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Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Policy Manual

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Policy Manual


7.3 Verification - Initial Application

ISSUE DATE: 10/2025

Verify the following eligibility requirements at initial child care applications:

  • · Identity of all members of the CCAP family.
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to a driver’s license, state ID card, passport, school ID card, birth certificate, or Tribal document.
  • · Presence of the minor child in the home, if questionable.
  • · Relationship of minor child(ren) to the parent, stepparent, legal guardian, eligible relative caretaker, relative custodian, successor custodian or successor guardian, or foster parent and the spouses of any of these listed persons.
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to a birth certificate, birth record, adoption record, legal guardianship statement, baptismal record, hospital record, recognition of parentage (ROP), tax records, Tribal document, marriage certificate (to verify stepparent relationship), PRISM CAST screen, court order, INS documentation, Northstar Kinship Assistance benefit agreement, foster care placement records, court order accepting a transfer of permanent legal and physical custody (TPLPC).
  • · If paternity has not been established, get a signed statement from the client attesting to the correctness of the information and require the family to cooperate with child support. See Chapter 4.9 (Cooperation with Child Support).
  • · Age of the child(ren) in the family.
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to a permanent resident card, birth certificate, divorce decree, doctor statement, driver’s license or state ID, religious record (e.g. baptismal record), school or immunization record, hospital record, INS documentation or passport.
  • · Citizenship or immigration status for at least one child or verification that at least one child is attending care in a setting subject to public education standards.
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to a birth certificate, permanent resident card, passport, or visa.
  • · Age of the applicant if he or she is under 21.
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to driver’s license, birth certificate, baptismal record, school or immunization record, or passport.
  • · Social security number, if provided.
  • · Social security numbers must be requested for all applicants. The applicant must be given the Minnesota Department of Human Services Notice of Privacy Practices DHS-3979 (PDF) before the social security number is requested. The social security number is typically requested on the application, which includes DHS-3979.
  • · Social security numbers do not need to be requested for children, although they are often provided on the application.
  • · If a social security number is provided for the applicant(s) or children, the interface between MEC2 and the Social Security Administration will verify the social security number. See Chapter 7.24 (Verification – State Systems).
  • · A county or Tribe must NOT deny child care assistance due to not providing a social security number.
  • · Income, if counted, and income deductions. See Chapter 7.9 (Income Verification) and Chapter 6.6 (Earned/Unearned Income) to determine what income sources are counted.
  • · For income deductions, send the family a verification request and allow until the end of the 30-day application period or (45 days with the consent of the applicant) for the verification to be returned. If the requested verification is not received, do not allow the expense as a deduction and process the application without the income deduction.
  • · Authorized activity of Parentally Responsible Individuals (PRIs). See Chapter 4.6 (CCAP Authorized Activities).
  • · Mental Health Diagnosis for a caregiver that receives an MFIP Child Only Grant and child care recommendation when requesting child care to support mental health. See Chapter 4.3.3.5 (Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families).
  • · School status of students of any age with earned income. If school status of the student is not verified, the student’s earned income must be counted. See Chapter 6.6.1 (Individuals with Exempt Earned Income).
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to: Case noted conversation with school, student-specific class schedule, client statement, or DHS Request for Verification of School Attendance/Progress DHS-2883 (PDF).
  • · Spousal support and child support payments made to persons outside the household.
  • · Residence.
  • · Verification includes, but is not limited to a driver’s license, state ID card, utility bill, mortgage document, current lease, any form of mail provided by the client (except mail addressed to a P.O. Box), or mail sent to the participant from the Department of Human Services or the CCAP agency.
  • · A forwarding address sticker received at the administering agency from the U.S. Postal Service cannot be used as verification of residence.
  • · For families in excluded time facilities verify the address or county of residence where the family lived prior to entering the excluded time facility. Have the family provide an address where they can receive mail while in the excluded time facility or receiving excluded time services. Note: mailing address does not require verification. See Chapter 4.24 (Moving Between Counties).
  • · Families that are homeless or without a fixed address are not required to provide a physical address. Verify the county that the family is physically residing in and have the family provide an address where they can receive mail. Verification includes but is not limited to a letter from a shelter, a letter from a friend, or a client statement.
  • · See Chapter 7.21 (Verification – Safe At Home Program) for information about address verification for families in the Safe At Home Program.
  • · Inconsistent information, if related to eligibility.

    • For families who may be eligible for the New Spouse Income policy, request verification of marriage date. If verification of the marriage date is not received, eligibility is not impacted but all countable earned and unearned income from both spouses is counted. See Chapter 6.6.3 (New Spouse Income Policy).

    For families requesting retroactive eligibility, request verification of all income during the retroactive period and confirm household meets the income limit at application.

    Requirements to authorize care if the family is determined eligible to receive CCAP:

  • · Employment and/or education status of adult family members including employment schedule and/or class schedule must be verified. See Chapter 7.27 (Schedule Verification – Employment and Education).
  • · School schedule information for every child who needs child care and attends school must be provided. See Chapter 7.30 (Schedule Information – Child’s School Schedule).
  • · Parenting time/Custody schedule information for any child that resides in multiple households.
  • See Chapter 7.32 (Parenting time/Custody Schedule Information).
  • · Citizenship and immigration status of all children for whom child care assistance is being sought.
  • · A child who is participating in child care in a setting subject to public educational standards, such as in Head Start or a pre-kindergarten or school-age care program operated under public educational standards, is exempt from this requirement. See Chapter 7.12 (Verifying Citizenship and Immigration Status).

    • For families requesting retroactive authorization, request verification of activity schedule during the retroactive period and if applicable, confirm the school schedule of every child who needs childcare during the retroactive period and attended school along with parenting time/custody schedule information for any child that resided in multiple households and needs care during retroactive period.

    Legal authority

    Minnesota Statutes 142E.03
    Minnesota Statutes 142E.11
    Minnesota Rules 3400.0040

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