INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:75-6-91
Revised 12-15-11
1. (a) Preventive child care services. Preventive child care services enable the child to be in a protective environment for a specified number of hours per day and days per week as determined by the Child Welfare (CW) specialist. Child care may be used on a regular basis or, when the child care provider is agreeable, on a drop-in basis. Preventive child care services are made available to CW families when:
(1) temporary and severe stress exists that endangers or threatens to endanger the child and respite is included in the safety plan to protect the child;
(2) the parent's participation in the individualized service plan results in assistance needed with child care;
(3) the child needs an opportunity to increase social and developmental skills; or
(4) there is evidence the family is so burdened by debt that the additional financial pressure of paying for child care results in further deterioration of the family stability and functioning.
(b) Establishing preventive child care services.
(1) The CW specialist assigned to the child:
(A) establishes preventive child care services for CW clients;
(B) before Oklahoma Department of Human Services purchased child care service is established, explores possible alternatives with the applicant, per OAC 340:40-5-1;
(C) completes Form 04MP042E, Application for Child Welfare Child Care Benefits, during a face-to-face interview with the client, indicates the client's choice of child care providers on the application, and files the application in the case record.
(2) The CW specialist and supervisor determine the amount and length of time child care will be provided based on the family's needs and incorporates the information into the individualized service plan.
(3) When a child care provider is not chosen by the client, the CW specialist provides the client with information to help make the choice, per OAC 340:40-5-1(7).
(4) When the client wants to use an in-home care provider, the CW specialist must approve the provider, per OAC 340:40-13-1.
(c) Entering child care in KIDS. Refer to the Child Care How To in KIDS/Help/How To's for procedure for entering child care in KIDS.
(1) The CW specialist enters the child care approval or denial in KIDS Child Care screens within two business days of receiving all necessary verification to certify or deny the application.
(2) The KIDS Child Care screen is completed with documentation of the:
(A) need for child care; and
(B) child care authorization indicating the appropriate number of days child care is needed based on the family's need.
(i) Monthly preventive child care is authorized when care is needed for fewer than 15 days per month or more than 23 days per month.
(ii) Full-time preventive child care is authorized when care is needed more than four hours every day.
(iii) Part-time is authorized when care is needed four hours or less every day.
(iv) Weekly preventive child care is authorized when care is needed more than four hours each day and at least 15 but no more than 23 days per month.
(v) Blended preventive child care is authorized for the child four years of age and older when care is needed Monday through Friday part-time for the days school is in session and full-time for school holidays. The CW specialist determines which blended unit type is appropriate.
(I) The traditional school year blended is authorized when the child attends a school with a traditional nine-month school calendar. The child care facility must be open on school holidays, except summer break for the traditional blended unit type to be approved.
(II) the extended school year blended is authorized when the child attends a school with a year round or a continuous learning calendar. The child care facility must be open during school holidays including fall, Christmas, spring, and summer breaks.
(3) The CW specialist completes changes to the child care authorization within ten days of learning of the need, per OAC 340:40-9-2.
(4) When multiple counties are assigned to the case, the CW specialist assigned to the child notifies all assigned CW specialists and supervisors of the preventive child care within 10 days of the authorization.
(d) Preventive child care approval and extension.
(1) The provision of preventive child care requires approval of the CW supervisor.
(2) Preventive child care is authorized for 30 days and may be extended for an additional 30 days by the CW supervisor.
(3) A request for child care approval beyond 60 calendar days is submitted to the CW field liaison (CWFL) who reviews and approves or denies the request, and documents the determination in the KIDS Contacts screen.
2. Child care programs receiving federal grant funds. Programs receiving federal grant funds such as Head Start or Early Head Start, and public schools receiving state funds for education may receive subsidy funds only when all parents are charged for the hours subsidy payment is requested. The CW specialist approves the appropriate unit type based on the family’s need and the number of subsidy hours needed.
3. Preventive child care and the child's schooling. Clarification is provided in paragraphs (1) through (5) of this subsection regarding when preventive child care may be approved or denied as related to the child's schooling.
(1) A home-schooled child must receive the instruction from his or her own parent or caretaker except for the time a tutor may be hired.
(2) A child care provider is not approved to provide child care so the provider can home-school the child.
(3) The CW specialist does not approve a school-age child for child care allowing the parent or caretaker to work or attend school during the hours public or private school is in session because the parent wants to home school the child during the evening hours.
(4) School age is defined as a child enrolled in the first through 12th grades.
(5) A provider may be approved to provide child care for a school-age child with disabilities during the hours public or private school is in session when the child receives shortened-day services from the local school system.
(6) Preventive child care may be approved when a child is suspended or expelled from school and the school system verifies there is no other educational alternative available to the child.
4. Exceptions for use of a one star center. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for use of a one star center by the CW supervisor. Prior to granting an exception, the procedures in this paragraph are completed.
(1) The CW specialist assigned to the child:
(A) provides the client a list of all contracted one plus or higher star centers and all contracted child care homes that meet the client's search criteria.
(i) The client is not required to use a one plus or higher star child care home before considering a one star center.
(ii) When there are no one star plus or higher star centers in the community, the list provided to the client includes one star centers.
(iii) An exception is not required when a one star center is the only available center in the community;
(B) uses Child Care Locator, available on the InfoNet under OKDHS Tools, to generate this list; and
(C) instructs the client to contact all providers on the Child Care Locator list to determine if care is available during the hours needed.
(2) The client notes on the list why two star or higher child care is not available at any of the locations on the list provided or why the listed locations do not meet the client's needs.
(3) The CW supervisor:
(A) reviews the client's notes when the client does not find a provider from those on the list, to determine whether to grant an exception; and
(B) documents in KIDS Child Care screen whether or not an exception was granted and the reasons.
(4) Exceptions may be granted when none of the providers on the client's list:
(A) has an opening during the times care is needed, such as the client works evening or overnight hours and no one provides care during those hours;
(B) is willing to meet the special needs of the child such as a child with disabilities or transportation to and from the child's school; or
(C) is within a reasonable distance from the client's home.
(5) When the CW supervisor grants an exception per Instructions to Staff # 4 (D) of this Instruction, the CW specialist provides the client a list of one star center providers. When the client finds a one star center that meets the client's needs, payment is approved for child care at that facility.
5. Special needs certification. The CW specialist assists the parent with completing Form 08AD006E, Certification for Special Needs Child Care Rate, to request special needs child care, per OAC 340:40-7-8.
(1) The child care provider, with the exception of an in-home provider, is approved by Oklahoma Child Care Services Licensing Services for the special needs certification for the specific child.
(2) When the certification process is complete, the licensing worker sends Form 08AD006E to the CW specialist. The CW specialist completes Form 08AD007E, Scoring Sheet for Special Needs Rate Determination, to determine whether to approve the child for the severe or moderate special needs rate or to continue services at the applicable daily or weekly rate.
(3) The CW specialist requests supervisory approval in the child's KIDS case for special needs certification and scans and emails or faxes forms 08AD006E and 08AD007E to Children and Family Services Division (CFSD) Permanency Planning Section.
(4) CFSD Permanency Planning Section programs nanager or designee reviews, approves or denies and documents the determination in the child's KIDS case.
(5) Original Form 08AD006E is filed in the child's paper record and a copy of the form is hand-delivered or mailed to the:
(A) child care provider;
(B) Bridge resource parent; and
(C) licensing specialist.
6. Reporting an overpayment. When the CW specialist discovers child care services have been received or paid in error, the specialist sends a memo to Family Support Services Division Benefit Integrity and Recovery Section that includes:
(1) the case name and case number;
(2) the name and date of birth of each child who received care;
(3) a summary of the circumstances that led to the potential overpayment;
(4) the time period covered by the overpayment; and
(5) whether the overpayment was caused by agency, client, or provider error.