Child Care Service Referral Process for Stage II

The County is responsible for managing the transition of clients from Stage I to Stage II for subsidized child care services. Clients are referred to an Alternative Payment Program (APP) contractor for child care services at bi-monthly transfer meetings.

Once a referral has been made to an APP agency, the Stage II contractor has six months to enroll the eligible family.

In addition, a CalSAWAS Child Care Portal was implemented that contains individual family data needed to assist APPs to enroll a family in Stage II child care. The APPs have read-only access to the CalSAWS pages and also receive a monthly CalSAWS report.

Transfers to the APPs

The following steps describe the transfer process from CalWORKs Employment Services (CWES) to the APPs:

1. At bi-monthly Stage II transfer meetings, the Post-Aid Services (PAS) Unit Associate Employment Counselor (AEC)/Employment Counselor (EC) refers the client to an APP agency by assignment of the APP/ CWES Referral & Communication Form (SCD 1776).
2. Upon notification of the assigned APP agency, the Case Management (CM) AEC/EC mails the CalWORKs Child Care Referral Notice (SCD 1777) to the client. This notice informs the client that they have been referred for services and what to do to continue receiving child care payment assistance.
3. When the APP agency approves enrollment for Stage II child care, they will notify the PAS Unit and indicate the first month of payment on the returned SCD 1776.  The APP agency picks up payment for child care services upon the successful transition from Stage I to Stage II.
4. The AEC/EC sends the Child Care Services Discontinuance (NA 835) Notice of Action (NOA), informing the client of the transfer to the APP. The 10-day rule does not apply if there is no interruption in the child care payment. The discontinuance date is the last day of the month immediately preceding the APP approval month.
   1. The Child Care program block in CalSAWS should remain open if any pending child care payments need to be issued.
   2. Once the child care is approved by the APP or another child care agency, the assigned AEC/EC will close the Child Care program block.
   3. If the APP does NOT approve enrollment for Stage II Child Care off aid, they will indicate the reason for the denial on the SCD 1776, return the original, and retain a copy for their records. The AEC/EC sends a timely 10-day NA 835 to the client.

Exception: If the family remains eligible for child care and the Stage II contractor denies care for reasons not related to Stage I discontinuance criteria, the existing Stage I certificate will remain in effect until the 24-month period expires, an APP approves care, or the case meets one of the discontinuance reasons listed in the Child Care Service Discontinuances topic, whichever comes first.

Note: If there is no time to send a timely 10-day discontinuance NOA for the end of the current month, the AEC/EC sends an NA 835 for the end of the following month.

• If the APP does NOT approve child care and the client is on cash aid, follow instructions provided by the Post-Aid Services Unit (PAS).

5. If the provider needed to be cleared by TrustLine and:
   1. TrustLine is cleared - calculate the 120-calendar days and complete the Child Care Services Approval (NA 832) NOA.
   2. TrustLine is denied - complete the Child Care Services Denial (NA 834) NOA to deny child care for the days that exceed the 120-calendar day period.

WTW Sanctioned

Although Welfare-to-Work (WTW) sanctioned individuals are not eligible for PAS, they are eligible for Stage II Child Care. The case carrying AEC/EC must contact the PAS representative to coordinate a direct referral to the APP. These cases are not to be transferred to the PAS Unit.

Employed Off-aid

Case carrying AECs/ECs must screen for Stage II Child Care eligibility and transfer the cases to the PAS Unit when the client:

• Is discontinued from cash aid, and
• Is employed (part/full-time), and
• Needs child care assistance.

Refer to Child Care Service Screening for Stage II for additional information.

Educational/Vocational Training

The case carrying AEC/EC is responsible for initiating the referral process for clients who are in an educational/vocational training activity, are within two months of reaching their 60-month CalWORKs time limit, and who are in need of child care services to continue their education/vocational training. The case carrying AEC/EC must:

• Complete the SCD 1776 online and email it to SCChild located in the SSA Global Outlook address,
• Retains the case while the cash aid is active,
• Close the case following standard case closing procedures once cash aid is discontinued.

Upon receipt of the SCD 1776, the PAS Unit refers the client to the APPs and completes the transfer process.

These clients do not qualify for PAS or Stage I child care pending Stage II child care. However, clients with existing child care certificates will continue receiving Stage I child care through the end date listed on the certificate or until they are transferred to Stage II, whichever comes first. When these clients are discontinued from cash aid and need child care to attend an educational/vocational program AFTER cash aid is discontinued and the case is in closed files, they must call the Stage II phone line. If the case is discontinued, but not yet closed, the case carrying AEC/EC will contact the Stage II designated staff person to request that a Direct Referral be made to an APP.

Note: Education/Training may include Self-Initiated Programs (SIP), adult education such as GED, ESL, and vocational training.

Employed and On Cash Aid

The case-carrying AEC/EC must initiate the referral process for clients who are employed and on cash aid. The case-carrying AEC/EC must:

• Complete the SCD 1776 online and emails it to SCChild located in the SSA Global Outlook Address List,
• Retain the case file

Upon receipt of the SCD 1776, the PAS Unit refers the client to the APPs and completes the transfer process.

On Aid and No Longer Employed

APPs will continue to pay for child care for on-aid clients when the client loses their employment. Communication between CWES and APPs’ staff is essential. CWES staff must ensure the client is participating in an approved WTW activity, meeting the hours of participation, and that appropriate supportive services including child care are made available to the client. The APPs are responsible to continue the child care services to support participation in the assigned WTW activity(ies).

The process below is applicable when on-aid clients who were enrolled by the APPs into the Stage II child care program lose their employment status:

A. The APP:

• Contacts the AEC/EC to notify them that their client is no longer working by sending an email message to the AEC/EC and their supervisor.

Note: If the client is no longer on aid, no further interaction with CWES staff is needed.

B. The AEC/EC:

• Contacts the client to assign to the next appropriate activity.
• Forwards a copy of the Welfare-to-Work Activity Assignment (WTW 2) or Welfare-to-Work Activity Referral Form (SCD 1723) to the APP.

C. The APP:

• Continues Stage II child care services.
• Ensures child care services are provided to support the client’s WTW activity.

Note: If the AEC/EC determines the client is no longer working prior to receiving information from the APP, the AEC/EC must email the information to the APP.

Re-entry to the CWES Program

The APPs will continue to provide child care services when clients reapply for cash aid and re-enter CWES while receiving Stage II child care.

If a client is receiving Stage II child care at the time of reapplication for cash aid and the client once again becomes a CWES client, the process below applies:

A. The AEC/EC:

• Reviews the client’s child care needs, during the CWES Orientation. If the client indicates on the CalWORKs Child Care Request Form and Child Care Payment Rules (CCP 7) and/or the Getting to Know YOU (SCD 1772) form that they are receiving child care from one of the APPs, the AEC/EC informs the client that the APP will continue to assist with the child care services needed to participate in their assigned WTW activity.
• Forwards a copy of the WTW 2 or SCD 1723 to the APP.

B. The AEC/EC:

• Will contact the PAS Unit to confirm the status of any clients receiving Stage II Child Care.
• When necessary, send an email to verify whether the client is still enrolled in, or receiving child care services from, the APP or any other child care agency.

C. The PAS Unit:

• Notifies the client’s AEC/EC that child care is being provided by the APP by:
  • Confirming enrollment status.
  • Sending an email to the AEC/EC and their supervisor.

D. The AEC/EC:

• Discontinues Stage I child care, if the client failed to disclose their Stage II child care services during the Appraisal.
• Documents the discontinuance of Stage I child care by adding a Journal Entry in CalSAWS using Journal Entry Type, "WTW" with "Child Care" in the Short Description field.

E. The APP:

• Continues to provide Stage II child care services to support the client’s WTW activity(ies).

Note: In the event the client transfers back from Stage I to Stage II, the client is to receive a new 24-month period in Stage II.