This letter transmits changes in copayment amounts for families who receive publicly funded child care benefits and instructions to county departments for implementation of the new copayments by February 1, 2005. In 2003, the department reduced income eligibility levels and increased copayments in an effort to contain program costs. Since then, many factors have resulted in the department now being able to reduce copayments for many families. The Monthly Child Care Family Copayment Table has been changed to reflect the decreased copayment amounts.

Effective with this letter, counties shall begin to review all cases in order to make changes to copayments by February 1, 2005.

The new copayment table shall be used when determining copayments for all cases that are reviewed, and for all applications, copayment reviews and annual redeterminations where a copayment change is made for February 1, 2005. Reimbursement to providers for services provided on or after February 1, 2005 shall be determined with the application of the new copayment amounts.

Rule 5101:2-16-39.1 Implementation of copayment changes for February 2005 contains the new Monthly Child Care Family Copayment Table and instructions to counties for implementation of the copayment change.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The following chart depicts what materials should be removed from and what materials should be inserted into the Child Care Manual (CCM).