Background

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) requires that each child receive at a minimum a full 12-months (365 days) of eligibility for publicly funded child care. Currently twelve months of eligibility, calculated in the Ohio Benefits (OB) system, begins on the date of application, and ends the last day of the last month of eligibility. This calculation often results in less than 365 days of eligibility. Additionally, when a new child in need of care is added to an existing case, the new child's eligibility ends on the existing case's end date, resulting in less than 12 months of eligibility for that child.

Implementation

This communication is to inform that an update to the Ohio Benefits (OB) system is being made to align publicly funded child care eligibility to the Child Care and Development Block Grant requirements. The update to the OB system will authorize a minimum of 12-months of eligibility for each approved child within a household. Additionally, OB will ensure the eligibility period is set to at least 365 days per child at initial intake and recertification.

Beginning June 8, 2024, all child care eligibility determinations will contain a minimum of 12- months of eligibility per child, per household.

If a new child in need of care is added to the family, (this includes a new baby, a foster/kinship/adopted child, or when an ineligible child already on the case becomes eligible) the new child will receive 12-months (365 days) of eligibility. The case will receive a new eligibility end date from the date changes are reported for the new child to receive child care.  

Rule 5101:2-16-01 will be revised in the future to update the definition of “Eligibility period” in section (K).

Please contact the Family and Consumer Support Center at childcarepolicy@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov  or 1-877-302-2347, option 4.