Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) WFNJ/TANF child
care payments are available for care of an infant, toddler, preschool child,
school-aged child or child with special needs in various types of arrangements.
Full-time and part-time care are also available for eligible children of WFNJ
participants who are employed full-time and in receipt of cash assistance.
These families shall also be required to contribute to the cost of care as
delineated in
10:90-5.2.
(b) WFNJ/TANF families shall receive child
care services through the WFNJ program under the following additional
circumstances:
1. Payment for care of
school-aged children, which is normally limited to part-time or after school
care during the school year, shall be made at the full-day rates during summer
vacations and recognized vacations and holidays during the school year, for
example, Christmas, spring vacation, and so forth.
2. Alternate care arrangements shall be
provided by another approved provider for a child of an eligible participant
when authorized by the CCRR when the child is sick and primary care is
unavailable and for drop in care.
3. Payment shall be made for the cost of
transportation of a child to and from a day care center in accordance with
10:90-5.4.
i. In addition to the maximum allowable rate
for care, when transportation or the cost of transporting a child to and from a
licensed child care center or day camp is not available from any other source,
the CCRR shall allow the cost of transportation as prescribed by WFNJ standard
child care transportation rate.
ii.
When it is essential for physical health and safety, the cost of transporting a
disabled child to and from the registered family child care provider shall be
authorized.
4. Where
child care arrangements would otherwise be lost and the subsequent activity is
scheduled to begin within that period, a bridge payment shall be made for a
period not to exceed one month (defined as five weeks to accommodate calendar
months of up to 31 days for operational purposes).
(c) The duration of payment for WFNJ child
care benefits routinely available to participants in a WFNJ work activity is as
follows:
1. Employed WFNJ participants are
eligible to receive child care benefits:
i.
While the participant is employed and receiving TANF benefits; or
ii. For an extended period after the
commencement of employment that results in the ineligibility for
WFNJ/TANF.
2. The
following apply to payment for child care provided in special circumstances:
i. Payment shall not exceed the maximum rates
established by the Commissioner and promulgated by the DFD (N.J.A.C. 10:15-10
), and shall be limited to 60 calendar days unless extended upon request and
with the approval of the DFD. This payment shall be made by the CWA.
ii. Criteria for an extension of child care
in special circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, a continuation
of the serious conditions which precipitated the original request for the child
care, if there is an indication that the conditions will improve imminently in
order to permit the parent or caregiver to resume full-time care of the
child(ren).
iii. All decisions for
extension of child care shall be made on a case-by-case basis.
