Child Care Service Licensed Provider

Licensed Provider

A Licensed child care provider is an individual or an organization licensed by the State of California to provide child care.

Licensed child care providers including private or public schools are exempt from TL and Health and Safety requirements.

Note: A tutoring center with a business license only is not a licensed child care provider. These individuals must comply with the TL rules.

Reminder: Child care funds are approved for child care services and not for tutoring services.

Licensed Family Day Care Home

A home where one or more adults are licensed by the CDSS, Community Care Licensing to care for a specified number of children.

Child Care Center

A facility which is licensed by the CDSS, Community Care Licensing to care for a specified number of infant, preschool and/or school age children in a group setting.

Provider Information

Once the EC determines that the client has secured a licensed child care provider, the next step is to identify the child care provider’s:

• Name or business name,
• Address,
• TIN (SSN, EIN or ITIN),
• License Number,
• Phone Number,
• Registration Fees (licensed providers only),
• Rates, and
• Contact name.

Fees for Registration

Providers who normally charge fees for registration may be paid, either in a single payment or prorated over a 12-month period, as long as the provider can provide documentation that the same fee is charged to non-subsidized (non-CalWORKs) families.

A child care registration fee when included with the child care cost for that month cannot exceed the RMR. If you are paying child care at the maximum RMR, the client will not qualify for the registration fee payment.

Example Example Provider’s monthly full-time rate is $1,688.82. The provider is charging a one-time registration fee of $50. The monthly RMR for an infant is $1,691.82 The most CalWORKs can pay for the registration fee is $3 per month for a 12 month period. $1,691.82 (RMR) minus $1,688.82 (Provider’s fee) = $3 (monthly amount for registration fee).

Exception: On a case-by-case basis, if the client is unable to secure child care due to lack of a registration fee payment, the registration fee can be paid as an ancillary expense even it exceeds the RMR. Prior to issuance, the ancillary expense must be approved by the Supervisor and be clearly documented in the Journal Detail page.

Registration

The EC is responsible for submitting all paperwork necessary to register a child care provider in a timely manner. The Licensed Provider Certification/Registration and Changes (SCD 1752) and Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (W-9) are required by the CWES program for the following:

• Child Care Provider who is not registered with CWES
• Inactive Child Care Provider.

The SCD 1752 Certification section includes, but is not limited to:

• A reference to the Guide to Child Care Services for CalWORKs Families and Providers
• A schedule for payment of child care services.
• The provider's written consent to recover overpayments.
• A due date by the 5th of the following month for child care attendance or invoice.
• Child care reimbursement payments will be made within 21 calendar days of the submission of a completed attendance record or invoice.

The information on the SCD 1752 is required for the client’s file. This may be completed by the EC or it can be mailed to the client. If mailed, the client is responsible to see that the SCD 1752 is complete and returned to the EC.

The licensed provider can use the following as a TIN:

• SSN, or
• ITIN, or
• EIN.

A copy of the child care license is required with the SCD 1752. A signed SSN card is required if SSN is used as a TIN.

If the licensed child care provider uses ITIN or EIN, TIN verification is NOT required. The IRS TIN Matching Tool may be used by the designated CWES staff to verify ITIN or EIN.

Note: If the provider is registered with CWES, the EC must review the information on file and ensure all data is up to date (i.e., provider’s mailing address). The SCD 1752 is also used to update the provider’s information.

The following steps provide information for processing a LICENSED provider’s registration and changes:

A. The EC:

• Reviews all forms to ensure the forms are complete.
• Ensures all required documentation is attached to the registration form. The name on the TIN verification or SSN card and W-9 must be identical.
• Makes copies of the forms and documentation for the client’s file and/or the office designee.
• Places the completed child care registration forms in the designated in-basket. The following are the required forms and documentation to register licensed providers:
  • Licensed Provider Certification/Registration and Changes SCD 1752,
  • COPY of the provider’s signed Social Security card,
  • Copy of the child care license issued by CDSS,
  • Copy of rate sheet, and
  • A Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification form (W-9).

B. The Office Designee:

• Collects completed child care registration forms from the in-basket on a daily basis.
• Reviews registration forms to ensure completeness of forms and that all necessary documentation is included.
• Registers the provider by entering appropriate information in CalSAWS.
• Notifies the EC that the registration is completed by sending the Resource ID by email.
• Notifies the EC by email if the paperwork is incomplete or the required documentation is missing.
• Submits the SCD 1752, W-9, and copy of the provider’s SSN card to Imaging.

The CalSAWS registration process must be completed within three days from receipt of completed forms and required documentation.

Note: The CalSAWS database has been manually updated in the comment field to reflect problem child care providers.

Exception: Providers whose facility was closed by licensing if the provider’s license number is different from the license number reflected in CalSAWS.

Rates

The maximum payment rate for all CalWORKs approved child care cannot exceed the RMR. The rates charged for CWES children must not exceed the rate charged to non-subsidized (non-CalWORKs) children. Refer to the current RMR table to determine the maximum rate allowable.

Exception: If the special needs, or the evening/weekend care rate adjustment, are applicable; or if the certified need exceeds 52.5 hours per week AND the rate is not included in the provider’s full-time weekly or monthly rate.

Payee

All child care payments must be made directly to the child care provider.

Employer - Employee Relationship

All child care payments are made on behalf of the client; therefore, the child care providers are not employees of the County.

Continuous Child Care

Continuous child care is referred to as receiving a child care approval for 12 continuous months and can only be discontinued for any of the following reasons:

• Transferred to Stage II Child Care.

Note: Individuals who time out from CalWORKs and who are not eligible for Stage II child care, will continue to be eligible in Stage I for remainder of the 12-month period.

• Discontinued due to income exceeding 85% of the state median income for the family size.
• For an exempt volunteer who initially requests to volunteer, but later decides not to participate and did not sign a WTW Plan. Document with a Journal Entry in CalSAWS Journal Detail page the 15-day and 30-day outreach efforts.

Note: When the exemption ends, the EC will mail the client a CCP7 and CCP8, and contact the client every 15 days thereafter until confirmation of child care has been secured, the participant indicates that they need additional time to secure child care, or until 30 days pass without a response from the client.

• Intends to cure WTW Sanction, but did not sign a curing Sanction Plan. Document with a Journal Entry in CalSAWS Journal Detail page at the 15-day and 30-day outreach efforts. The client may contact the county again to indicate another intent to cure the sanction.

Note: Only after the curing sanction plan is signed the individual is eligible for 12 months of continuous child care.

Child Care Utilization

When child care is approved for 12 continuous months but not utilized, it cannot be discontinued. The approval will remain in effect until the 12 months passes or the participant is transferred to Stage II Child Care. When the 12-month period ends, the Program Status Detail page, Child Care Need Detail page, and Child Care Certificate List page will need to be updated and aligned to match the dates on the new CCP 8 form. The discontinued dates are automated in CalSAWS. Refer to Child Care Service Recertification and Child Care Service Discontinuances.

School Breaks

Child care approval period includes school breaks. Under continuous child care, child care is to continue to be paid to the provider when the child is receiving child care services.

Holidays/Vacation

Providers can be paid for up to ten holidays/vacation days per fiscal year ONLY if the provider normally charges non-subsidized (non-CalWORKs) clients for the same holidays/vacation days.

Providers must provide documentation regarding holidays/vacation that establishes the expectations for non-subsidized (non-CalWORKs) parents. Acceptable documentation may include copies of the child care center/providers’s policies and procedures, or copies of a written agreement with a non-CalWORKs client.

Below is a list of the major holidays:

Payment Adjustment Calculation

When payments need to be adjusted due to an unpaid holiday or vacation, the following calculations apply:

A. Weekly:

• The established weekly rate is divided by the number of days identified as needing child care.
• The result of above is multiplied by the number of eligible days in the week (excluding the number of unpaid days). This equals the weekly adjusted payment.

B. Monthly:

• The established monthly rate is divided by 22, the number of working days in the certified need.
• The result of above is multiplied by the number of eligible days in the month (excluding the number of unpaid days). This amount equals the monthly adjusted payment.

EXAMPLES When Client Specifically Requests Weekly Part-Time or Full-Time Care

EXAMPLES When Client Specifically Requests Monthly Part-Time or Full-Time Care

Alternate Child Care Provider

The county will pay an alternate child care provider, if otherwise eligible, when the child is ill and cannot go to the primary provider up to ten days per fiscal year, and for holidays/vacation of the regular provider up to ten days per fiscal year.

5-Day Rule

The Child Care Billing SCD 1755B/CalWORKs Child Care Reimbursement Report (CCP 2145) must be submitted no later than the 5th day of the month. Incomplete or inaccurate forms may delay payment.

Overpayment

An overpayment is any amount of the child care payment the child care provider received for which they are not eligible. Child care overpayments happen when there is an administrative error, incorrect billing/invoice calculations, fraud has been committed, etc. Refer to CWES Overpayment & Underpayment - Child Care Overpayment.

Child care is approved for 12 continuous months, but is paid to the provider based on child care usage. A provider overpayment occurs as a result of submitting an attendance record or invoice form for care when the child does not receive services. 

Exception: Licensed providers who have agreements for billing for services as a result of their policy for maintaining child care slots.

Limits

Child care provided beyond the limits of these policies is the sole responsibility of the parent and child care provider.