SR 99-27 Dated 09/99

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

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The attached SR releases retroactive changes to Child Care Services income eligibility policy to exclude the income of a nonparent specified relative who provides care and parental control (hereafter referred to as a "caretaker relative") to a dependent child. Previous policy excluded the income of a caretaker relative only in TANF financial assistance cases with related child care or when the caretaker relative was a grandparent in a three-generation household.

These revisions bring policy into conjunction with rules, which do not restrict the exclusion of the income of the caretaker relative to only those receiving TANF financial assistance.

Policy is also revised to include the caretaker in the child care assistance group. Previous policy included only biological, step, adoptive, or foster parents along with recipient children.

FAM 900 has been revised accordingly. In addition, a definition of "caretaker relative" has been added to the Glossary.

POLICY

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

Part 917  ASSISTANCE GROUP COMPOSITION

Section 917.01 Required Verification

Part 933 INCOME

Glossary C-Words

 Exclude the income of a caretaker relative, defined as "an individual who is not the biological parent, but is legally related to, and providing care for, the children in the assistance group," when determining eligibility or level of reimbursement for child care assistance.

 Include the caretaker relative in the assistance group size for purposes of determining level of reimbursement for child care.

INTERIM NEW HEIGHTS PROCEDURES

Until New HEIGHTS is programmed to exclude the income of a caretaker relative from a child care assistance group regardless of other program involvement, District Offices must use the following interim procedures.

For All Child Care Cases Involving a Caretaker Relative

1. Determine if the caretaker relative is known to New HEIGHTS by accessing the Inquiry/Individual Information screen.

2. If there is no information on New HEIGHTS associated with the caretaker relative, proceed according to the instructions below for either Child Care Only Cases or Cases with Child Care and Other Programs.

3. If the caretaker relative is known to New HEIGHTS, do the following:

 If the case to which the caretaker relative is associated is CLOSED or DENIED, "end-date" any income on the caretaker relative, using a date prior to the child care application date (or whenever child care eligibility begins), and then delete the income using the reason "no longer applicable".

 If the case to which the caretaker relative is associated is OPEN, follow the procedures below for Cases with Child Care and Other Programs.

Child Care Only Cases

Do not enter the income of the caretaker relative on New HEIGHTS child care only cases.

Cases with Child Care and Other Programs of Assistance

Use the following procedures whether the caretaker relative is applying, or is open for, another program of assistance:

1. Enter the income for the caretaker relative as required by policy for the appropriate program(s).

2. Run SFU and EDBC on the case as usual. If the Child Care assistance group Fails due to income exceeding program limits, stop at the Confirmation screen without confirming the case.

3. Go to the "Override AG Eligibility Information" screen, and change each child care row's status from Failed to Passed. (The supervisor must approve this override).

4. Whether the AG Override was used or not, go to the "Override Individual Eligibility Results" screen, and, if necessary, override the child's Child Care Level. (The supervisor must approve this override as well).

5. Return to the Confirmation screen, and confirm the case as usual.

6. Call the New HEIGHTS Help Desk if any problems are experienced doing this.

IMPLEMENTATION

This policy is effective retroactively to August 1, 1998.

 A report of child care assistance cases denied or closed between August 1998 and September 17, 1999, due to the income of a caretaker relative, has been done by New HEIGHTS. The Division of Children, Youth, and Families’ Child Development Bureau (CDB) is contacting by mail any households identified and providing them with information regarding a reevaluation of their application and possible reimbursement, up to the limits allowed by policy, for child care costs incurred due to the application of previous policy on caretaker relatives.

 District Office or contract child care agency staff who become aware of similarly denied or closed cases should contact the CDB for further instructions.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

Clients will be notified of the new policy at the time of application at the District Office or at the contract child care agency.

TRAINING

Upon receipt of this SR, District Office supervisors must advise case technicians of the revised policy and its immediate implementation. In addition, a memorandum from the Director, Division of Family Assistance, was sent to District Office supervisors advising them of the importance of immediate implementation of the policy. A copy of the memo is attached for reference.

Contract child care agency directors will receive a copy of this SR along with a letter from CDB bringing the policy change to their attention.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for DFA policy releases. This SR, and On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and available for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs. state.nh.us/PMIndex.htm, effective November 1, 1999.

This SR will be distributed in printed form according to the hard copy narrative distribution list for the FAM. Printed pages with posting instructions will be distributed to all hard copy holders of the FAM under separate cover.

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed after its contents have been noted.

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