Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
Child Care Assistance Program
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Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provides financial assistance to eligible low-income families who need child care benefits for children from birth to age 12. If you are eligible, a portion of the total child care cost will be paid. You will be required to pay a portion of the childcare costs directly to the provider based on family size and income.

Boulder County administers CCAP alongside its other self-sufficiency-supporting services. This means that we are able to more quickly connect you with other services you may need, including food and housing assistance, Medicaid, and Work Supports.

Eligibility

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Boulder County children ages 0 months to 12 years who live with:

  • An adult or teen caretaker/parent that is in an eligible activity:
    • Employed/ self-employed
    • Job Searching (thirteen weeks)
    • Post-Secondary Educational Activities (104 weeks and up to first Bachelor’s degree)
    • Educational Activities (teen parents in JR or SR High School, GED classes, ESL, and Adult Basic Ed/ Vocational Training)
  • or Families receiving Colorado Works/TANF and referred by their Case Manager

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be a County Resident,
  • Must pay a portion of care or parent fee based on household income,
  • Must choose a CCAP-eligible child care provider,
  • Must be approved before using care,
  • Must use the Attendance Tracking System (ATS) at your provider
  • For continued assistance you must complete the CCAP redetermination process every twelve (12) months.

Income & Resource Limits

Find out more about the income limits for all programs.

How to Apply

There are several ways to apply for CCAP benefits. The electronic forms are recommended. The application will take about 30 minutes to complete, and you will need to attach some supporting documents. Please review the list ‘What you will need to provide’ at the bottom of this page. When you have the documents and are ready to apply, select one option below that is best for you to get started.

Electronically (Recommended):

  • CCAP-Only Application (English)
  • CCAP-Only Application (Spanish)
  • Colorado PEAK is a state online service for Coloradoans to screen themselves and apply for multiple benefits like medical, food, and cash assistance and childcare programs. Visit Colorado PEAK to see if you are eligible and to apply online.

Paper:

In Person:

  • Paper applications can be picked up at one of our offices.
    • Boulder Location: 3460 Broadway Street
    • Longmont Location: 515 Coffman Street

Notes:

  • Paper applications or supporting documents can be faxed or Emailed:
  • If your application is denied, you still have additional options that we can discuss with you. Contact the CCAP team at 303-441-1000.
  • You can access additional public assistance benefits forms

What you will need to provide:

In order for your household to be determined for CCAP benefits you will need to turn in the following to the County Office:

  • Your completed and signed CCAP application ~AND~
  • Verification of County Residency: this can be a current utility bill, current lease, current landlord letter, or current auto registration.
  • Verification of all earned income for all adults on CCAP case:
    • VOE – Verification of Employment form any NEW employment (within last 60days); OR
    • Last 30 days of current paystubs for established employment older than 60 days; OR
    • Self-Employed adults on CCAP case:
    • Please provide your last 30 days of income and hours worked.
  • Verification of any unearned income: Including but not limited to child support, unemployment, or social security.
  • If in school/training activity: Verification of Program of study or unofficial transcript.
  • Verification of eligible activity schedule: Only if care is needed outside of traditional care hours of 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM Monday-Friday.
  • Child Visitation Schedule: Complete the visitation form if the Child(ren) you are requesting care for have visitation with a non-custodial parent.
  • Child Care Provider/Location/License number

For Providers

Manual Claims

Please use this link to submit manual claims. Contact CCAPbilling@BoulderCounty.org with any questions. Manual claims are due within 60 days from the end of the month the care was provided.

Special Needs Packet

Boulder County pays higher rates for children that have been determined to have additional care needs and are receiving CCAP benefits. Additional care needs rates may also be paid for a child who is age 13 up to age 19 and is unable to care for him/herself. If you believe the child in your care has a special need, please fill out the CCAP Additional Care Request form and attach the child’s IEP, IFSP or medical/mental health provider form if you have it.

Unpaid Parent Fee

  • Please fill this form out if you have a family that has not paid their parental fee (in the past 30-60 days).

Non-Attending Child(ren)

  • For any child who is not enrolled or no longer attending, please update their status in ATS. In your site’s ‘Children List’ in ATS, under ‘Confirmed CCCAP Authorization in Use’, select the “X.”

Provider Handbook

  • For more information about becoming a CCAP provider please review the Provider Handbook provided by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

Forms

CCAP Application

Electronic:

Paper:

CCAP Additional Forms

(Only needed at the request of CCAP Staff)

Client Responsibilities

Self-Employment

CCAP Redetermination

(Annual Recertification for Ongoing CCAP Clients)

Electronic:

Paper:

FAQs

Attendance Tracking System (ATS)

What is Attendance Tracking System?

This is the web based system for marking attendance for our CCAP families that replaced the POS machines in April 2018. For more information please visit Colorado Office of Early Childhood look under Use the Attendance Tracking system (ATS) for more detailed assistance.

Where can I find ATS training videos to help me learn how to use this system?

Please study the helpful PARENT videos. The child care center and home providers should study the PROVIDER videos

How do I get the 8-number to start using CCAP?

When a parent receives their CCAP authorization, they will receive a welcome email from the state. They will click on the link and select an 8 number code to be used for all their attendance tracking. The code cannot repeat itself in a series and also cannot begin with zero.

What If my child(ren) arrives to school on the bus?

The CCAP providers have been instructed to sign in your child for you. You will need to approve that “pending” attendance within 9 days. When counting the 9 days please be sure to include the weekends.

What does PENDING mean?

Pending means the child care provider checked your children in and out on your behalf. It is the adult caretaker’s responsibility to approve, modify or delete those pending attendance days according to actual attendance. Do not ever approve attendance if your child was absent that day as that would be considered fraudulent.

The expectation is that at pick up the parent will sign into the ATS kiosk and look for any pending attendance under the confirmation column. View YouTube videos for any additional tutoring on this subject.

What if miss the deadline for approving pending attendance?

It is very possible that the payment will become the responsibility of the adult caretaker to pay the provider for the day left in pending attendance. This is the same rule with missed swipes in POS.

Why does it show 11:59pm (pending) for a check-out?

When you see an 11:59pm pending that means neither parent nor provider checked the child out; the machine did so instead. Since it is in pending mode the parent will need to click on the time and change it to the correct check out time before approving. The 9 day window (including weekends) apply for approving pending attendance.

How does ATS work when there are two CCAP cases for one child?

If parents each have their own CCAP case due to individual custody arrangements, the parents will need to talk with the child care provider to plan how they will coordinate check in and out to avoid confusions.

What documents I need to submit?
  • Your completed CCAP application signed by primary applicant.
  • Verification of all household income including: child support, SSI, Unemployment etc.
  • Original photo ID – for adult members of your household
  • U.S. citizenship verification birth certificates for all children needing CCAP.
  • Proof of county residency- current utility bill, lease, or vehicle registration in your name. Letter from landlord, roommate or relative with whom you reside.
  • Name of the child care provider you will be using including the name of the center, address or location, phone/ or and provider ID #.
  • Visitation information (copy of court order or written information.
  • There are additional acceptable forms of verification, please ask your Eligibility Intake staff. You may be asked for additional verification not on this list based on reported information on application.

If you are working we will also need one of the following:

  • The last 30 days of pay stubs of all adult members of your household OR
  • Completed verification of employment form for any new job(s) less than 60 days
  • The Verification of Employment Form detailing rate of pay and your pay frequency.

If you are self-employed we will also need:

  • The last 30 days of pay stubs or ledgers including all income and expenses with supporting invoices and receipts for all self-employed adult members of your household.
  • Statement of anticipated work schedule.

If you are a student we will also need:

  • A letter from your school verifying the program you are in, the degree or certificate you will receive, and your anticipated graduation date.

If you are a Teen Parent you will need:

  • Verification that you are in a High School diploma or GED program. If you live with parent, relative- a letter from them stating that you live with them and a bill in their name showing the address where you and your child reside. If requesting care during non-traditional hours (6:00 PM – 6:30 AM) a verified work or school schedule is required.
When will my CCAP child care begin?

The County will be able to begin processing your CCAP benefits when the completed application AND all of the required verifications have been received. CCAP benefits will begin the date your CCAP caseworker determines that all eligibility requirements are met and when all required documents have been received (not the date on the application).

How is the monthly parent fee calculated?

Parent fees are based on gross countable income for the child care household compared to the household size and in consideration of the number of children in care and amount of care requested. Full-time care is requested care over 5 hours per day and Part- time care is 5 hours or less. The parent fee is paid by the CCAP family directly to the child care provider. To request a reduced parent fee due to an unexpected financial hardship please fill out this form

How can I get help finding child care?

Please contact our partners at Mile High United Way’s Child Care Options, providing child care resource and referrals for Colorado at 877-338-CARE (2273).

If I live in Boulder County and work in another county, do I have to use a provider in Boulder County?

No, as long as the childcare provider accepts Boulder County CCAP and has a signed fiscal agreement with Boulder County.

Can you explain the various types of child care providers that can accept CCAP?

Yes, there are several types:

  • Licensed family child care home -must hold a valid Colorado license number and be in compliance with the rules and regulations required by the state. Licensed homes provide care for up to six children plus two additional school age children in a home setting. Child care may be available during any part of the day including weekends on a part-time or full-time basis. Licensed home providers set their hours, plan their curriculum and set their own policies on discipline, meals, potty training and other similar child rearing issues. Licensed home providers have first aid and CPR training, as well as training in child care related courses, and are inspected by the child care licensing inspectors.
  • Licensed child care center– these child care centers provide care for five or more children in a non-residential setting. Child care centers must be licensed to provide child care services and must comply with state regulations. The ages of children in care are specified on the license but may include infants, toddlers, preschoolers or school-age children. Child care centers are inspected by the State Health Department and local fire officials in addition to child care licensing inspectors. This setting should provide activities to promote your child’s development while interacting with other children.
  • Qualified Providers or legally exempt providers are not required to be licensed to provide child care and may participate in CCAP. Boulder County does not currently allow fiscal agreements with non-licensed providers.
I am moving to or from another county. Can’t I simply transfer my CCAP benefits?

Your current county CCAP benefits will continue to provide CCAP services until your redetermination. At redetermination you will need to apply in your new county of residence.

If you need assistance with your case, please contact the CCAP team at 303-441-1000 or imaging@bouldercounty.org and a technician will be happy to assist you.

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Phone: 303-441-1000
TTY: 1-800-659-3656
Fax: 303-441-1523
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Boulder, CO 80306

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515 Coffman Street
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