CCMPL 154 (Copayments Temporarily Waived for Publicly Funded Child Care)
Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No. 154
May 4, 2022
TO: All Child Care Manual Holders
FROM: Matt Damschroder, Director
SUBJECT: Copayments Temporarily Waived for Publicly Funded Child Care

Background:

Amended Substitute House Bill 110 of the 134th General Assembly set aside funding in Section 307.270 to assist families receiving publicly funded child care (PFCC) with their copayments.

Implementation:

Beginning May 8, 2022, copayments for families receiving PFCC will be temporarily waived.  As a result, child care providers who provide PFCC will not collect copayments from caretakers who are receiving PFCC benefits. This temporary change is permitted per rule 5101:2-16-05(D)(3), of the Ohio Administrative Code, which indicates that the family copayment is effective unless the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) requires a change in the copayment.

ODJFS will add the assigned copayment amount to the provider’s PFCC payment during the period that copayments are waived. Providers will be issued full payment for child care services provided.

Copayments will continue to be calculated and displayed in the system and on notifications.  County agencies can view copayment amounts in CCIDS and Ohio Benefits.  The county agency should not override the copayment amount in the system during this effort.

The Time, Attendance and Payment system will display copayment amounts for providers and families.  The copayment amounts are not to be collected by providers.

Additionally, paragraph 38 of the "Provider Agreement for Publicly Funded Child Care" states that ODJFS may communicate, and that the provider shall comply with instructions and requests concerning the performance of the services described in the provider agreement. Programs who require a copayment from families during the period of the temporary waiver may be found to be in violation of the provider agreement.

Once the funding to waive the copayment is no longer available, child care providers will be notified that the copayment will no longer be waived and the caretaker will be responsible to pay their copayment.

Please contact the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at childcarepolicy@jfs.ohio.gov or 1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any questions.