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Message TUITIONASSISTANCEGUIDEThink you don’t qualify- think again!Vermont allocates a portion of its tax revenue to fund the ChildCare Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP).These funds provide direct subsidies to childcare providers onbehalf of eligible families. This ensures that more families canaccess affordable, high-quality childcare.your incomeWHAT IS THECHILDCARE ASSISTANCEPROGRAM?now with expandedincome levels!WHY APPLY?Higher-income limits mean more familiesqualify.No out-of-pocket tuition while yourapplication is being processed.Quality childcare for your child, peace ofmind for you.NO OUT-OF-POCKETTUITION WHILE YOU ARE INTHE PROCESS OF APPLYING!Healthy Kids offers up to 4 free weeks of childcarewhile you are in the process of applying for tuitionassistance through the CCFAP program The program is designed to make high-quality After School, andSummer Camp Programs accessible for families like yours. Through Act 76, eligibility for the Child Care Financial AssistantProgram increased to include thousands more Vermont childrenand their families.

FAMILY SIZEMAX MONTHLYINCOME TO QUALIFYFAMILY OF 3 ORLESS$12,770FAMILY OF 4$15,405FAMILY OF 5$18,041FAMILY OF 6 ORMORE$20,676AM ICCFAP is a State of Vermontprogram for families that live here.eligible?Eligibility is generallybased on a few factors1.2.3.Live in VermontHave a reason forneeded child care.Meet the incomeguidelinesThere are many reasons your family mightneed childcare such as:having a jobbeing self-employedbeing in a training or education programyour family has significant stressyour child has special needsWHAT IF YOU DON’T APPEAR TOQUALIFY?Eligibility for the Child Care Financial Assistance Program dependson a lot of different factors and your family may still qualify. Weencourage all families to reach out to their local Community ChildCare Support Agency office to determine eligibility.When in doubt- reach out!Locate a list of local agencies and their contactinformation athttps://dcf.vermont.gov/contacts/partners/cccsaPlease see the last page for more information on understanding your weeklyfamily share. In some cases, you will not owe as much as the state may detrmine.

Additional forms may be requireddepending on your circumstances, such as aChild Special Health Needs Form or a ChildSupport Form. All forms can be found athttps://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/families/formsDO I NEEDTO APPLY?DO IAPPLY?What HowA list of family memebersYour household incomeVerification oftraining/education,employment, self-employmentor seeking employmentYou can apply for Child Care FinancialAssistance online through the CDDIS portal,where you can also upload any requireddocuments. Prefer paper? You can also apply inperson or by mail.ONLINE:BY MAIL/IN PERSON: To apply online, please visit theCDDIS Family Portal at my.vermont.govDownload an application fromhttps://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/families/forms andthen submit your completed application by mailor in person to your local Community Child CareSupport Agency After you apply, an Eligibility Specialist willreview your application and determine if yourfamily qualifies. The Eligibility Specialist mayreach out with questions or request additionalinformation.If your application is approved, you will receivea statement with what the state will pay andyour family’s weekly share, if applicable. Desired schedule & provider

frequentlyASKEDQUESTIONS1.UNDERSTANDING YOURWEEKLY FAMILY SHAREYour Eligibility Specialist willdetermine a family share for youhowever, that is not always theamount you will pay to us. Here’s a quick example to help explainhow we calculate what you’ll pay eachweek:If the state-approved rate for summercamp is $371, and our rate is $250, andyour assigned family share is $150, thestate subtracts your family share andcovers the remaining $221.Instead of collecting the full $150 fromyou, we only collect the differencebetween our rate and what the statepays.So in this case, your payment to HealthyKids would be: $250 (our rate) - $221(state payment) = $29 per week.Once you're approved for assistance,we'll calculate this for you and keep itclear and transparent!WHAT IF I AM DENIEDELIGIBILTY?If you are denied eligibility or you arenot satisfied with the assistance youreceive, you may request an appealwith the Child Development Division ORa Fair Hearing with the Human ServicesBoard.If you request an appeal, the Child CareFinancial Assistance Unit will review theappeal and notify you of a decision. You must request an appeal within 30days of the eligibility determination. 4.5.WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD ISABSENT?If your child is absent, the program willstill cover up to 30 absences within afiscal year. If your child exceeds theallowed absences, you will beresponsible for paying out-of-pocketfor those missed days. Extended orunreported absences could also lead toa review of your eligibility and possiblediscontinuation of assistance.3.2.WHAT IF MY FAMILY SHARE ISMORE THAN HEALTHY KID’SRATES?Your approval is typically valid for 12months before requiring recertification.During this period, you must report anysignificant changes in income,employment, or householdcircumstances to your EligibilitySpecialist, as these may impact youreligibility. You will also need tocommunicate any additional programsyou are registering your child for, asthey may need separate approval (suchas summer camp or schools out).HOW LONG IS MY APPROVALGOOD FOR?STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?Our Subsidy Team is happy to help! Our team can try to help with any additional questionsyou may have or point you in the direction of your local CCFAP office.845-330-0200 vtsubsidy@healthykidsprograms.comIn some cases, your family’s assignedshare is higher than our weekly tuitionrate. When this happens, the statedoes not pay anything, and the fulltuition amount is your responsibility.Example: If the state rate is $371, ourprogram rate is $250, and your familyshare is $375—the state won’tcontribute because your share exceedsboth. Your payment to Healthy Kidswould be $250 per week.