There are four types of license-exempt care - these providers are not licensed by DCFS:

Child Care Home Exempt from Licensing – No more than three (3) children may be cared for, including the provider’s own children under 12 years, unless all children are from the same household.

Relative in the home of the provider – Care provided in the home of a relative. No more than three (3) children may be cared for, including the provider’s own children less than 12 years, unless all children are from the same household.

Non-relative Exempt from Licensing – Care provided in the home of the child. No more than three (3) children may be cared for, including the provider’s own children less than 12 years, unless all children are from the same household.

Relative in the home of the child – Care provided in the home of the child. No more than three (3) children may be cared for, including the provider’s own children less than 12 years, unless all children are from the same household.

If you are new to the Child Care Assistance Program and have never received CCAP payments before, you will need to supply the following to get approved as a license-exempt CCAP provider:

1. A copy of your valid Illinois driver’s license or state ID

2. A copy of your signed social security card

3. A completed W9 form

4. A completed Authorization for Background Check Form in addition to everyone over 13 years of age in the household if you are providing care in your home; this form must be sent to you from our office

If you are NOT related to the child you are caring for, you will need to be fingerprinted in addition to everyone over 17 years of age in the household if you are providing care in your home; this form must be sent to you from our office

5. Documented completion of the Health & Safety requirements

Even if you have previously received CCAP payments, it's possible you may need to update the following paperwork:

1. If it has been over a year since receiving a state payment, you will need to re-submit a W9 form

2. If you have not completed the proper background check requirements for your type of care, you will need to do this

3. If your name has changed, you will need to resubmit all documentation with your new name

As part of the application process, license-exempt home providers must submit a copy of their Social Security Card and a copy of their valid state-issued photo I.D. ( Illinois driver's license, state I.D., or military I.D.).

*PLEASE NOTE: In order to be a valid I.D., it must be current (not expired), and have the provider's address as listed on the application. If the address does not match, the provider will be required to obtain a new photo I.D..

There are two types of licensed child care home settings - these providers are licensed and monitored by IDCFS:

Licensed Child Care Home – Care is provided in the licensed provider’s home. Licensed family child care providers may care for up to eight children, including their own children under 12 years of age, with some limits.

Licensed Group Child Care Home – Licensed group home providers may care for 12 or more children with a full-time qualified assistant with some limits.

For more information on these types of care you can visit: DCFS Sunshine website.

If you have never received CCAP payments, you will need to supply the following to get started:

1. Copy of your valid daycare license

2. Rate Certification Form

3. A completed W9 form

If you have received CCAP Payments previously, you may need to update some of the following paperwork:

1. If it has been over a year since receiving a state payment, you will need to re-submit a W9 form.

2. You will need to re-submit a rate certification form every time you change your rates.

3. You will need to re-submit a copy of your valid daycare license when anything changes with your licensing or you get an updated one (about every three years).

Once you have been approved to receive child care assistance payments, both you and the parent will receive an approval letter in the mail, within 30 days but typically much sooner. This letter contains information about the parent's approval, including the length of time you are eligible to receive payments (eligibility period), the amount you are required to collect from the parent each month (copayment), the children who are approved for child care reimbursement, the number of days per week are eligible for reimbursement (eligible days), and the daily rate in which the state will reimburse you (daily rate).

You want to be sure the parent has submitted their application within seven days of the child(ren) starting in your care because we can only backdate up to seven days from the date we receive the application. Parents are responsible for paying for any childcare provided before the start date listed on the approval letter.

Parents must renew or "redetermine" their case periodically - usually every 12 months - to continue receiving services. The parent will receive a "Redetermination" form in the mail nearly two months prior to their eligibility period ending. If the parent does not complete this form, or if the parent is no longer eligible for the program, a "Notice of Cancellation" will be sent you the parent and the provider as notification of the case not being renewed.

As the provider, it is your responsibility to collect the copayment, and any additional fees, for the child(ren) you cared for before and after the dates listed on the approval letter. If you do not receive a new approval letter after initial eligibility is established, with new eligibility start and end dates, you will not receive further payment from IDHS.

It is very important that you notify our office when your address has changed! If your address is not kept current, your payments could be delayed and you may not receive your monthly "Billing Certificate" or other important notices regarding the parent's case.

Licensed child care provider should also inform their DCFS licensing representative as they will need to be issued a new license.

As a condition of eligibility to receive a state subsidy for providing child care services to eligible families, all license exempt child care providers must agree, in writing, to a Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) check. Federal Regulations require the search of the State child abuse and neglect registries in the State where the individual lives and the States where the individual has resided for the past five years. All persons subject to CANTS checks shall also be screened through the Illinois and National Sex Offender Registries. In addition to these background checks, all non-relative license exempt child care providers, shall also complete and sign authorizations for a State and Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based criminal history record check and submit to fingerprinting, if required, to determine if the child care provider has prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges that may exclude them from the program.

The appropriate forms will be mailed to you once you have been approved on the parent's case.

A copayment is the portion of child care costs parents are required to pay the child care provider each month. Parent copayment amounts are listed on the approval letter. If the parent has more than one provider approved on their case, the approval letter will state which provider is required to collect the copayment each month (only one provider is issued the copayment amount, it is not split). If you are not assigned a copayment nothing will be deducted from your child care payments from IDHS, and there will be no copayment listed on your approval letter.

The assessed copayment amount is determined by IDHS and will vary because they are based on gross income, family size, and whether the child(ren) in care are considered full time or part time. Copayments could change each time a case is redetermined, or if there is a change in the family's income, family size, number of children in care, and schedule. If the copayment changes, you will receive a new approval letter indicating the change.

Copayments are should be directly paid to the provider listed on the approval letter. This copayment amount is deducted from the provider payment each month from IDHS, so if a parent does not pay the full copayment each month it will result in you not receiving full payment. Copay collection will depend on your preference. Parents and providers should agree on when, and how, the copayment will be paid monthly.

PLEASE NOTE: Providers MAY charge a parent more than the copayment each month if the daily rate you charge private paying parents is higher than the daily rate that IDHS will pay. However, you should not charge a CCAP parent a daily rate that is higher than what they charge a private paying parent.

The amount a child care provider is paid daily, or their daily rate, is determined by IDHS and is based on the type of care being provided (child care center, licensed home provider, or license exempt provider), the age of the child(ren), and the number of hours the child(ren) are in care. A full-day rate is for child(ren) in care more than five hours. A part-day rate is determined for child(ren) in care less than five hours, and a school age rate is typically determined for school age children attending before and after school hours. Make sure to discuss these rates with the parent so they understand how much you are charging.

Approval letters will list the maximum number of days per week the child care provider can be paid each month. Once approved, the provider will also receive the approval letter. The number of approved days is based on the parent's work and/or school schedule, hours listed on check stubs submitted with their application, and if/when the child(ren) are in school.

If you have never been approved to accept CCAP payments before, it could take 4 to 8 weeks to receive your first payment. This delay is due to information we need to collect from you, such as your legal name and social security number being recorded with the Illinois Office of the Comptroller (who issues payments). A W9 tax form will need to be completed for this reason, and the sooner you complete and returns this form, the sooner payments can be issued. License-exempt providers will also be required to submit a copy of you social security card and valid state-issued photo ID before being approved on a case. Once it's been determined that you can be paid by the State, you will receive your first "Child Care Certificate," then one each month moving forward. This billing form is completed by you, and reviewed by the parent, and determines how much IDHS will pay you for the month.

We do our very best to ensure providers are paid in a timely manner, however, payments can be delayed if your provider:

• Does not complete the W9 tax form as soon as possible;

• Does not send a copy of SSN card and photo ID;

• Does not notify us of a change in address;

• Mails a billing certificate that is not complete or is not signed in ink;

• Asks to be paid for more days than you are eligible;

• Does not have his or her name on the mailbox;

• Has not provided an apartment number.

IDHS Policy on Rates

1. Maximum Daily Rates

The rates listed in this section’s Payment Rate Chart are the maximum rates that the Illinois Department of Human Services will pay according to the provider type, County and length of time each day care was given.

2. Providers must not charge the State a higher rate for a parent receiving subsidized child care than is charged to their private paying clients. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

a. Discounted rates charged to private paying parents who pay at the beginning of the week or month. The discounted pre-pay rate is the maximum that can be charged to the State of Illinois for a family receiving subsidized child care assistance.

b. Discounted rates or fee reductions to families with more than one child in care. The discounted sibling rate must be applied to the State of Illinois for a family receiving subsidized child care assistance in the same manner as is applied to private paying families.

c. Providers who offer discounts for children of their private-pay employees must apply the same discount to their employees that are are approved for CCAP payments.

d. Sliding Scale Rates.

e. Scholarships

3. All discounted rates offered to private pay families must be reflected in the rates charged to the State of Illinois

• NOTE: Sections B. and C above do not apply to providers approved for an Attendance Exemption under Policy 02.06.01. for the duration of the attendance exemption.

4. Rate Types (Full-Time, Part-Time)

Use the part-time rate if the care is provided for less than 5 hours per day.

Use the full-time rate if the care is provided from 5 through 12 hours per day.

If the care provided is more than 12 hours but less than 17 hours in a day, use the full day rate for the first 12 hours of care and the part day rate for the remainder.

If the care provided is from 17 to 24 hours in a day, use the full day rate for the first 12 hours and a full day rate for the remainder.

5. Rate Changes

a. IDHS will notify CCR&Rs and CCAP providers any time the maximum daily rates will be changed.

b. If a provider is approved with a rate lower than the CCAP maximum, they can submit a Rate Certification Form (IL444-4469) at any time to increase their rate.

c. Providers can also submit a Rate Certification form to reduce their daily rates at any time.

d. Providers have 60 days to submit a rate certification form following an increase in CCAP reimbursement rates.

Typically, payment for child care services provided for the month will arrive about three weeks after our office receives the completed billing certificate.

The following is the process of being paid:

1. You receive a billing certificate.

You’ll receive a “Child Care Certificate” in the mail for each family you care for each month. A Center will receive a “Center Certificate Report” listing all the families together. This should arrive during the last week of every month.

2. You and the parent complete and mail the certificate.

On the "Child Care Certificate", you’ll be asked to write in the number of days during that month that you cared for each child. You and the parent must make sure the correct number is listed for each child. There will be a space for both you and the parent to sign. Centers receiving a Center Certificate Report are not required to submit parent signatures. After the last day of the month, mail the certificate or enter the payment by phone by using the IVR Telephone Billing System. "Certificates" should not be dated or submitted to our office prior to the last date of the month of care.

3. Your payment information is “entered.”

After your certificate is received in our office, your payment information will be entered into a state computer system within five (5) business days.

4. Payment is “vouchered” through IDHS.

The Illinois Department of Human Services processes your payment information and forwards it to the State Comptroller’s office.

5. Office of the Comptroller prints and mails your check.

Please note that neither Community Child Care Connection or IDHS actually issue checks. Payments are issued by the Office of the Comptroller. In addition, payments can be made by direct deposit or on the Illinois Debit Card.

Payments can take up to 30 days to be received once a "Certificate" is entered (Step 3). Payments are not considered to be late until it has been over 30 days. Payments can be tracked on the State of Illinois Comptroller's website.

There are a few options for receiving payment:

• Paper checks - this is the default form of payment for all providers.

• Direct deposit - you can set up direct deposit payments by calling the Office of the Comptroller at (217) 557-0930.

• State-issued debit card - you can set this up by completing a form (available on our Forms page).

You can check the status of your payments by visiting the State Comptroller's Vendor Payment website.

IDHS also has a toll free number providers can call to get payment information. You can call (800) 804-3833 to find out if/when your payment has been entered by our office and mailed by the Comptroller. This toll free number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The IDHS Child Care Telephone Billing system is an alternative to mailing the "Child Care Certificate" to our office at the end of the each month. The Telephone Billing system will help you get your payments quicker.

If you call the IDHS Child Care Telephone Billing system instead of mailing a certificate to your local CCR&R:

• The information gets into the system faster

• No mail delays in getting information to the CCR&R

• The payment information may be entered 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

• You get immediate confirmation that your payment has been entered

Getting started:

• All licensed homes and license-exempt home providers of approved cases will be mailed a Child Care Telephone Billing Agreement form

• Mail the completed form to your local CCR&R

Your password:

You will be mailed a letter that includes your payment password

• Keep this number/letter for your records

• Do NOT share or give your password to ANYONE!

What you need:

You will need the following items before you call in your billing information

• Your SSN or FEIN

• Your password

• The Child Care Certificate with all information completed, including a signature by both you and the parent

Calling the system:

• To submit your billing information, dial (800)787-9316.

• TTY callers may dial (800)787-9318 to access the system.

• The billing system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Entering information:

• You may enter information either by using the phone key pad or by speaking the information

• If you reply using the phone key pad, you must complete the ENTIRE process the same way

• If you choose to speak, the system can be accessed in either English or Spanish

• Speak slowly and clearly

• Call from a quiet room

Speaking to the system:

• Use the phone handset instead of a speaker phone or hands-free headset

• Use a land line (regular phone) instead of a cell phone

• If you must use a cell phone, call from a stationary position with a strong signal

• Speak only the requested information (If asked to say “account information”, do not say, “I would like account information” or “account info”, say “account information”.)

• If you are having problems, are calling from a noisy location, or do not have a good connection, use the touch tone keys on the phone instead.

Verifying your SSN:

The Billing system will ask for your Social Security number (SSN). Be sure to use the same number you indicated on the Child Care Application and W-9 form and enter your:

• Social Security Number (SSN) or

• Federal Employers Identification Number (FEIN)

The system will confirm your SSN is on the State’s computer system. If the number is not correct or is not listed on the computer system, you must contact your CCR&R.

Entering your password:

The system will also ask for your password. This is the number that is located on the IDHS letter you received when you applied.

Lost/forgotten passwords:

If you have lost or forgotten your password, or would like to change it for any reason, you must call the Telephone Billing system. You will receive a new password letter in the mail with your password information.

Address verification:

The Child Care Payment will be sent to the address listed on the certificate; however,

• If the address on the certificate is not correct, you must change it on the certificate, complete the billing information (including both signatures), and mail it to the CCR&R.

• If the address needs to be changed, you cannot use the Telephone Billing system.

When to bill:

• The system will ask if you would like to enter a certificate for any of the past four months that have been approved but not yet billed.

• You cannot enter information for a service month before the end of that month.

• The earliest you can bill is 6:00 a.m. the first day of the following month (after service occurred).

For Example: You cannot enter billing for the month of March until 6:00 a.m. on April first or later.

Peak hours:

• The system’s phone lines may be busy during peak hours – between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

• To avoid a busy signal, call before 6:00 a.m., after 5:00 p.m. or on the weekend.

The first case:

• After you have selected a month, the system will state the first case name.

• The system will ask you for attendance information for each child you are approved for from the first family

Eligible days:

• If you are a licensed provider, you will be asked to confirm the total number of full-time and part-time days the child was eligible for care, during the month of service.

• The number of approved eligible days are listed on the Child Care Certificate that was mailed to you for the month.

License-exempt providers:

• License-exempt providers will not be asked about eligible days.

• License-exempt providers will only need to enter the number of days a child received care.

• If the child attended more days than the number of eligible days, the telephone system cannot be used.

Increasing days:

• To increase the days, you must complete and mail the paper certificate, noting the change in eligible days and the reason for the change

(For example: Increasing the eligible full-time days by 1 due to a school holiday.)

Decreasing days:

• If the child was eligible for fewer days than approved, licensed providers must enter the new number of eligible days in the system at this time

(For example: If the child stopped attending your program before the end of the month, you may reduce the number of eligible days.)

Attended days:

• The system will ask both licensed and license-exempt providers for the number of full-time and part-time days the child attended.

• This will be repeated for each child approved in this family.

Last month of care:

• After you have entered information on the last child approved for this case, the system will ask if you are still providing care for the family.

• If you are not, you must enter the last day care was provided.

Information review:

The system will then review the information that was entered – the month of service and the number of full-time and part-time days entered will be confirmed.

Additional families:

If there are additional families approved whose billing information has not yet been entered, the system will ask about the next family. If not, the billing process is complete for this month.

Additional months:

• If the provider is approved for earlier months that have not been entered yet, the billing process will start again for each of those months.

• After all months are completed, or if the provider chooses to skip those months and enter them at a different time, the call will end.

The Child Care Certificate:

• If you complete the billing by phone, DO NOT mail the certificate to the CCR&R

• Both you and the parent must sign the certificate and all information on the certificate must be complete.

• You MUST keep the certificate for five (5) years.

Tracking payments:

• You may track the status of payments through the IDHS Payment Inquiry Line at 1 (800) 804-3833.

• TTY callers may dial 1 (877) 434-1082 to access the system.

• The Payment Inquiry Line is updated every day at 4:00 p.m.

• Please wait two (2) working days after entering billing information before checking your payment status.

• The Payment Inquiry Line tells you when a payment was entered (either through the telephone billing system or by the CCR&R), when the payment was approved (vouchered) by IDHS, and when the Comptroller’s office will mail the check to you.

• You may also determine the status of a check (also called a warrant) by visiting the Comptroller’s website here.

• Click on the “Vendor Payment” button on the far, left side of the screen

• Enter your Social Security Number (SSN) and click the OK button

• Click the “Payments” button

• Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on the “Find Warrants” button

• Information will show for all checks written to you for the current fiscal year (July-June).

• The warrant number, zip code it was mailed to, date it was issued, check amount, and the status (Date Cashed – if already cashed, or Outstanding – not yet cashed) will be listed.

When you file your taxes, you are required by law to report all child care payments to the IRS as earned income. Taxes cannot be taken out of the checks you receive. If you are paid at least $600 within a calendar year, you will receive Form 1099-misc. stating the child care income you earned for the year. You should receive your Form 1099 by February 15th.

It’s a good idea to set aside money each month for taxes that may be due at the end of the year. You may be responsible for quarterly tax payments, or eligible for the earned income tax credit. For general tax information, and to see if you qualify for the earned income tax credit, you can call the IRS at (800)829-1040 (TDD/TTY (800)829-4059).

You have the right to:

• Be notified by mail if a parent's case is approved, renewed, canceled or denied, or if we need additional information in order to start or continue the parent's child care assistance.

• Be notified by mail of any changes in monthly copayments or in the number of days for which you are eligible to be paid.

You have a responsibility to:

• Notify our office if you move.

• Notify DCFS if you move if you are a licensed provider.

• Make sure that your child care certificate (billing form or report) is complete, includes the correct number of days the child(ren) attended and if required, is signed in ink by both you and the parent every month.

• Keep a written record of the days and hours that you provide care for each child and to bill the state for only those days and hours.

• Read the approval letters you will receive from the state so that you know the amount of each parent’s monthly copayment, your pay rate, and the number of days per week that you are eligible to receive payments.

• Collect each parent’s assigned co-payment every month.

• Report all child care payments, including parent co-payments, to the IRS as earned income.

• Keep the number of children in your care within your legal capacity.