COUNTY
CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PLAN
FOR THE PERIOD: State Fiscal Years 2008-2009
Date Originally Submitted:
Directions: Describe your county’s child care assistance program completely for each
question/box. Please be brief but include as much information as needed to give the
CDHS a full picture of your program. Answers may occupy more space than listed on this
template. Feel free to attach policies or documents as needed.
Throughout the plan period, amendments to the County Plan are to be reported using the
Amendments Log, page two of this document. County plan changes and amendment logs
should be sent electronically to the Child Care Specialist indicated on the cover letter.
Person Completing This Form: Main Contact For the Child Care Assistance Program
(If same, indicate) Name: Name:
Address: Address:
Phone: Phone:
Fax: Fax:
Email Address: Email Address:
Security CHATS Business Contact Person Contact Person
Contact Liaison Office with access to with access to
M15 * M60, M40 ** Name: Phone: User ID: Email:
* M15 is the screen that allows the "TANF switch" to be turned on.
** M40 is the screen where county's set their county rate ceilings and M60 is the screen where
counties request an auto-rate update to be performed.
Please ensure that only the appropriate people have access to these screens.
If additional space is needed, attach a list with access information and user ID.
Page 1 of 15 County:
COUNTY PLAN
FOR THE CHILD CARE ASSSITANCE PROGRAM
FOR THE PERIOD: State Fiscal Year 2008-2010
AMENDMENTS LOG
Colorado Child Care Assistance Program
Instructions:
1. The County will submit an amendment log each time a change is made in any of the service
areas outlined.
2. The County will complete the first three columns and send electronically to the State. Attach
any documentation necessary to show changes. Retain a copy of what was sent until it has
been returned approved.
3. The State will complete column 4 and return a copy to the County electronically after printing
a copy for the County file.
4. The County will print a copy with the approval for County records.
5. Subsequent amendments should be added on to the original electronic version to create an
on-going log of changes throughout the two-year contract period.
SECTION AMENDED EFFECTIVE/ PROPOSED DATE SUBMITTED TO DATE APPROVED BY
EFFECTIVE DATE CDHS CDHS
Page 2 of 15
County:
Area Application/ Colorado Works Families Low- Income Families
1 Re-determination
1.1 How are families informed Community events Community events of the availability of Child County website County website Care? (Please check all During assessment During assessment boxes that apply for your At orientation At orientation county in each category of Child care centers Child care centers care.) Front desk Front desk
Flyers Flyers
Telephone call Telephone call
CORRA CORRA
Other assistance Other assistance
agencies agencies
Non-profits Non-profits
Women’s Center Women’s Center
Head Start Head Start
Food bank Food bank
Posters Posters
Public Service Public Service
Announcements Announcements
Newspaper Newspaper
Word of mouth Word of mouth
Child protection Child protection
workers workers
Schools Schools
Other (please respond): Other(please respond):
1.2 How does a family apply for Complete an Complete an child care services? Individual application (Please check all boxes that Responsibility Family indicates need apply for your county in Contract Attend an orientation each category of care.) Obtain a referral Transition into CCAP
from CO Works without application
Through a Case By requesting an
Manager application by phone
Complete an or office visit
application Other (please respond):
Family indicates need
Attend an orientation
Transition into CCAP
without application
By requesting an
application by phone
or office visit
Other (please respond):
Page 3 of 15
County:
Area Application/ Colorado Works Families Low- Income Families 1 cont Re-determination
1.3 Does your county No Yes No Yes
prescreen applicants?
If yes, how does this occur? If yes, how does this occur?
Screened by Screened by
telephone telephone
Screened at walk-in Screened at walk-in
Completed by CO Done during intake
Works Program Case orientation
Manager Done on the
Done during intake prescreen in CHATS
orientation Done by employment
Done on the coach
prescreen in CHATS Providers ask some
Done by employment prescreening
coach questions
Providers ask some Other (please respond):
prescreening
questions
Other (please respond):
1.4 What is the policy for a. Interview Policy a. Interview Policy
eligibility determination? Please respond: Please respond:
b. Length of time for eligibility b. Length of time for eligibility
determination determination
Please respond: Please respond:
c. Length of time before receiving c. Length of time before receiving
notice of eligibility notice of eligibility
Please respond: Please respond:
1.5 Does Your County accept No Yes No Yes
the Head Start
Application?
1.6 Do you re-determine N/A No Yes N/A No Yes
based on the Head Start
School schedule? If yes, how does this differ from your If yes, how does this differ from your
normal re-determination process? normal re-determination process?
Please respond: Please respond:
Page 4 of 15 County:
Area Parental Education/ Colorado Works Families Low- Income Families
2 Resource Referral
2.1 What resources do clients Parent Information Parent Information receive regarding child care & Resource Packet & Resource Packet options that are available to Child Care Child Care them? Specialist's Specialist's
phone number phone number
Resource & referral Resource & referral
(R&R) number (R&R) number
List of providers List of providers
Definitions of Definitions of
different types of different types of
care (licensed care (licensed
center, licensed center, licensed
home, exempt) home, exempt)
Pamphlets Pamphlets
Public Service Public Service
Announcements Announcements
Posters Posters
Workshops Workshops
Phone line Phone line
Encouraged to visit Encouraged to visit
multiple providers multiple providers
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
2.2 Typically, when do families Time of application Time of application receive information on child Orientation Orientation care choices? Upon request Upon request
During treatment During treatment
plan development plan development
Monthly clinic Monthly clinic
At re-determination At re-determination
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
2.3 Health Care Coverage a. How do families receive a. How do families receive
information on health care coverage information on health care coverage
for children? for children?
Don’t provide Don’t provide
Info in a packet Info in a packet
Give Medicaid/ Give Medicaid/
CHP+ application CHP+ application
Meet with person Meet with person
from Health Dept from Health Dept
Brochures Brochures
Initial phone call Initial phone call
Automatically Automatically
qualified qualified
Verbally by worker Verbally by worker
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
Page 5 of 15
County:
Area Parental Education/ Colorado Works Families Low- Income Families
2 cont Resource Referral
2.3 Health Care Coverage Cont. b. When does this occur? b. When does this occur?
cont .
N/A N/A
Time of application Time of application
During assessment During assessment
At interview At interview
During intake During intake
On-going basis On-going basis
At re-determination At re-determination
As requested by As requested by
client client
Upon recognition of Upon recognition of
need need
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
2.4 Parental Fee Hardships a. What is the process for a. What is the process for
establishing a parental fee hardship? establishing a parental fee hardship?
Reduced when first Reduced when first
employed employed
Written request Written request
from family from family
Written request Written request
from case worker from case worker
Hardship application Hardship application
Supporting Supporting
documentation is documentation is
required required
Interview Interview
Must request before Must request before
end of the month end of the month
for following month for following month
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
b. What circumstances would qualify b. What circumstances would qualify
for a hardship? for a hardship?
Case by case Case by case
No fault of their No fault of their
own own
Excess medical bills Excess medical bills
Break up resulting Break up resulting
in loss of income in loss of income
Unexpected one Unexpected one
time expense time expense
Illness Illness
Injury Injury
Death of immediate Death of immediate
family member family member
Teen parent Teen parent
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
Page 6 of 15
County:
Area Parental Education/ Colorado Works Families Low- Income Families 2 cont Resource Referral
2.4 Parental Fee Hardship cont. c. Who makes the final c. Who makes the final
cont. determination? determination?
Case worker Case worker
Child care supervisor Child care supervisor
County Director County Director
Other (please respond): Other (please respond):
d. What is the minimum hardship d. What is the minimum hardship
granted? Please respond: granted? Please respond:
e. What is the maximum number of e. What is the maximum number of
months allowed for a hardship? months allowed for a hardship?
Please respond: Please respond:
Page 7 of 15 County:
Area County Options
3
3.1 County’s Income % of poverty level Date approved by State:
Eligibility Level
3.2 20% Rule No Yes
Does your county use
the 20% Rule? If yes, please describe the process:
3.3 Training No Yes
Is training an
approved activity? If yes, how many months of training are approved?
12 months
18 months
24 months
30 months
48 months
Other (please respond):
3.4 Extension of Benefits No If no, go to question 3.5.
Does your county Yes If yes, please answer the next four questions.
apply the option to
continue benefits for a. How do you ensure that a family does not exceed 85% of State Median
6 months? Income?
(please respond):
b. What is your process for transitioning the family off of assistance through
the extension of benefits?
(please respond):
c. What is your process for transitioning families through the extension of
benefits?
(please respond):
d. What is your county policy on the determination of parental fees for these
families?
(please respond):
3.5 Immunizations Who County Provider
is responsible for
collecting current If responsibility is with the provider, please describe the process you use to
immunization records ensure compliance.
for children in (please respond):
licensed care?
Page 8 of 15
County:
Area County Options
3
cont.
3.6 Child Support No. If no, continue to Service Area 4.
Enforcement Does Yes. If yes, please answer the next four questions.
your county require
cooperation with a. What is your county’s policy/procedure to ensure that families transitioning
Child Support off Colorado Works will continue to cooperate with Child Support
Enforcement in order Enforcement?
to receive Child Care (please respond):
Benefits?
b. What is your county’s policy/procedure for the determination of good
cause?
(please respond):
c. What is your county’s policy/procedure for communication between the
child care and child support enforcement units?
(please respond):
d. What is your county’s policy regarding the $20 fee?
All clients are required to pay fee
Fee can be waived
Fee is always waived Other (please respond):
3.7 Special Circumstance Does your county have special circumstance child care cases?
Child Care New no yes
Page 9 of 15
County:
Area County Options –
4 Payments
4.1 Contract for slots No Yes
Does your county
utilize the option? If yes, what is the process for monitoring and determining the effectiveness of
contracts?
Review monthly billing forms
Review of attendance sheets
Parent comments
Constant communication with center
Drop-in visits at center
Weekly visits to center
A quarterly review
Yearly review prior to renewal
Other: Other (please respond):
4.2 RAT Fees No Yes
Does your county If yes, what do you pay and how often?
pay for Registration Fees:
Registration, Activity Fees:
Activity and/or Transportation Fees: Transportation fees? How are these fees paid?
Providers bill for them separately.
They are figured into the daily rate. 4.3 Paid Absences a. Does your county pay for absences?
No, we don’t pay any providers for absences.
Yes, we pay all providers for number of absences per month.
Yes, we pay only licensed providers for number of absences per month.
b. Does your county pay for additional absences when the provider is closed for
emergency reasons such as inclement weather?
No, we don’t pay any providers for additional absences.
Yes, we pay all providers for number of emergency absences per month, Updated based on the following policy that defines the criteria to determine “emergency
closure”. (please define policy):
Yes, we pay only licensed providers for number of emergency absences
per month, based on the following policy that defines the criteria to determine
“emergency closure”. (please define policy):
Other (please respond):
4.4 Paid Holidays No, we don’t pay any providers for holidays. Does your county Yes, we pay all providers for the holidays checked below. pay for holidays? Yes, we pay only licensed providers for the holidays checked below.
(Check all holidays your county pays for)
New Year’s Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day
President’s Day Memorial Day
Independence Day Labor Day
Columbus Day Veteran’s Day
Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day
Other (please respond):
Page 10 of 15
County: