Authorizing care to support mental health

Children under age seven

A caregiver who is eligible for CCAP Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families is eligible for up to 20 hours of child care per week for children under age seven. Travel time cannot be added to the 20 hours. Authorize no more than 40 hours in a biweekly period to support the caregiver’s mental health. Typically, 20 hours per week (40 hours biweekly) is authorized unless the parent requests fewer hours.

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

During the 12-month eligibility period, an informational Alert will be issued when a child receiving CCAP Mental Health Support turns seven: “Child is turning 7 years old. Child remains eligible until redetermination”. The alert will be issued the biweekly period before the child’s 7th birthday. It is recommended to send the family a memo informing them that the child’s eligibility and Service Authorization will end at Redetermination.

Children seven and older

Children seven and older are not eligible for the CCAP Mental Health Support policy. Do not authorize child care for mental health support for children seven and older unless care is needed to support the caregiver’s employment or approved education activity.

Authorizing care to support mental health and employment or education activities

Employment: A caregiver who has a verified mental health diagnosis and employment is eligible for child care to support the employment activities. There is no minimum work requirement for employment activities. See Chapter 9.1.1 (Authorizing Care - Employment) for information on how to determine authorized hours for employment.

Note: System functionality continues to apply minimum activity requirements for MFIP Child only families. On the Case Eligibility Results Activity page override the “Meets Required Hours” field to “Pass” for the employment activity that is failing the “meets required hours” test.

Education: A caregiver who has a verified mental health diagnosis and education activities is eligible for child care to support education activities that are included in an approved Education Plan. See Chapter 9.1.2 (Authorizing Care - Students).

Children under age seven

The family can receive up to 20 hours of care per week to support mental health and additional hours to support the caregiver’s participation in employment and/or approved education for children under age seven.

Children seven and older

Children seven and older are eligible to receive child care to support a caregiver’s participation in employment and/or approved education activities. Authorize care based on the verified activity schedules.

Note: On the Case Eligibility Results Person page override the “MFIP Child Only” field to “Pass” to make a child age seven or older eligible for care. The override is needed to create a Child’s Provider page to authorize child care for children ages seven and older to support the caregiver’s employment and/or approved education activities.

Authorizing care to support mental health in combination with job search activity

A caregiver who has a verified mental health diagnosis and is also participating in job search activities is only eligible for up to 20 hours of child care to support mental health. Job search outside of an employment plan can never be combined with any other activities. The mental health diagnosis is treated as an authorized activity in this scenario. Do not authorize care for job search. See Chapter 4.6.6.3 (Job Search at Application or Redetermination).

Authorizing care to support mental health and expedited child care for families experiencing homelessness

For expedited child care applications from MFIP child-only families:

· If mental health documentation is not provided and/or there is no child under age seven, the family is not eligible for MFIP child care. BSF eligibility is determined. Care is authorized at 30 hours per week based on expedited child care policies.

· If mental health documentation is provided and there is a child(ren) under age seven, the family is eligible for MFIP child care. Do not authorize care for children seven and older unless there is an employment and/or approved education activity. Care is authorized at 30 hours per week based on expedited child care policies for children under age seven. At the end of the three-month expedited child care period, care continues at 30 hours per week.

Authorization changes to support mental health during the 12-month eligibility period

Impacts to Service Authorizations during the 12-month eligibility period depend on when the family was approved for CCAP Mental Health Support and child’s age.

See Chapter 9.12 (Authorization Changes During the 12-Month Eligibility Period) for information on when authorized hours can change for children authorized for CCAP Mental Health Support during the 12-Month eligibility period.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statutes 142E.08, Subd. 1