[TEA Policy 5110] has been revised in accordance with Arkansas Act 1264 of 2001 to incorporate a 36 month lifetime limit and a minimum number of hours of work requirement for ESS Child Care assistance.

[TEA 5110.1] is a new subsection that incorporates into policy the minimum hours of work per week requirement.

[TEA 5110.2] is a new subsection that incorporates the requirement to verify hours of employment and earnings via the new verification form DCO-1414, ESS Child Care Request for Verification of Earnings and Hours of Employment.

[TEA 5112] has been revised to update the number of hours of employment required to be eligible for the $100 earned income deduction. This revision has been made in accordance with the revised DCC regulations.

Current ESS child care recipients will be notified by the county of the new lifetime limit and minimum hours of work requirements via form DCO-1413, ESS Child Care Lifetime Limit and Minimum Hours of Work Requirement. In addition, the county will send individual notices via the revised DCO-1412 regarding the number of months used and remaining in the client's lifetime limit.

Lifetime Limit

The 36 month lifetime limit for ESS Child Care is retroactive to September 2001. Below are implementation procedures for cases that began receiving ESS child care prior to and in and after September 2001.

• Cases that began ESS Child Care Prior to September 2001

Families who began receiving ESS child care prior to September 2001 are currently receiving based on the sliding fee scale. These individuals will continue to receive child care based on the sliding fee scale. They may receive child care for up to 36 months beginning with September 2001.

• Cases that began ESS Child Care In or After September 2001

The 36 month lifetime count for families who began receiving ESS child care in or after September 2001 will be based on the actual number of months child care is paid. The first 12 months received in or after September 2001 will be at no cost.

ESS Child Care Report Inquiry System

The ESS Child Care Report Inquiry System has been developed to track the number of months an individual has received ESS Child Care since September 2001. The system is accessed through DHS Gold as follows:

• On DHS Gold homepage, click on DCO

• Under the DCO Data heading, click on ESS Child Care Inquiry

• On ESS Child Care page, click on the access link and follow instructions on the remaining screens

The system will automatically update the count each month a provider bills and is paid for five or more days of child care services.

NOTE: The inquiry system is only updated when the provider is paid. There may be a time lag between the month the service is provided and when the provider is paid. All available information should be used to determine the number of months the client has used prior to notifying the client of the number of months used and remaining and when reauthorizing services.

Minimum Hours

Current ESS child care recipients who are not meeting the hours of work requirement will be notified via the DCO-1412 that they must meet the minimum requirement in order to remain eligible beyond their current authorization period. If the individual does not meet the minimum requirement by the end of the current ESS child care authorization period, the authorization will not be renewed.

• Child Care Reauthorizations

Beginning with the first reauthorization of ESS child care following closure of the TEA case, income and hours of employment must be verified via DCO-1414, ESS Child Care Request for Verification of Earnings and Hours of Employment.

Inquiries to: Lorie Williams, TEA Unit, 682-8256

Gerry Reed, TEA Unit, 682-8253

Renee Green, TEA Unit, 682-8266

Paula Gentry, TEA Unit, 682-8182