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9.15.6 Extended Eligibility

ISSUE DATE: 10/2026

Permanent end to activity

When a parent has a permanent end to their only authorized activity (for all activities besides job search outside of an Employment Plan), the family continues to be eligible for up to three months or until their next redetermination, whichever occurs first.

Extended Eligibility applies in all these situations:

· A parent’s employment or education activity ends permanently.

· An MFIP participant has a permanent end to employment, education or other activity in an Employment Plan, and, after consulting with the job counselor, it is determined the parent is not participating in another activity.

· An MFIP participant is sanctioned for not participating in all Employment Plan activities and is not participating in authorized activities outside of an Employment Plan.

· An MFIP participant moves to a new county and by the end of the Unitary Residency period a new Employment Plan has not been approved and the participant does not have authorized activities outside of an Employment Plan.

· A parent’s MFIP ends and the parent is not in an employment, education or training activity outside of an Employment Plan.

· A parent’s MFIP ends and the parent’s participation in an activity is unknown.

· A parent receiving assistance under MFIP Child Care for Student Parents stops attending school.

· A parent receiving Basic Sliding Fee, Transition Year or Transition Year Extension child care applies for MFIP and is not in an authorized activity or their participation in an activity is unknown.

· Another parent moves into the household and is not in an authorized activity.

· A parent’s unable to care status has expired in a two-parent household.

During the Extended Eligibility period, the family does not lose eligibility or have Service Authorizations suspended because the parent is not participating in authorized activities.

Note: other reasons a family’s case may be suspended or terminated continue to apply. See Chapter 8.9 (Suspending) and Chapter 8.15 (Termination).

Requirements at the end of a family’s Extended Eligibility

At the end of the Extended Eligibility period, the parent must be participating in an authorized activity for eligibility to continue:

· If the activity is employment, the parent does not have to meet minimum work requirements until redetermination.

· If the activity is education outside of an Employment Plan, the parent must meet the education criteria in the agency’s county and tribal child care fund plan.

· If the parent is receiving MFIP child care, the parent must be participating in an authorized activity within an Employment Plan (see Chapter 4.6.3 (Authorized Activities Within An Employment Plan)) or an authorized activity outside an Employment Plan (see Chapter 4.6.6 (Authorized Activities Outside An Employment Plan)).

· If the parent is not participating in an authorized activity at the end of Extended Eligibility, the agency can approve the case to close or place the case on Temporary Ineligible (TI) status. See Chapter 8.6 (Temporary Ineligibility).

· A parent in a two-parent household on Extended Eligibility due to unable to care status that expired either needs to re-verify unable to care status or be in an authorized activity by the end of Extended Eligibility period.

Extended Eligibility at application or redetermination

A parent that met eligibility requirements at application or redetermination and had a permanent activity end after the application or redetermination date is eligible for Extended Eligibility when their authorized activity ended.

Workers must take the following steps in MEC2 to put the parent into Extended Eligibility at application or redetermination:

· Approve the application or redetermination with the activity/activities without an end date

· Once the case is approved eligible, go back to the earliest period that you want to end the activity

· Go into the Activity (Employment, Education, or Support Activity) that you want to end

· Click Edit to put into edit mode and enter an end date

· Click save. Extended Eligibility will populate with begin date and expires date three months out.

An MFIP or Transition Year family requesting retroactive care would not be eligible for Extended Eligibility if the parent’s activity ended before the child care assistance application date.

Authorization and payments during Extended Eligibility

During the Extended Eligibility period, do not reduce the number of hours authorized unless the family asks for a reduction. If care was authorized at application or redetermination at lesser hours based on parent request and later requests additional hours during the Extended Eligibility period, the hours can be increased up to the authorized hours determined at the last application, redetermination, or verified change in activity schedule (during 12-month eligibility) that resulted in an increase in authorized hours. Continue to pay for child care during the Extended Eligibility period. Give a 15-day adverse action notice before terminating care at the end of the Extended Eligibility period.

Example:

Authorized hours were determined for up to 40 hours per week, 80 hours bi-weekly based on the work schedule verified at redetermination. The Service Authorization was approved for 20 hours a week for after school care based on child care needs during the school year. Mom reported a permanent end to employment and was placed on Extended Eligibility during the summer months. Children started attending the provider up to 8 hours per day during summer break when school was out and mom was looking for new employment. The authorized hours can increase from 20 hours per week to 40 hours per week up to 80 hours bi-weekly during the Extended Eligibility period because child care needs changed and the family was eligible for up to 40 hours per week, 80 hours bi-weekly based on the verified activity schedule at redetermination.

New activity reported

If a parent reports that they have started a new activity prior to the end of their Extended Eligibility period, the family continues to be eligible (under the 12-month eligibility policies) and the case moves out of Extended Eligibility.

· Verification of the new activity is not required to move out of Extended Eligibility. See Chapter 7.4 (Verification - 12-Month Eligibility Period). This also applies when a family is put on Temporary Ineligible status at the end of Extended Eligibility period. The family can move from Temporary Ineligible status to Eligible without new activity verification during the 12-month eligibility period. See Chapter 8.6 (Temporary Ineligibility).

· Employment activities that do not meet minimum work requirements are allowed through the end of the family’s 12-month eligibility period. Do not close CCAP for not meeting minimum work requirements until redetermination. Do not reduce authorized hours. This also applies when a family is put on Temporary Ineligible status at the end of Extended Eligibility period. The family can move from Temporary Ineligible status to Eligible without needing to meet minimum work requirements during the 12-month eligibility period. See Chapter 8.6 (Temporary Ineligibility).

· Educational activities outside of an Employment Plan must be approved before the case moves out of Extended Eligibility. Keep the family on Extended Eligibility until their education plan is approved.

If a case closes due to Extended Eligibility ending, see Chapter 12.3.12 (Termination Notices – Family). Care can be authorized and paid retroactively to the date Extended Eligibility ended if:

· The parent started a new activity before Extended Eligibility ended,

· The family reported the new activity within 90 days after the case closed,

AND

· The family met all eligibility requirements for the time-period after the case closed.

Permanent versus temporary ends in activity

If a parent reports an end in their activity, consider the end permanent unless the family reports the end is temporary. For more on temporary changes in activity, see Chapter 9.12 (Authorization Changes During the 12- Month Eligibility Period) and Chapter 9.15.3 (Care During Temporary Leaves of Absence).

If a parent experiences an end in activity that they believe is temporary and later understand to be permanent, they must report the change. Begin the family’s Extended Eligibility period the date the family indicates the change became permanent.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statute 142E.03
Minnesota Statute 142E.13
Minnesota Rules 3400.0020, subp. 20a
Minnesota Rules 3400.0175

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Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Policy Manual