Sec.17b-749-11. Eligible children

(a) The child shall be less than thirteen years old or less than nineteen years of age, if the child has special needs. A child shall remain eligible through the last day of the month in which the child reaches the appropriate age limit, provided the child was eligible on the first day of that month. A child whose thirteenth or nineteenth birthday falls in the same month for which assistance is initially requested is not eligible for CCAP.

(b) A child shall be considered to have special needs if the child's independence, self-sufficiency and safety is dependent on others and the child requires extra supervision, care, or assistance in the child care setting due to the following physical, mental, behavioral or emotional conditions, including but not limited to:

(1) a physical handicap or health impairment that causes chronic or acute health problems, such as a heart condition, orthopedic impairment, tuberculosis, asthma, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, leukemia or congenital abnormality that has been diagnosed by a physician;

(2) mental retardation or autism spectrum disorder as diagnosed by a physician, pediatrician or psychologist;

(3) a behavioral or emotional disturbance, maladjustment or developmental delay that causes the child to exhibit marked and inappropriate behaviors or characteristics over extended periods that has been diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist or other clinically trained and state-certified mental health professional acting within his or her scope of practice;

(4) a speech, language, vision or hearing impairment that has been diagnosed by a physician or state certified health care professional acting within his or her scope of practice; or

(5) multiple handicaps that cause problems or interfere with the child's ability to function in the child care setting without extra care or supervision.

(c) Parents shall be required to notify the CCAP administrator and the provider if a child has special needs. A determination that a child has special needs shall not guarantee eligibility for additional or increased payments. The child's payment rate and eligibility for a special needs supplement shall be subject to the requirements of subsection (c) of section 17b-749-13 and subsection (b) of section 17b-749-16 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, respectively.

(d) The child shall meet the citizenship requirements established in subsection of section 17b-749-04 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(e) The child shall have age-appropriate immunizations in accordance with the childhood immunization schedule established by the Department of Public Health pursuant to section 19a-7 of the Connecticut General Statutes. Parents and providers shall certify that the child has had age-appropriate immunizations and has had age-appropriate comprehensive health screening examinations required by the Early and Periodic Screening and Diagnostic Treatment Program established under 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(r) or according to the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parents shall provide documentation of age-appropriate immunizations and other health information to the provider and the CCAP administrator upon request, including the name and address of the child's physician, primary health care provider and health insurance company.

(f) If a child who receives care has not been immunized, the parent shall have sixty days from the date assistance is granted to verify that the child has begun the immunization process. The child's benefits shall be terminated if the parent does not provide the required verification within sixty days. The child shall remain ineligible until such time that the parent verifies that the child has been or is in the process of being immunized. If there are no other eligible children in the home, the family shall become ineligible.

(g) The CCAP administrator shall waive the immunization requirement if the parent is able to demonstrate that the child's medical condition or the parent's sincere religious beliefs preclude the child from being immunized.

(Adopted effective July 10, 2001)