What temporary policy changes does CCAP allow?
Temporary policy changes currently:
- Expand absent day exemptions if a child is absent due to COVID-19
- Allow payment to providers that close temporarily due to COVID-19 for up to four weeks
- Permit payment to two providers for the same child, for the same days and times, during the time payment is temporarily allowed due to COVID-19 for a closed provider.
For more information about these temporary policies, refer to memos dated March 24, 2020, April 17, 2020, May 15, 2020, June 4, 2020, June 16, 2020, and August 7, 2020.
How have temporary policies changed?
The end date for the temporary policies listed above has been extended through November 11, 2020.
All other policies and procedures related to these temporary modifications remain the same.
What do I need to know?
Absent day exemptions
- For previous requests, no action is needed.
- Families and providers may continue requesting absent day exemptions due to COVID-19.
- For new absent day requests related to COVID-19, exemptions can be retroactive and begin no sooner than March 13, 2020 and must end on November 11, 2020.
Payments to closed providers, including payments to two providers when one is closed
- To be paid for closed days, you must follow policies and procedures in Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Information for Child Care Assistance Providers Related to COVID-19, Part IV (Closed Provider Update) to:
- Notify the Department of Human Services (DHS), Child Care Assistance Program staff in writing by emailing CCAP@state.mn.us.
- Bill closed days correctly.
- Billing guidance for providers that close due to COVID-19 has not changed. You must:
- Enter a note in the Billing Form’s Comment section regarding the closure on each bill submitted (applies to paper and electronic bills).
- Not mark absent days on billing forms.
- For paper forms, mark closed days with a “C.”
- For electronic forms submitted via MEC² PRO, bill as if the child is present.
- Not bill for more closed days than CCAP can pay. Overpayments could result if you receive more CCAP than the law allows.
- If your program is open to care for any children, you do not qualify for temporary closed policies. Children not in attendance must have an absent day exemption in order for you to be paid more than 25 absent days (or 10 consecutive). This includes situations when your program closes to specific age categories or classrooms.
- If the department previously approved four weeks of closed payments under current temporary policies, you cannot be paid for additional closed days. This update to temporary policy only extends the last day you may be paid for up to four weeks of closed days due to COVID-19.
General questions
Visit the State of Minnesota’s website with COVID-19 child care information for families and providers: https://mn.gov/childcare/.
Child Care Assistance Program questions
Contact your local Child Care Assistance Program agency (county, tribe or other agency that administers the program) with any questions. Local agencies must handle all specific case and payment actions.
For general policy questions, contact the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Child Care Assistance Provider Line at 651-431-4848, or by email at DHS.CCAP@state.mn.us.
Licensing questions
Call the Child Care Center Provider Hotline: 1-888-234-1268
- Option 1: Child Care Centers and Certified Child Care Providers
- Option 2: Family Child Care Providers
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