Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 606 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE › Title 606 CMR 10.00 - Child Care Financial Assistance › Section 10.03 - General Provisions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
The following general provisions apply to all child care
				financial assistance administered by EEC, unless otherwise stated.
(1)
Eligibility
.
(a)
Family Composition and
			 Size
. Prior to issuing a child care financial assistance
			 authorization, Family Access Administrators shall verify, through documentary
			 evidence in accordance with EEC policy, the family size and household
			 composition of the applicant by verifying the relationship of each child
			 younger than 18 years old, or younger than 24 years old if the child is a
			 full-time student, who resides in the household and is financially dependent on
			 the parent(s) applying for child care financial assistance. Documents that
			 reasonably establish the family composition and size shall be acceptable.
			 Parents of young parents may include the young parent and their child(ren) in
			 the applicant's family size provided that the young parent is not receiving EEC
			 financial assistance for their child(ren).
(b)
Identity
. Prior
			 to the initial authorization, the Family Access Administrator shall verify,
			 through documentary evidence in accordance with EEC policy, the identity of
			 each parent(s) applying for child care financial assistance. Required
			 documentary evidence shall contain a photo of the applicant. If a parent cannot
			 provide documentary evidence with a photo of the applicant, a parent may submit
			 a combination of two secondary documents without photos to verify the identity
			 of the applicant, in accordance with EEC policy. Secondary documents that
			 reasonably establish identity shall be acceptable.
(c)
Residency
. The
			 Family Access Administrator must verify, through documentation in accordance
			 with EEC policy, that families seeking child care assistance reside in a
			 Massachusetts household because financial assistance administered by EEC is
			 available only to residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Documents
			 that reasonably establish residency in Massachusetts shall be
			 acceptable.
(d)
Citizenship or Immigration Status
. In accordance with
			 federal law, the Family Access Administrator shall verify, through documentary
			 evidence in accordance with EEC policy, the United States citizenship status or
			 immigration status of each child for whom care is requested. Any documents that
			 reasonably establish the citizenship or immigration status of the child must be
			 accepted, and no requirement for a specific type of documentation may be
			 imposed. No child shall be denied child care financial assistance based solely
			 on an applicant's failure to demonstrate citizenship or immigration status
			 without final review by EEC.
(e)
Eligibility Periods
. Families shall be eligible for
			 authorizations of a minimum of 12 months, and renewal is subject to the
			 family's continued eligibility for child care financial assistance. Family
			 Access Administrators shall notify families no fewer than two times that their
			 eligibility period is ending. At least one of these notifications shall be in
			 writing and shall be provided no fewer than 60 days prior to the end of their
			 eligibility period.
(f)
Contact Information
. To ensure continued eligibility
			 for child care financial assistance, parents must maintain current contact
			 information, if any, with the Family Access Administrator and as directed in
			 accordance with EEC policy. A family experiencing homelessness who does not
			 have an address or telephone number must maintain as much current contact
			 information as possible with the Family Access Administrator.
(g)
Reauthorization
.
			 Prior to the end of the current authorization period, families must provide
			 current documentation of continued income eligibility and service need to their
			 Family Access Administrator, and shall provide documentation verifying their
			 residency only if it has changed since their last reauthorization. Such
			 documentation must be provided within a reasonable time prior to the
			 authorization end date so that the authorization can be completed before the
			 end of the current authorization. Parents who lose their approved activity
			 during the last 30 days prior to reauthorization may be granted a 12-week
			 provisional authorization to seek and certify an approved activity in
			 accordance with
			 606
			 CMR 10.04(2)(b)2.
Parents who lose their approved activity during the last 30
				days prior to reauthorization may be granted a 12-week provisional
				authorization to seek and certify an approved activity in accordance with
				606
				CMR 10.04(2)(b)2.
(h)
Current
			 Eligibility Information
. Parents receiving child care financial
			 assistance must notify their Family Access Administrator when there is a change
			 in circumstances as follows:
1.
Reporting Changes
.
a.
During the Authorization Period
. A parent must notify
			 their Family Access Administrator within 30 days of such a change.
i. The family's income exceeding 85%
			 SMI;
ii. An out of state change of
			 address;
iii. A change in contact
			 information; or
iv. Loss of
			 employment or cessation of attendance at a job training or educational program
			 that lasts for more than 12 weeks. The parent shall be entitled to a 12-week
			 period from the time the parent reports such a loss of employment or cessation
			 of attendance at job training or an educational program to certify a new
			 approved activity. If documentation of a new approved activity is not provided
			 prior to the end of the 12-week period, child care financial assistance may be
			 terminated.
Failure to notify the Family Access Administrator of these
				changes within 30 days of each such change may result in an IPV, and may be
				subject to disqualification pursuant to
				606
				CMR 10.12.
b.
At
			 Reauthorization
. A parent shall report all other changes at
			 reauthorization. Failure to report these changes at reauthorization will not
			 result in an IPV or disqualification. A parent may voluntarily choose to report
			 a change prior to reauthorization if it will benefit the family to do
			 so.
(i)
Child Attendance
. In order to remain eligible for a
			 child care financial assistance, all children receiving EEC financial
			 assistance shall attend the early education and care program, in accordance
			 with the terms of the child care authorization. A non-approved break in care
			 may result in the termination of child care financial assistance in accordance
			 with 606 CMR 10.10.
(j)
Data Sharing
.
			 For purposes of program integrity and in an effort to establish front end
			 detection necessary to combat fraud, waste, and abuse, EEC may use data
			 collected from child care financial assistance applicants to conduct data
			 matches with other governmental entities. If data matches demonstrate
			 inconsistencies with the statements or documents submitted by the child care
			 applicant(s), the Family Access Administrator or EEC may request additional
			 documentation. Failure to resolve the inconsistencies may result in the
			 termination of an applicant's child care financial assistance, in accordance
			 with 606 CMR 10.10.