Section 17b-749-09 - Application process(a)Filing an Application(1) The parent shall apply for assistance by submitting an application to the CCAP administrator using a form prescribed by the department. The parent may use a copy of the application form, provided the information submitted on the form is original and not copied. If the form submitted is obsolete or inadequate, the CCAP administrator may require the parent to complete a new application. The date of application shall be the date the initial application was filed.(2) If the family contains a minor parent, the minor or the minor's parent may submit the application. The parent of the minor parent shall be considered the applicant and shall be required to sign the application form before assistance is granted, unless the minor parent is emancipated by marriage or court decree.(3) The application form shall be submitted to the address specified by the department for the submission of applications. Applications received by the department at an address other than the one specified for the submission of CCAP applications shall be forwarded to the CCAP administrator within one business day of the date the application was received.(4) Parents may apply or reapply for the program at any time. The parent shall be required to complete a new application form with each application, except under the following circumstances:(A) when an application is reopened in accordance with the requirements of subsection (e) of this section, the CCAP administrator shall not require the parent to submit a new application form if the original application form submitted by the parent is not more than sixty days old; or(B) if the original application was denied because the parent did not comply with a request for missing information or verification, the CCAP administrator shall waive the requirement for submitting a new application form if the parent submits some or all of the missing information within sixty days of the previous application date.(5) Telephone contacts or other requests for assistance not utilizing the prescribed application form shall be considered inquiries and do not constitute an application.(6) At a minimum, the application form filed shall include the full name and address of the parent, the date and the parent's signature. Applicants shall not be required to submit a child care agreement form or other documentation with the application.(7) Application forms may be requested from the CCAP administrator by phone or in writing. Application forms requested by phone shall be mailed to the parent by the next business day following the date of the request. Application forms shall also be made available in local offices of the department at sites designated for the coordination of employment services activities for cash assistance recipients. Upon request, the CCAP administrator shall make application forms available in reasonable quantities to licensed child care providers, legal assistance organizations or other entities that regularly assist low and moderate income families.(8) Parents may be required to complete a telephone interview as part of the application process. Interviews may be scheduled by contacting the parent by phone, except that written notice shall be issued before an application is denied because the parent did not comply with attempts to complete the interview. Interviews shall be scheduled within thirty days of the date of application at a time mutually agreed to by the parent and the CCAP administrator.(b)Date of Application(1) The date of application shall be the date the signed and dated application form is received by the CCAP administrator at the address specified by the department for filing child care applications. If the application form is sent to the department, but to an incorrect address, the date of application shall be the earlier of the date the application is received by the CCAP administrator or the next business day following the date the application form was received by the department.(2) If the requirement to file a new application form is waived in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (a)(4)(B) of this subsection, the date of application shall be the date upon which the CCAP administrator receives documentation sufficient to reopen the applicant's case using a previously submitted application form.(3) For applications reopened in accordance with the requirements of subsection (e) of this section, the application date shall be the date the original application form was filed.(c)Application Processing(1) Applications shall be processed and eligibility determined within thirty days of the date that the CCAP administrator receives the application form, unless otherwise specified in this subsection. The first day of the processing period shall begin on the day following the date the application form was received. The parent shall be notified of the eligibility decision in accordance with the requirements of section 17b-749-07 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. The provider shall also be notified if a completed child care agreement form was submitted with the application.(2) Eligibility shall be determined when sufficient information exists to determine if the family is eligible or ineligible. If the application is incomplete, the CCAP administrator shall issue a notice to the parent requesting the information that is missing. The parent shall be given a minimum of fifteen days from the date the notice is issued to return the information to the CCAP administrator. The first day of the fifteen-day period begins on the day the notice was issued.(3) If the parent has not selected a provider by the time eligibility is determined, the CCAP administrator shall determine if the family is eligible for the program without regard to eligibility for payments. The parent shall be notified of the decision and informed that eligibility will be terminated if a provider is not selected and the information needed to enroll the provider is not submitted within thirty days. The CCAP administrator shall determine if a child is eligible for payment within ten days of the date the provider information is submitted. The family shall become ineligible if the information needed to determine payment eligibility for at least one child is not submitted within thirty days of the date assistance was granted.(4) Incomplete applications shall be denied only if the parent has been given at least fifteen days to comply with an initial request for missing information.(5) Parents shall be given additional time to respond to a request for missing information if good cause exists for not providing the information in accordance with the requirements of subsection (e) of section 17b-749-06 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Applications that remain incomplete after the fifteen day notice period has expired shall be processed without regard to the missing information if good cause does not exist. If eligibility has not been established, the application shall be denied and the parent notified.(6) The processing period shall be extended beyond thirty days under the following conditions as long as the parent continues to cooperate with the application process: (A) if good cause exists for not providing verification in accordance with the requirements of subsection (e) of section 17b-749-06 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, and the delay causes the application to remain pending for more than thirty days;(B) if the parent or provider was not given at least fifteen days to respond to an initial request for information;(C) if the parent responds timely to a request for missing information and the information submitted is either incomplete or requires additional verification before the application can be processed; or(D) if the CCAP administrator has assumed responsibility for obtaining missing information and has not been able to obtain the information.(7) The application shall continue to be processed if a good cause extension is granted or while the CCAP administrator is waiting to obtain additional verification. The extension shall continue for as long as necessary provided that the parent continues to cooperate and responds to written requests for verification in a timely manner. Additional verification or reverification of circumstances that have already been verified may be required if the application remains pending more than thirty days. The delay in processing the application shall be considered the responsibility of the parent as long as the CCAP administrator has taken prompt action to request the missing information in time to process the application within thirty days.(d)Application Dispositions(1) If the family is eligible and funding is available for the parent's priority group, the application shall be approved. A notice of eligibility for the program shall be issued to the parent if the information needed to enroll the provider and determine payment eligibility has not been submitted. The notice shall identify any action the parent is required to take to determine payment eligibility and the specified time frames.(2) If at least one child has been determined eligible for payment, a certificate of payment eligibility shall be issued to the parent and the approved provider. The parent shall also be notified of any actions that need to be completed to secure payment eligibility for other children in the home and the date for completing such actions.(3) If a family is eligible but funding is not available for the parent's priority group, the family shall be assigned to the wait list if the wait list is open pursuant to section 17b-749-10 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. If the wait list is closed, the application shall be denied.(4) If the application is denied, a copy of the notice shall be sent to any provider for whom a completed child care agreement form was submitted with the application.(e)Reopening Denied Applications(1) A denied application shall be reopened retroactive to the original date of application under the following conditions: (A) if the application was denied because the parent did not comply with a request for missing information; and(B) the parent is able to establish good cause for not submitting missing information within ten days of the date the application was denied in accordance with the requirements of subsection (e) of section 17b-749-06 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies; or(C) if some or all of the missing information is submitted to the CCAP administrator within ten days of the date the application was denied; or(D) if the application was denied in error.(2) Applications that are reopened shall be given priority over other pending applications. The CCAP administrator shall have thirty days from the date the application is reopened to complete the eligibility determination.(f)Applications Assigned to the Wait List(1) The CCAP administrator shall maintain a wait list if sufficient funding is not available to keep the program open for all priority groups. If a family meets the eligibility requirements for the program but funding is not available for the parent's priority group, the family shall be assigned to the wait list unless the wait list is closed pursuant to section 17b-749-10 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Parents and their providers shall be notified if the family is placed on the wait list.(2) If the commissioner chooses to close the wait list to some or all priority groups, applicants who fall into priority groups to whom the wait list is closed shall be denied. Action to close the wait list shall not be subject to an administrative hearing.(g)Eligibility Period(1) For families approved without assignment to the wait list, including families whose applications are reopened pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, eligibility shall be granted eligibility retroactive for up to fifteen days prior to the date of application if the family is otherwise eligible and using child care services as of that date.(2) Families selected from the wait list shall be granted retroactive for up to fifteen days prior to the date on which the parent submits required documentation in response to a notice of selection from the wait list or on the date specified by the CCAP program administrator, whichever is later.(3) If the parent did not timely submit information or verification needed to determine eligibility for a particular child without good cause, eligibility for the child shall begin on the date the parent provides some or all of the requested information or verification.(4) Eligibility shall be approved for up to a maximum of six months from the month of application. The CCAP administrator shall schedule a redetermination within six months in accordance with the requirements of subsection (b) of section 17b-749-18 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 17b-749-09
Adopted effective July 10, 2001