SR 10-29 Dated 08/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

DFA SIGNATURE DATE:	September 2, 2010
DCYF SIGNATURE DATE:	August 31, 2010
FROM:	OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA Terry R. Smith OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DCYF Maggie Bishop
AT (OFFICE):	Division of Family Assistance Division for Children, Youth, and Families
TO:	DFA Supervisors NHEP Teams
SUBJECT:	Cost Share Calculated Per Family: Wait List Good Cause Reason to Include Military Deployment of a Single Parent and Job Search Service Level Limit
RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE:	August 19, 2010
RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR COST SHARE:	July 19, 2010

?�*� This SR releases the following changes to the Child Care Scholarship Program: The Child Care Cost Share will be determined "Per Family" and divided equally among the children and not at the child level;

� When a single parent notifies the FSS of military orders or deployment out-of-state for greater than 30 days, the FSS must close the child care case and reopen child care for the legal guardian, if they are determined eligible. The FSS must send an email request to CDB to have the child(ren) released from the wait list.

When the single parent returns and reapplies for child care and is found eligible, the FSS must reopen child care for the single parent and close the child care case for the legal guardian. The FSS must send an email request to CDB to have the child(ren) released from the wait list; and

� Families not receiving FANF but are receiving CCDF scholarship that have an unemployed parent or legal guardian cannot exceed a service level of half time, 30 hours per week.

FORMER POLICY	NEW POLICY
Children determined eligible for child care scholarship were assigned a cost share based on the family's monthly gross income and family size. The cost share was assigned per child. For example: The cost share for Family # 1 with two children was $50.00 per child. If only one child was eligible, then the family paid $50 for that child. If both children were eligible, then the family paid a total of $100 ($50 per child).	Children determined eligible for child care scholarship are assigned a cost share based on the family's monthly gross income and family size. The cost share is assigned per family and then divided equally among the eligible children in the case. For example: The cost share for Family #1 with two children is $50.00. If only one child is eligible, the family pays a total of $50.00. If both children are eligible, then the family pays a total of $50.00 ($25.00 per child).
Recipients who are out of NH for more than 30 days would have their child care case closed and if they reapplied for child care scholarship, they would be placed on the wait list.	When a single parent notifies the FSS that they will be placed on orders or deployed for military service out-of-state for a period greater than 30 days, all child(ren) of the parent who is eligible and receiving child care will not be subject to the wait list if: � In his/her absence a legal guardian is appointed for the child(ren); � The child care scholarship is closed under the single parent; and � The legal guardian applies and is found eligible to receive child care scholarship. When the single parent returns from deployment he/she must reapply to receive child care scholarship. If they are determined eligible the child(ren) will be placed on the wait list. The FSS must submit an email request to CDB to release the child(ren) from the wait list.
Recipients in Non FANF cases who have an unemployed parent, caretaker relative or legal guardian are allowed a maximum of 40 days of child care, at any service level, in a 6 month period to seek employment.	Recipients in Non FANF cases who have an unemployed parent, caretaker relative or legal guardian are allowed a maximum of 40 days of child care, not to exceed 30 hours per week, in any six-month period.

BACKGROUND

An additional $2.7 million was allocated to the Child Care Scholarship budget to alleviate the cost share issue for families with more than one child. As a result the cost share change became effective on July 19, 2010.

POLICY

1. The cost share is based on a percentage of the family's gross income and the percentage used is based on the Step by which the family is eligible for NH Child Care Scholarship.

The cost share will now be calculated as a "family cost share" divided equally between all the eligible children.

Example:

Family with two eligible children

Total Family Cost Share is $1.39

Each child's Cost Share is $0.70 (the $1.39 family cost share is divided by two eligible children)

2. When a case is open for child care and the single parent notifies the FSS that they are placed on orders or deployed for military service and will be out of NH for more than 30 days, the FSS must close the child care case. The FSS must inform the parent that the legal guardian must apply for child care. When the legal guardian applies for child care and is found eligible, the FSS must send an email request to CDB to have the child released from the wait list. If the legal guardian does not have their own children receiving child care scholarship, their income is not counted.

When the single parent returns from service out-of-state, the parent must reapply for child care and request that the child care case be closed under the legal guardian. When they are determined eligible and wait listed, the FSS must send an email request to CDB to have the child released from the wait list.

3. The service level must not exceed a half time service level of 30 hours per week to look for work. The current policy remains in effect for families who have an unemployed parent, caretaker relative or legal guardian that allows a maximum of 40 days of job search in any six-month period.

NEW HEIGHTS PROCEDURES

Beginning July 19, 2010, New HEIGHTS calculated the "Cost Share", divided equally between all eligible children. For weeks prior to July 19, 2010, the system will continue to calculate "Per Child Cost Share."

New HEIGHTS ran all open child care cases through a mass change on July 15 and 16, 2010. New HEIGHTS recalculated the cost share and applied it to each eligible child in the case.

The New HEIGHTS-generated AE0024, Change in Child Care Provider, was generated during the mass change and sent to all families and providers who have been affected by the changes.

New HEIGHTS is not programmed to prevent a full-time service level for Non-FANF cases where an adult is listed in a job search activity. Family Services Specialists must manually take the following actions on the "Child Care Service Level Details" tab found on the "Child Care Service Level" screen, for all Non-FANF cases where an adult is listed in a job search activity:

� New Applicants: Prior to determining eligibility, only select "Part-Time (0 - 15 hours)" or "Half-time (16 - 30 hours)" from the drop down box. Do not select "Full-Time (More than 30 hours);" and

� Recipients: At the time of redetermination, any recipient with the service level "Full-Time (More than 30 hours)" must be changed to either "Part-Time (0 -15 hours)" or "Half-time (16 - 30 hours)."

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

Section 903.01 NH Child Care Scholarship Wait List (FAM)

PART 923 ACTIVELY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT

PART 943 PAYMENT FOR NH CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDER SERVICES AND PROVIDER CO-PAY

Section 943.01 Cost Share and Provider Co-Pay

IMPLEMENTATION

Changes released in this SR are effective retroactively to August 19, 2010 except the Cost Share related policy, which became effective retroactively on July 19, 2010. Even though all policy released in this SR is retroactive, Family Services Specialists are not required to take any action to retroactively implement policies.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

On July 15 & 16, 2010 a mass change generated an AE0024 to all eligible child care clients and child care providers notifying them of the changes in the cost share.

TRAINING

No special training is planned.

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after the contents have been noted and the revised manual topics have been 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 September 27, 2010.

Additionally, CDB will distribute paper copies of this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Family Assistance Manuals.

CDB/DM:s