Sec.17b-749-14. Certificates of payment

(a) Authorizing Payments

(1) The CCAP administrator shall determine payment eligibility at the time assistance is granted if the information needed to enroll the provider was submitted with the application. If the information needed to determine payment eligibility was not submitted with the application, payment eligibility shall be determined within ten days of the date the completed child care agreement form and other information needed to determine payment eligibility is received.

(2) The CCAP administrator shall issue a certificate of payment to the parent and the provider if payment is approved. The certificate of payment is evidence of payment eligibility. Certificates of payment shall be issued for a particular child, provider and location of care, number of hours of care and for a specified period. Child care services provided outside the scope of the certificate shall not be eligible for payment by CCAP. A certificate of payment shall not be considered a grant or contract between the department and the child care provider.

(3) Certificates of payment shall include the names of the parent, the child and the provider, the number of authorized hours of care, the certificate authorization period, the maximum approved cost, the monthly fee where applicable, the approved payment amount and the payment authorization period.

(4) Certificates of payment shall be issued even when the authorized payment is zero due to the application of the monthly fee, provided another child is eligible to receive a payment.

(b) Payment Authorization Period

(1) Payment shall be limited to child care services provided between the start and end dates of the certificate of payment. The payment authorization period shall not exceed six months for any individual certificate.

(2) Payments may be authorized for up to ten days prior to the start of an activity if the parent is required to pay for services before the activity starts to secure a child care slot with a licensed provider. Payment shall be authorized prior to the start of the activity only if the slot would otherwise be filled because of a lack of vacancies in the program. Payments shall not be authorized in advance of the activity if care is given by an unlicensed provider.

(3) For families newly approved for participation in the CCAP program, the payment start date shall be the later of the following dates:

(A) the date the family becomes eligible for the program pursuant to subsection (g) of section 17b-749-09 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies;

(B) the date child care services begin; or

(C) fifteen days prior to the date the completed child care agreement is submitted to the CCAP administrator if the application was granted without an approved provider for the child.

(4) For active families, the payment start date shall be the applicable date specified in section 17b-749-19 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(c) Payment End Date

(1) Eligibility for payment shall terminate automatically as of the date printed on the certificate of payment. Additional notice shall not be required.

(2) A certificate of payment shall be cancelled prior to the date indicated on the certificate under the following circumstances:

(A) if the family or child becomes ineligible for CCAP;

(B) if the child care provider becomes ineligible for CCAP; or

(C) if changes in household circumstances, the activity schedule or provider arrangements require recalculation of the benefit.

(3) Notice shall be given pursuant to the requirements of subsection (c) of section 17b-749-07 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(4) Payment eligibility shall end on the earlier of the following dates:

(A) the date specified on the certificate of payment;

(B) the last day services are provided;

(C) six calendar months from the start of the payment authorization period, but not later than the last day of the month family is scheduled for redetermination;

(D) the day the ten day advance notice of adverse action expires; or

(E) the date the notice of adverse action is issued if advance notice is not required.

(Adopted effective July 10, 2001)