7 AAC 45.258 - Child care assistance as a self-sufficiency service

(a) The department has designated its child care assistance program as the Parents Achieving Self-Sufficiency (PASS) program, and has created a category of assistance applicable to this chapter called PASS I, which provides child care assistance as a self-sufficiency service under AS 47.27 and this chapter to low-income eligible families applying for or receiving ATAP benefits.

(b) A family applying for or receiving ATAP benefits is eligible to receive child care assistance under this chapter if the

(1) family is participating in a work activity as specified under 7 AAC 45.260, or in an activity approved in the family self-sufficiency plan under 7 AAC 45.257;

(2) need for child care has been determined by the department; and

(3) child care is provided by an eligible provider under 7 AAC 41; the department will issue an initial child care authorization for a family applying for or receiving ATAP benefits if necessary for family participation in an activity described in (1) of this subsection, regardless of whether the selected provider is an eligible provider; the initial authorization will cover up to the end of the following month; after the initial authorization period, eligibility for child care assistance will continue only if the care is provided by an eligible provider.

(c) For purposes of providing PASS I child care assistance to a family under this chapter, the following provisions of 7 AAC 41 are applicable, except that where the term "designee" is used in those provisions, for purposes of this chapter, it means the department, the case manager, or the designee, as determined by the department under this chapter:

(1)7 AAC 41.025 (Program Rates); the department may grant an exception to the maximum payment established in that section if additional child care is needed to allow a parent to participate in an eligible activity described in (b)(1) of this section;

(2)7 AAC 41.035 (Enrollment Authorization);

(3)7 AAC 41.040 (Attendance Authorization);

(4)7 AAC 41.055(1) (Program Participation Prohibitions), for a parent who has been debarred or suspended in accordance with 45 C.F.R. Part 76 ;

(5)7 AAC 41.200 - 7 AAC 41.255 (Provisions for Providers);

(6)7 AAC 41.320(a), (b), (c)(1), and (c)(4) - (6) (Family Responsibilities);

(7)7 AAC 41.350 (Eligible Child); for purposes of this chapter, child care assistance will be provided both for children who meet the eligibility requirements in 7 AAC 41.350 and for children, age 13 to 18, for whom the court requires adult supervision as verified by a court record that specifies the beginning and ending dates of the required supervision;

(8)7 AAC 41.370 (Child Care in the Child's Own Home);

(9)7 AAC 41.415 (Determination of Overpayment of Program Benefits or Intentional Program Violation);

(10)7 AAC 41.445 (Department List of Eligible Providers).

(d) After the department determines that a family is eligible to participate in the PASS I program and that the provider selected by the family is an eligible provider, the department will issue to the family and the provider a child care authorization that

(1) identifies the children for whom child care is authorized;

(2) identifies the provider selected by the family;

(3) describes the child care authorized, including each category of care;

(4) states the anticipated eligible cost of care; and

(5) states the period of time for which the authorization is effective.

(e) The time of care authorized for a two-parent family is limited to full-time monthly enrollment. The department may grant an exception to this limit if the department determines additional child care is needed to allow a parent to participate in an activity described in (b)(1) of this section.

(f) If necessary to address a change in a participating family's circumstances, the department will issue to the family and the provider, an amendment to a child care authorization issued under (d) of this section. In the amendment, the department will state the period of time for which the amendment is in effect.

(g) Except as provided in (b)(3) of this section for the initial authorization period, and in 7 AAC 41.370 for in-home child care, the department will pay the eligible cost of care during the time the family requires child care assistance under this chapter to an eligible provider on behalf of the participating family for child care provided.

(h) In addition to the program benefits paid under (g) of this section, the department will pay to a licensed provider, on behalf of a child, any registration fee charged by the provider and billed to the department. The department will not pay more than $50 under this subsection. The department will pay only one registration fee per child, per licensed provider, in a calendar year.

Notes

7 AAC 45.258

Eff. 6/23/2006, Register 178

Authority:AS 47.05.010

AS 47.27.005

AS 47.27.030

AS 47.27.035

AS 47.27.085