Child Care Service Payment Principles

Reimbursement

Child care payments are reimbursements which do not exceed the RMR ceiling. The child care payment is always issued as a reimbursement to the provider and is based upon actual costs of child care provided.

Fixed Schedule

Payment for absences may include payments to a licensed child care provider who has a “Fixed Schedule” policy in writing. A “Fixed Schedule” policy requires payment during the child’s absence from day care due to the parent’s absence from their welfare-to-work activity. A copy of this policy must be on file. Payment cannot exceed two consecutive weeks.

Lost Documentation

The County is not responsible for documentation that is lost in the mail.

Notice of Action (NOA)

The county must notify the client whenever there is an approval, denial, change or discontinuance in the amount of subsidy paid by the county for child care. A 10-day NOA is required for the discontinuance, decrease, or when there is an interruption in the child care payment.

Whenever a notice is not issued through CalSAWS, a copy of the notice of action MUST be forwarded to Imaging. It is the client’s sole responsibility to communicate information in regards to child care subsidy to their provider.

If the payment to the provider is a different amount than the amount the provider billed, the “Child Care Payment Adjustment” (SCD 1736) must be issued. Refer to Adjustments.

Co-Payment

A client may choose a child care provider whose rates exceed the RMR ceiling. The county will not pay those child care costs that are in excess of the RMR. The client is responsible for these costs. This is referred to as a Co-Payment.

Change in Rate Ceiling

When notified there is a change in the child care provider, a change in the hours of care, or when a child turns 2, school age, or turns 13 years old, the rate ceiling for that child must be reviewed. When a revision is necessary a new NOA needs to be issued to the client. If there is a decrease in their RMR or child care payments are discontinued, a timely notice of action must be issued. Any changes are effective the first of the following month.

Note: When a child turns age 13, unless he or she meets a special needs criteria, child care is discontinued prior to the end of the family’s 12-month continuous child care period.

When a child who enters kindergarten at 5 years of age the “6 years and older” rate ceiling is used. 

Example Example A 5-year-old enrolled in kindergarten would be paid at the school-age (6+ years) category for before and after-school care. A 5-year-old NOT enrolled in kindergarten would be paid at the preschool (2–5 years) category.