Code of Vermont Rules › Agency 13 - AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES › Sub-Agency 171 - DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES; CHILD DEVELOPMENT DIVISION › Chapter 001 - CHILD CARE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM REGULATIONS › Section 13 171 001 - CHILD CARE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM REGULATIONS

Current through June, 2024
Section I A
				Introduction
The purpose of these regulations is to implement the Child
				  Care Subsidy Program described in Vermont Statutes,
				  33
				  V.S.A. §
											3512 -
				  3514, and in
				  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and
				  Families, 45 CFR, Parts 98 and 99 which are the official regulations for the
				  Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF).
The subsidy program in Vermont is called and is referred to
				  herein as the Child Care Financial Assistance Program. This program assists
				  eligible families with child care costs and also helps fund specialized child
				  care services. These regulations set forth eligibility conditions for Child
				  Care Financial Assistance, outline payments to eligible providers and outline
				  conditions for terminating or reducing child care financial assistance benefits
				  to families and/or child care providers participating in the program.
Goals of the Child Care Financial Assistance
				  Regulations:
-- Support an integrated child care system that ensures
				  seamless delivery of quality services and supports accessible and affordable
				  child care for families;
-- Set a standard for eligibility requirements and family
				  intake procedures; and
-- Administer consistent procurement and payment
				  policies/procedures.
The Department for Children and Families Commissioner may, in
				  exceptional circumstances, grant a variance from these regulations when, at his
				  or her discretion, the intent of these regulations and the goal of providing
				  support to families and their children cannot be met.
Section I B Definitions
The following terms apply to these regulations as
				  defined:
I B 1
Age Category
Child Ages
Infant
birth to %4C 24 months
Toddler
24 months to 36 months
Preschool
36 months to 60 months
School Age
60 months to 13 years (children with special needs
							 may be eligible to age 19)
I B 2 Appropriate Care and Supervision - Protecting from, or
				  not exposing, a child to any unusual risk while also contributing to the
				  child's growth and development.
I B 3 Care Category
Part Time Care
-
up to 25 hours per week
Full Time Care
-
between 25 to 50 hours per week during hours when
							 parental service need activity occurs, unless otherwise approved by CDD
Extended Care
-
over 50 hours per week
I B 4 Caretaker - Individual other than a parent, age 18 or
				  older, fulfilling a parental role in caring for a dependent child by providing
				  physical care, guidance and decision-making related to the child's health,
				  school, medical care and discipline.
I B 5 Case Plan - Written document developed by a Family
				  Services social worker as part of the Family Services case record which
				  identifies the family needs and sets forth goals to preserve, rehabilitate or
				  reunify the family and documents goal progress.
I B 6 Child - Individual under age 13, or under age 19 if
				  physically or mentally incapable of self care or under court supervision, or an
				  individual committed to the custody or guardianship of the Commissioner.
I B 7 Child with Special Needs - A child determined eligible
				  for services by the Department of Education, Division of Special Education or
				  the Department of Health, Division of Children with Special Health Needs, or
				  the Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division. A child's
				  special needs may also be determined by the written report of a licensed
				  physician or licensed psychologist.
I B 8 Child Care or Child Care Services - Developmentally
				  appropriate care and supervision by a child care provider for fewer than 24
				  hours a day for children under age 13 or age 19 for a child with special
				  needs.
I B 9 Child Care Provider - A person, facility or entity
				  which is licensed, registered or certified by the Child Development Division to
				  provide child care services.
I B 10 CDD - Child Development Division of the Department for
				  Children and Families.
I B 11 Child Care Financial Assistance - Financial assistance
				  given to eligible parents for child care services provided by an eligible child
				  care provider with a valid provider agreement.
I B 12 Commissioner - Commissioner of the Department for
				  Children and Families or his or her designee.
I B 13 Committed Child - A child committed to the legal
				  custody and/or guardianship of the Commissioner of the Department for Children
				  and Families.
I B 14 DCF - Department for Children and Families
I B 15 Designated Authority - A person or organization
				  authorized by the Child Development Division to determine eligibility for
				  subsidized child care services.
I B 16 Extended Care - Child care for over 50 hours per week.
				  Care is for authorized hours based upon the primary caretaker's service
				  need.
I B 17 Family - Two or more persons residing in the same
				  household, at least one of whom is the child's primary caretaker. Family
				  members temporarily absent from the household, for whom the family claims
				  financial responsibility for tax purposes, are considered members of the family
				  for establishing income eligibility and family size; they are not however,
				  considered family members for the purpose of determining the need for
				  service.
Family configurations include:
a. Married and civil union primary caretakers
				and their resident child(ren);
b.
				Unmarried primary caretakers and their child(ren) in common;
c. A primary caretaker and his or her own
				child(ren);
d. Unmarried primary
				caretakers, their child(ren) in common and any child for whom either adult in
				the household is legally responsible;
e. A person who lives with, supervises and
				cares for a child or children whose parents do not live in the home.
I B 18 Gross Income - All income included in determining
				  monthly gross income except that which is specifically excluded by these
				  regulations.
I B 19 Income Eligibility Schedule - Sliding fee scale that
				  provides for cost-sharing (parent co-pay) by families eligible for child care
				  financial assistance. The fee scale is based on gross monthly income and family
				  size.
I B 20 Parental/Family Leave - Reasonable time off to care
				  for dependent children in instances such as death, illness, birth or adoption.
				  Parental leave may not exceed 12 weeks in a 12 month period.
I B 21 Postsecondary Education program - The Postsecondary
				  Education program managed by DCF's Economic Services Division that assists
				  families to attain self-sufficiency and a postsecondary education
				  degree.
I B 22 Primary Caretaker - Biological, adoptive or foster
				  parent(s) of a child, a child's legal guardian or other person legally
				  responsible for a child's welfare.
I B 23 Reach First - The Reach First program is Vermont's
				  short-term diversion program managed by DCF's Economic Services Division that
				  assists families to attain self-sufficiency.
I B 24 Reach Up - The Reach Up Program through DCF's Economic
				  Services Division that assists families to attain self-sufficiency.
I B 25 Reasonable Hours of Sleep - Reasonable hours following
				  or preceding 2 [nd ] or 3 [rd ] shift employment or training, enabling a person
				  to rest from or for such employment or training. Such periods shall not exceed
				  eight hours within a 24-hour period.
I B 26 Revocation - Formal act of removing a license,
				  registration or certification to operate a Child Care Home, Early Childhood
				  Program, Afterschool Program, or provide legally exempt care for subsidized
				  children due to violation of the Licensing Regulations. A child care provider
				  may continue to operate their program during a revocation action pending an
				  appeal to the Human Services Board.
I B 27 Self Support - Achievement and/or maintenance of
				  economic self-sufficiency.
I B 28 Service Need - Caretaker's employment, education,
				  training or special health need resulting in the need for child care. A child
				  may also have a service need due to a documented health or specialized
				  developmental need that includes child care as part of the treatment plan,
				  regardless of the caretaker(s)' activities.
I B 29 Temporary Absence - Absence of a primary caretaker,
				  who has indicated intention to return within 120 days of the application date,
				  which deprives a child of adequate and necessary care and supervision.