10200 Child Care Benefits
DCF shall provide benefits for child care services from providers when clients have been determined eligible, the provider has been approved for payment, and a child care plan has been established for each child for each provider. Benefits for child care services may be issued to parents for payment to providers who are licensed or legally exempt per KDHE standards and who are enrolled by DCF after completing all necessary paperwork. See 10030.
Providers are required to complete contracts with FIS ebtEDGE and be able to have their payments be electronically deposited.
DCF provides child care benefits to eligible clients on the first day of each month. Clients use these benefits to purchase child care services from authorized child care providers throughout the month. Payment amount and frequency is decided between the client and provider. The child care benefits can only be used to purchase child care services from enrolled providers.
10210 Child Care Adjustments - See Appendix V-1, Electric Benefit Transfer System Guide.
10220 Reserved
10230 Reserved
10240 DCF Rates - DCF child care benefit rates are determined periodically based on a market analysis performed using from data gathered from Child Care Aware of Kansas . An DCF Maximum Hourly Benefit Rate Schedule is available. The DCF rates are maximum rates used to determine client benefit levels. If providers charge less than the maximum rate, DCF will use the provider rate. If providers charge more than the DCF rate to the private sector, DCF will use the maximum DCF rate for client benefits. Provider rates are assigned according to the provider's county of residence in Kansas. DCF enrolled providers may not charge DCF clients more than their charge to the private sector. For In-Home Relative rates, see 10270. In the case of an out-of-state provider participating in the Kansas program, the DCF rate used may not be more than the rate of the county in the Region signing the Agreement for Purchase of DCF Child Care that is nearest to the provider. See Appendix Item #C-18, Maximum Hourly Child Care Benefit Rate Schedule.
An enhanced benefit rate may be available to purchase care for a child with a physical, mental or emotional disability if that child requires care above and beyond typical care for a child of that age. A Request for Enhanced Rate for Special Care form (ES-1627a) is required to authorize this rate.
Approval for the enhanced benefit rate is made by DCF regional child care provider enrollment staff and is based on a Request for Enhanced Rate for Special Care form ES-1627a and documentation of the recommendations of a social worker or authorized professional. A copy of the request and the documentation are attached to the child care plan in the case file.
See 10260 (6) for further information on the enhanced rate for special care.
Providers are required to develop contracts regarding payment policies and charges to parents. The local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency can assist in developing a contract to be used with all parents. staff should instruct clients to ask questions about extra fees for services when choosing a provider and prior to signing a contract.
10250 Provider Rate Modification - Modified provider rates are effective the month following the month the change is made known to the agency.
A Rate Modification Request should be completed by the provider and modifications shall be made to the provider rates documented on the Agreement for Purchase of DCF Child Care and the system when provider indicates rates charged to the private sector have changed.
Rate changes may also apply when a provider changes provider type categories. Example - Provider changes from a Licensed Home to a Child Care Center.
Rate changes may also occur when approval is made for a child/provider to receive an Enhanced Rate for Special Care.