Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
(a)
Child with disabilities. A
child with disabilities is defined as a child who receives Supplemental
Security Income (SSI), SoonerStart early intervention services documented on an
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), or special education services
documented on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) , by the child's local
school district. This definition also includes a child whose SSI payment stops
because of financial reasons , but who still meets the medical definition of
disability as determined by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
(1) When a child with disabilities is 13
through 18 years of age, the client must provide a statement from a licensed
health care professional verifying the child is physically or mentally
incapable of self-care as age appropriate before care is approved and annually
thereafter.
(2) When the licensed
health care professional states the child is capable of self-care as age
appropriate, subsidized child care benefits are not approved.
(b)
Special needs rate
approval process. The special needs rate, if approved, is paid in
addition to the rate paid for a typical child. When a child does not meet the
definition of a child with disabilities, the child is not approved for a
special needs rate. A child with disabilities may be approved for a moderate or
severe special needs rate unit type after the special needs rate approval
process is completed. When the worker determines the child is eligible for
subsidized child care benefits before the special needs rate approval process
is completed, the worker approves the child for a typical child unit type. The
special needs process includes steps described in (1) through (5) of this
subsection.
(1) The parent or caretaker must
provide proof the child meets the definition of a child with disabilities and
information about the child's care needs. Proof is required prior to approval
of the special needs rate and annually thereafter.
(A) For a child under 3 years of age, the
parent or caretaker submits the child's current IFSP. The IFSP verifies the
child receives SoonerStart services and documents the child's care
needs.
(B) For a child over 3 years
of age, the parent or caretaker submits the child's current IEP. The IEP
verifies the child receives special education services and documents the
child's care needs.
(C) When the
child receives SSI, the parent or caretaker submits the child's award letter or
other proof from SSA that verifies SSI receipt. When the child does not receive
SoonerStart or special education services, the parent or caretaker submits a
statement from a health professional describing the child's care
needs.
(2) The parent or
guardian, child care provider, Child Care Services (CCS) licensing staff, and
the Adult and Family Services (AFS) Child Care Subsidy staff completes the
appropriate sections of Form 08AD006E, Certification for Special Needs Rate for
Licensed Child Care Homes and Centers. Determination of special needs
certification requirements are made by the:
(A) AFS Child Care Subsidy staff for the
child; and
(B) the CCS licensing
specialist for the provider.
(3) AFS Child Care Subsidy staff uses Form
08AD007E, Scoring Sheet for Special Needs Rate Determination , to score the
08AD006E. The child's care needs must be within the scoring range shown on Form
08AD007E for moderate or high need to qualify for a special needs
rate.
(4) When the child and the
provider meet certification requirements for the special needs rate, the rate
is effective the first of the month following the month AFS Child Care Subsidy
staff signs Form 08AD006E. When the child does not start child care until after
the special needs rate is approved, the rate is effective the first date care
is approved.
(5) Once the child is
approved for one of the special need rates, a new Form 08AD006E is required
when:
(A) the child's needs change;
(B) the child moves to a different child care
facility;
(C) the child stops
attending the facility that was approved for the special needs rate unit type
for more than six months; or
(D)
CCS licensing staff withdraws the provider's special needs certification per
Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC)
340:110-1-9.1
and the provider subsequently demonstrates compliance.
(c)
Supplemental Security
Income-Disabled Children's Program (SSI-DCP). A child between birth to
18 years of age receiving SSI may be eligible for additional services per OAC
340:70-8-1 and
enrichment child care per OAC
340:40-7-8(f).
Added at 23 Ok Reg 1872, eff 7-1-06 ; Amended at 26 Ok Reg
820, eff 6-1-09 ; Amended at 28 Ok Reg 831, eff 6-1-11 ; Amended at 30 Ok Reg
657, eff 6-1-13
