Increase the amount of child care authorized at any time if the participant verifies the need for increased hours.

If Employment Plan activity hours increase, increase authorized hours when:

· The job counselor informs the CCAP worker that additional days and times of child care are needed,

OR

· The family submits verification of their activity schedule showing a need for more hours than currently authorized.

Reducing authorized hours

The CCAP agency may reduce the amount of child care authorized only when:

· A parent requests a reduction

· The child’s school schedule changes, including when a child starts school

· The provider cannot provide the amount of care authorized

· The custody schedule changes

· The child’s secondary provider is authorized for more than 20 hours per biweekly period

· The incorrect number of hours were authorized at application or redetermination in error

· The child is temporarily absent.

Note: If a family requests a reduction in authorized hours and then at a future date during the same 12-month eligibility period requests hours to increase, authorize up to the amount the family qualified for at application, redetermination, or last verified activity schedule, whichever is later. During the 12-month eligibility period re-verifying, the activity schedule is not required to increase authorized hours back up to the amount the family previously qualified for. See Chapter 7.4 (Verification - 12-Month Eligibility Period).

Authorizing care with a new provider

Generally, the number of authorized hours remains the same when care is authorized with a new provider. If there is a verified need for an increase in authorized hours, the increase can begin on the new provider’s Service Authorization start date. If a decrease in authorized hours is needed based on one of the factors above that allow for a reduction in authorization, the decrease can begin on the new provider’s Service Authorization start date; a 15-day notice is not required with the new provider since care was not previously authorized with them. See Chapter 9.1.10 (Authorizing Care – Switching Providers and Back-Up Providers).

Authorizing care for new children

If new children join the CCAP household during the 12-month eligibility period and the family provides verification of the child’s identity, birthdate, relationship, and citizenship or immigration status, care should be authorized at the same level as other children in the household even if changes have occurred since the family’s initial authorization. The family’s work schedule does not need to be re-verified to authorize care for additional children during the 12-month eligibility period.

Child turns 13 or a child with a documented disability turns 15

When a child currently authorized for CCAP turns age 13 or when a child currently authorized for CCAP with a documented disability turns age 15, end the child’s Service Authorization on the child’s birthdate. The child remains eligible for CCAP until the family’s next redetermination. Because of how age is calculated in MEC2, the system may not recognize that a child has turned age 13 or 15 until the next biweekly period. If care is still needed after the child turns age 13 or 15, see Chapter 8.1.21 (Other Changes).

Support for Mental Health during the 12-Month Eligibility Period

Mental Health Support approved at application or redetermination

A caregiver that receives an MFIP Child Only grant with a verified mental health diagnosis is eligible for child care for children under age seven to support mental health through the 12-month eligibility period. Do not take action to end the mental health diagnosis during the 12-month eligibility period.

When a child turns seven during the 12-month eligibility period, eligibility and authorization continues until redetermination. Do not take action to end the Service Authorization during the 12-month eligibility period.

Mental Health Support approved during the 12-month eligibility period

An MFIP child only family can start receiving CCAP to support a caregiver’s mental health during the 12-month eligibility period if all requirements are met. The impact on Service Authorizations varies based on the child’s age.

· If the caregiver has a verified mental health diagnosis and no other employment activity and/or approved education activity, the prior approved Service Authorization remains open for all children and cannot decrease during the remainder of the 12-month eligibility period.

· If the caregiver has a verified mental health diagnosis and has an employment activity and/or approved education activity, the prior approved Service Authorization remains open for all children and cannot decrease during the remainder of the 12-month eligibility period. However, the Service Authorization for children under age seven can increase to support the activity plus 20 hours for mental health support.

Example:

A family that includes a PRI, one child age five and one child age 10 receives MFIP for all family members and is active on MFIP child care to support the PRI’s authorized activities within an Employment Plan for 30 hours per week. Care is authorized for 60 hours biweekly.

During the 12-month eligibility period the PRI starts to receive SSI and is removed from the MFIP grant. The family now becomes an MFIP child only family. The Employment Plan ends due to the PRI being removed from the MFIP grant and parent submits verification of a mental health diagnosis and child care recommendation and requests child care to support their mental health.

The family remains eligible for the MFIP child care subprogram. Authorizations approved for both children ages five and 10 continue at 60 hours biweekly until redetermination. At redetermination the Service Authorization for the five-year-old child will decrease to 40 hours bi-weekly allowing for a 15-day notice. The Service Authorization will end for the 10-year-old child because the child exceeds the age limit for CCAP Mental Health Support.

See Chapter 4.3.3.5 (Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families) and Chapter 9.1.17 (Authorizing Care – Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families).

Eligibility and verification impacts

See Chapter 7.4 (Verification – 12-Month Eligibility Period) for verification requirements and Chapter 8.1.9 (Changes in Activity) for eligibility impacts.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statutes 142E.10, subd. 1
Minnesota Statutes 142E.11