As a result of the directive from the Bureau of Child Care and Development (BCCD) and the director's office to extend all Early Learning Initiative (ELI) authorizations that existed on July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008, BCCD is expecting approximately 6000 ELI children to be due for redetermination of ELI eligibility in June 2008. In an effort to relieve some of the administrative burden of processing this number of redeterminations at the same time, BCCD is offering the following technical assistance:

County departments of job and family services (CDJFS) may begin ELI redeterminations as soon as April 1, 2008 for those cases that are due to be completed by June 30, 2008. When the CDJFS determines that a child continues to meet ELI eligibility requirements, the new twelve month eligibility period shall go into effect immediately. In the event that the redetermination results in a copayment increase, the increased copayment shall go into effect July 1, 2008 through the remainder of the twelve month eligibility period.

3299/CCIDS Entry Information: The new authorization should be created to follow the authorization already in the system. It should begin on 07/01/08 (or the day following the end date of the current ELI authorization if it does not end on 06/30/08 as it should). The new authorization should end on the last date of the pay cycle in the month in which redetermination period ends. This will reduce the occurrence of a child not being able to be authorized for subsidized child care during the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the same pay cycle to the same provider in accordance with 5101:2-23-03 (I) of the Ohio Administrative Code. For example, if a child is redetermined eligible on April 12, 2008 then the child's authorization would begin on 07/01/08 and end on 05/02/09. If the redetermination results in a copayment increase the new copayment amount would be entered on the newly created authorization only and the current authorization in the system that reflects the lower copayment amount would remain unchanged.

The electronic version of the Early Learning Manual is located at: http://emanuals.jfs.ohio.gov. The manual contains all rules, forms, transmittal letters and procedure letters that the department has issued to county departments of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) and to ELI providers.

Please contact the Office for Children and Families Help Desk at 1-866-886-3537, option 4 if you have questions.

INSTRUCTIONS: The following chart identifies the material that needs to be removed from and inserted into the Early Learning Manual (ELM).