The Announcement provides additional information to child care programs participating in Child Care Works (CCW) and the Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC) in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
During this emergency period, child care providers are encountering complex challenges that exceed the scope of normal operations. DHS recognizes that providers are impacted by mandated closure for significant periods of time due to COVID-19 impacts. In order to continue supporting child care providers through facility closures resulting from COVID-19, the Department is updating its previously issued guidance which addressed CCW payments through May 31, 2020.
Effective June 1, 2020, CCW payment will continue to child care providers, with the exception of providers who have been closed by Certification due to a negative sanction or who have reported permanent closure. Providers will continue to be paid based on enrollment, as of March 13, 2020, for those children who remain eligible for CCW through normal invoicing and payment methods.
In most cases the ELRC is not terminating CCW eligibility for families during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there are some instances where eligibility must end. During the COVID-19 closures, adverse actions will continue to occur for the following circumstance:
- Over income
- Loss of appeal
- Child turns 13
- Family moves out of PA
- Family assets over $1 million
- Intentional fraud
- TANF cases determined ineligible by the County Assistance Office
In addition, the ELRC can terminate eligibility if the family voluntarily withdrawals from the CCW program.
Providers will no longer be paid for children for whom an adverse action was issued.
This policy will be in effect through June 30, 2020.
The status of this policy will be reviewed and updated before the end of June 2020 to provide guidance to ELRC and inform the child care community of the policy beginning July 1, 2020.
