SR 09-14 Dated 06/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

 

DFA SIGNATURE DATE:

May 22, 2009

DCYF SIGNATURE DATE:

June 25, 2009

FROM:

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA Terry R. Smith

FROM:

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DCYF Maggie Bishop

AT (OFFICE):

Division of Family Assistance

AT (OFFICE):

Division for Children, Youth, and Families

TO:

DFA Supervisors

NHEP Teams

 

SUBJECT:

New Child Care Gross Income Levels, "Steps" 4-7, and Redesign of Existing Child Care Steps 1-3; Change in Child Care Scholarship Eligibility Guidelines for Families with Income Less Than or Equal to 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG); Annual Federal Poverty Guidelines Increase to Income Eligibility Levels for Child Care Steps 1 through 7

EFFECTIVE DATE:

June 29, 2009

 

SUMMARY

 

This SR releases the following policy changes associated with child care assistance:

 

§   the Department will now administer child care scholarships for families whose income exceeds 190% but is less than or equal to 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Previously, Southern New Hampshire Services (SNHS) had been contracted to process child care scholarship eligibility for families with income higher than 190% of the FPG, but less than or equal to 250% of the FPG;

§   the addition of four new gross income eligibility levels, Steps 4-7;

§   the redesign of the previously existing gross income eligibility levels, Steps 1-3, including the new provision that family income and household size are now the only factors that are used to determine income eligibility for child care assistance, even at Step 1; and

§   the annual increase to the gross income eligibility Steps 1-7 based on the 2009 FPG.

 

FORMER POLICY

NEW POLICY

RSA 126-A:5, XV created child care scholarship assistance for families with gross income greater than 190% but less than or equal to 250% of the FPG. Since 2004, SNHS has been contracted to provide these scholarships to higher income families.

DHHS will now administer child care scholarship eligibility for families with gross incomes greater than 190% but less than or equal to 250% of the FPG - new Steps 6 & 7. Family Services Specialists (FSS) will no longer need to refer higher income families to SNHS.

Formerly, there were 3 Child Care gross income "Steps" that the Department used to determine income eligibility for assistance:

§   Step 1: income was <100% of the FPG. This Step was automatically provided to FANF cash recipients, NHEP-related MA recipients, and certain 12-Month EMA recipients.

§   Step 2: income was greater than 100% and less than or equal to 140% of the FPG.

§   Step 3: income was greater than 140% and less than or equal to 190% of the FPG.

Now there are 7 Child Care gross income Steps the Department uses to determine income eligibility for child care assistance:

§   Step 1: income is <100% of the FPG.

NOTE: Family income and household size are now the only factors that are used to determine income eligibility for child care assistance, even at Step 1.

§   Step 2: income is greater than 100% but less than or equal to 120% of the FPG.

§   Step 3: income is greater than 120% but less than or equal to 140% of the FPG.

§   Step 4: income is greater than 140% but less than or equal to 160% of the FPG.

§   Step 5: income is greater than 160% but less than or equal to 190% of the FPG.

§   Step 6: income is greater than 190% but less than or equal to 220% of the FPG.

§   Step 7: income is greater than 220% but less than or equal to 250% of the FPG.

 

POLICY

 

Families are income eligible for child care assistance if their gross income is less than or equal to 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Family income and household size are now the only factors that are used to determine income eligibility for child care assistance, even at Step 1. Additionally, the child care income eligibility Steps have been expanded from 3 steps to 7 Steps.

 

The gross income limits determining income eligibility for child care assistance are updated annually in July to reflect the current year’s FPG. The increases noted in the charts below are based on the 2009 FPG that was published in the Federal Register on January 23, 2009.

 

Family Size

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

 

< 100% of FPG

< 120% of FPG

< 140% of FPG

< 160% of FPG

 

Monthly

Yearly

Monthly

Yearly

Monthly

Yearly

Monthly

Yearly

        

1

$903

$10,830

$1,083

$12,996

$1,264

$15,162

$1,444

$17,328

        

2

$1,215

$14,570

$1,457

$17,484

$1,700

$20,398

$1,943

$23,312

        

3

$1,526

$18,310

$1,831

$21,972

$2,137

$25,634

$2,442

$29,296

        

4

$1,838

$22,050

$2,205

$26,460

$2,573

$30,870

$2,940

$35,280

        

5

$2,150

$25,790

$2,579

$30,948

$3,009

$36,106

$3,439

$41,264

        

6

$2,461

$29,530

$2,953

$35,436

$3,446

$41,342

$3,938

$47,248

        

7

$2,773

$33,270

$3,327

$39,924

$3,882

$46,578

$4,436

$53,232

        

8

$3,085

$37,010

$3,701

$44,412

$4,318

$51,814

$4,935

$59,216

        

 

Family Size

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

 

< 190% of FPG

< 220% of FPG

< 250% of FPG

 

Monthly

Yearly

Monthly

Yearly

Monthly

Yearly

1

$1,715

$20,577

$1,986

$23,826

$2,257

$27,075

2

$2,307

$27,683

$2,672

$32,054

$3,036

$36,425

3

$2,900

$34,789

$3,357

$40,282

$3,815

$45,775

4

$3,492

$41,895

$4,043

$48,510

$4,594

$55,125

5

$4,084

$49,001

$4,729

$56,738

$5,373

$64,475

6

$4,676

$56,107

$5,414

$64,966

$6,153

$73,825

7

$5,268

$63,213

$6,100

$73,194

$6,932

$83,175

8

$5,860

$70,319

$6,786

$81,422

$7,711

$92,525

 

NEW HEIGHTS PROCEDURES

 

New HEIGHTS and Bridges will automatically determine income eligibility for child care assistance for families with gross income less than or equal to 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Additionally, on June 29, 2009, New HEIGHTS will recompute child care Step levels for open child care cases that are currently eligible for previously existing Steps 1, 2 or 3. All currently open cases that experience a change in their Step Level will receive a Notice of Decision indicating their newly computed Step.

 

DISTRICT OFFICE PROCEDURES

 

Families with income between 190% and 250% of FPG currently receiving child care assistance via SNHS, will be contacted by SNHS to alert them that SNHS no longer manages their child care assistance. Because these families are not currently active clients through a program that DFA is offering, these families have to now apply for child care assistance through DFA. A Form 800, Application for Assistance, will be included with the letter SNHS sends to these families, along with other needed eligibility forms and verification information. When the application is returned to the District Office, process immediately to assist families in maintaining their child care assistance. The Form 800 enclosed with the letter has been printed on neon orange paper to alert FSS that the application is associated with this SNHS mailing and requires immediate attention.

 

Families may apply for other programs of assistance, in addition to child care, on the returned application. Act on all assistance requested per current policy.

 

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

 

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

 

PART 803 NOTIFICATIONS AT APPLICATION

PART 915 NH CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM CRITERIA

PART 935 NH CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP GROSS MONTHLY INCOME LIMITS

PART 945 PAYMENT FOR CONTRACT AGENCY SERVICES

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The changes identified in this SR will be implemented after the daily run of June 29, 2009 and before the daily run of July 1, 2009 for current cases, and will apply to any new cases processed on or after July 1, 2009. All normal output will be produced for this run.

 

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

 

Clients will be advised of the new child care income limits at application or redeterminations on or after June 29, 2009. Additionally, all open child care cases that experience a change in their Step Level will receive a NOD informing them of their newly computed child care Step.

 

All new and re-enrolling providers will receive notification from the Child Development Bureau regarding the new income eligibility levels. The parent cost share ranges (formerly referred to as Co-Pay) will be released in SR 09-17. Additionally, the Child Care Resource & Referral agencies will distribute the new rates and parent cost share ranges when requested.

 

Additionally, on June 12, 2009, SNHS will send a letter to families with gross monthly incomes greater than190% but less than or equal to 250% of the FPG, who are receiving child care assistance under SNHS administration. The letter informs families that:

 

§   SNHS will no longer be providing child care assistance as of 7/1/09;

§   DHHS DFA is now administering this portion of the child care assistance program; and

§   families must complete an application and submit the application and required eligibility information to DFA as soon as possible if child care assistance is still desired.

 

Because these families are not currently active clients through a program that DFA is offering, these families have to now apply for child care assistance through DFA. A Form 800, Application for Assistance, will be included with the letter SNHS sends to these families, along with other needed eligibility forms and verification information. The Form 800 enclosed with the letter has been printed on neon orange paper to alert FSS that the application is associated with this SNHS mailing and requires immediate attention. Families may apply for other programs of assistance, in addition to child care, on the returned application.

 

TRAINING

 

A remote training for all FSS and NHEP staff is planned for the week of June 22nd. The Child Development Bureau is providing in-person and on-line seminar trainings for child care providers. Providers will also receive new billing and payment handbooks.

 

DISPOSITION

 

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line Manuals.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manual, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective August 3, 2009. Additionally, this SR, and printed page with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Family Assistance Manual.

 

DFA/DM:KD