State Assistance...

[tenderhearts]

I've been doing daycare for over 13 yrs and I have never had anyone on state assistance. Not that I wouldn't accept it I just rarely am asked and when I have been they end up not getting the job or whatever.
So in the last 2 days I've had 2 people call me and tell me they receive state assistance. I've heard such bad things about it and truthfully I don't know if I'm just dense but it seems soooo complicated. Is this something anyone has dealt with, is it easy? I'm confused about the whole co-pay thing and if the state only pays once per month how do you figure what they would pay each week (their portion)? I dont' want to turn it away but yet I've heard such horrible things. Anyone have any advise for me??

[Blackcat31]

Personally, I love the Childcare Assistance Program but only because our state program was revised a few years ago. Before that, I dreaded any family on assistance. So in answer to your question, it would toatlly depend on what state you are in and how your state's program is run. If you are in MN, I will post the web-site link that explains how the whole thing works.

[tenderhearts]

Thanks I'm not in MN, It just seems so complicated and maybe it's just because I've never done it. If a client says they are on it what do I do or need? I've heard that even if they tell you they are they may not be set up and that's what i'm afraid of that I'll do something wrong and then be screwed.

[Blackcat31]

Here's how I handle it:
Say a client comes and says they receive assistance. I tell them okay but they CANNOT begin attending childcare until I have either
1. talked directly with their case worker or
2. I have a contract or Service Agreement from the state in my hand.

If the case worker calls me she must verify that the parent
a. does get assistance,
b. on what date the assistance begins and
c. how much the co-pay is for that family. (the state figures out amount of co-pay)
d. how many hours (per two week period) they are approved for

Then the family must pay the co-pay up front. Here the co-pays are for two week periods. So every other Friday a family pays out their co-pay. Then they sign their vouchers that I get from the state and I turn them into the human services department and I get paid via direct deposit in like 3 days. The rules say I am to be paid within 14 days but our financial worker who handles these cases is awesome and she gets the payments out wihtin 1-3 days. If a family does not pay their co-pay I will still be paid by the state but if I notify the case worker, she will place a hold on their assistance and the family will no longer be allowed to receive assistance if they do not pay their co-pay. If a family fails to give me a 2 week notice, I can still bill the state and it will be paid as well and the state will bill the family for this.

Honestly, there is very little work on the providers part to receive assistance. If a provider lets things slide or doesn't pay attention to dates of service or the amount of hours each family is given then it can be trouble but the Service Agreements from the state (the ones I said I require IN HAND before I provide care) spell out how many hours each family gets, the amount of their co-pay and for how long serves will be paid for through the state. Service Agreements are usually done for 6 months at a time.

Does that help?

I take assistance and I don't mind it at all. There is a 1.5 yr waiting list to get on assistance (for parents NOT PROVIDERS) so the parents I have are very good about following the rules otherwise they can get kicked off and have to wait another yr and a half to get back on.

Everything that was said before are things I follow to, like don't let them come until you have confirmation in hand they are getting assistance and for how many hrs etc.

Only drawbacks I have:
I often get new notices starting hrs have changed or copays have changed. Hrs and copays are based on income and hrs worked so if you have a family with variable hours and variable income you have to keep track of these alot!

Our area does not pay for maternity time. I had a family who wanted to still send their kids then (after a c section) so they had to pay out of pocket- which I secured up front. NO biggie- just something I didnt know until it happened.

We do not get paid for vacations (when we are closed) which I do charge my other families for. So when taking these clients I talked with them about the fee and both agreed they could do it just like the other families so technically the state doesnt pay me for those days but my clients do.

Also, I have one family who is only allowed a certain amount of hours (based on her work hours). She often gets cut early from work and should come pick up the kids. She is cut most often at 1 pm when the kids are sleeping so she doesnt come until after nap (which is what we both agreed on). However the state will only pay for the hours she is actually working (makes sense). SO every two weeks I get paid and then I have to calculate what remaining she owes me- in addition to her weekly copay. I only charge weekly rates so I just take my weekly minus what the state has paid and give her the bill for the rest. Always pays on time. NO ISSUES!!


Positives:

Our area has electronic billing so you literally only have to take 2 min to fill it out and you can check the payment status anytime.

We get 25 sick/vacation days (where you were open but they didnt attend). So check your areas rules on that. That has been nice since some kiddos are sick ALOT!

[tenderhearts]

thanks for the information, I think that's how it works here except the state pays monthly and it's up to the provider in how and when you collect the co-pay, that's where I get confused, so if I charge $75 per week and they have a copay I know that gets deducted but what if the state only pays say $50 of the $75 do they pay the copay + the difference, thats where I get confused so here's how I think sorry I don't know why this is so hard for me to get
Provider fee $75.00
Co-pay (just say it's this) - $20.00
Bal $55.00
state pays - $50.00
___________
Bal $5.00
So $5 is the difference so they would pay that each week plus the copay????
sorry I'm so

thanks

[Former Teacher]

Originally Posted by tenderhearts

I've been doing daycare for over 13 yrs and I have never had anyone on state assistance. Not that I wouldn't accept it I just rarely am asked and when I have been they end up not getting the job or whatever.
So in the last 2 days I've had 2 people call me and tell me they receive state assistance. I've heard such bad things about it and truthfully I don't know if I'm just dense but it seems soooo complicated. Is this something anyone has dealt with, is it easy? I'm confused about the whole co-pay thing and if the state only pays once per month how do you figure what they would pay each week (their portion)? I dont' want to turn it away but yet I've heard such horrible things. Anyone have any advise for me??

I do not recommend taking state payments. At my former center (I am in TX) it was nothing but BS. From the parents and the state.

* We were NEVER paid on time. We would get April's payment in May (or later)

* We were not allowed to charge late fees (ANY KIND- payment, pick up etc)

* We only got paid federal holidays. Which means we weren't reimbursed for the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve etc.

* The state paid BELOW our daily rate.

That's all from the state. The parents we had were just so ungrateful. We had this mother who didn't have a job. Didn't even WANT a job. She would come waltzing in like nothing. Her co pay for the MONTH was $5.00!!!!! She just said casually...oh I will pay you on Friday when I get my unemployment check....see you later! My former director was furious (this was Monday)....She said to the parent...you can't pay $5.00?!? No she said..I just don't have it....see you later! My former boss then told her that if she did not pay she was going to be charged a $25.00 daily late fee charge (mom didn't know about how we couldn't charge ) so her little 5 dollars was going to turn into $105.00. Well, she went to her car and naturally she found 5 dollars.

But anyway: IMO I think its a waste of time, money, and energy to take state assistance. It's not worth the stress and aggravation

[Michelle]

well ,where we live in Southern Ca., if we didn't take state assistance , we wouldn't survive! I have 7 kids on calworks and I get about $6,000. per month for these kids. (that's WHEN they pay me) .

most of the moms are getting re certified constantly and there is alot of paperwork and right now they owe me about $5,000 in back pay because of the whole budget disaster with stage 3 funding.
I love taking care of these kids because they really appreciate what I do for them. I've got a good group of parents but in the past I have had some really nasty parents that resented me for getting so much money for their kids... I would always buy them shoes, jackets, birthday presents,etc.

well anyway, I love taking assistance but don't ever rely on that money coming on time or in full and make sure you find out the name of the specialist or worker and call very often to check on how their case is going because if you don't , you will be put at the bottom of the pile.

[rysakaem1]

I'm in FL and have parents with state assistance. They sign in and out everyday and I just fill out a monthly attendance sheet attach a copy of the sign in sheet and drop it off at my local headstart (10 mins. away) for pick up and the money is deposted in my account. The parents are responsible for the copay as well as the difference between my fee and what is payed by the state.

I get paid for 12 holidays including the day after Thanksgiving and day after Christmas. The children are allowed to miss 3 days per month, which I get paid for.

[momofboys]

Originally Posted by Michelle

well ,where we live in Southern Ca., if we didn't take state assistance , we wouldn't survive! I have 7 kids on calworks and I get about $6,000. per month for these kids. (that's WHEN they pay me) .

most of the moms are getting re certified constantly and there is alot of paperwork and right now they owe me about $5,000 in back pay because of the whole budget disaster with stage 3 funding.
I love taking care of these kids because they really appreciate what I do for them. I've got a good group of parents but in the past I have had some really nasty parents that resented me for getting so much money for their kids... I would always buy them shoes, jackets, birthday presents,etc.

well anyway, I love taking assistance but don't ever rely on that money coming on time or in full and make sure you find out the name of the specialist or worker and call very often to check on how their case is going because if you don't , you will be put at the bottom of the pile.

6K a month? I realize that is for 7 kids but that is over $800/month for each child. No offense but that is MUCH MUCH higher than my normal monthly rate for a FT child & I don;t have any state aid children. Does the state reimburse you that much? My weekly rate for FT is only $125/week. so even with an @ 4 1/2 week month I would probably only earn about $550/month per child!

[Michelle]

we get about $150 per week for part time/ 0-5
$200 a week for infants 0-2 years full time
$150 a week for s/a full time and $120 a week part time s/a
they pay time in a half for hours that are before 6am , after 6 p.m. and weekends. I do alot of weekends and evenings for just 2 families.

The money is really good but it's like pulling teeth getting paid.
Someone told me in San Fransico they get even more.
Most of these moms don't have cars , so we pick the kids up and take them home and even drop the moms off at work/school.
I have a full time assistant and we are full (14) with a waiting list.

Its nice to be able to say no, and lots of good providers do. Its important to recognize that under the welfare to work rules any family seeking temporary aid to families is required to put kids in daycare and work, seek work or volunteer. Most states do not pay the going rate, so overages (not a co-pay, but the difference in the charge for care and the state maximum) plus all other charges come out of the small amount of assistance the family receives. For a Single mom with one child in my state, that is 225.00. The going rate for centers here is about 100.00 over the maximum state payment, so a single mom in my state is required to pay the difference, for the lower quality centers or providers who do accept assistance, and cover everything else her child needs on the remaining 125.00.

[Meeko]

It seems to differ greatly from state to state. Here's how it works in Utah.

Parent calls for interview and asks if I accept state pay. I say yes.

They come to interview. I go over the contract and fees.

I fill out a "980" form telling the state what I charge and the hours I have contracted with the parent. They give that form to their case worker who puts the money on their welfare card. (If the parents wants to start before the state has put funds on their card, they must pay me out of pocket, up front until the state money kicks in)

The parents shows up for day care with their welfare horizon card with them. (These are cards that look like a credit card. All their child care, food stamp allowance etc is on the card.) I punch in a few numbers on the phone and the funds are automatically transferred to my bank account. DONE!

We get paid monthly.. in advance just like our other clients. We charge whatever we want. The state pays what the state says they'll pay and the parent has to make up the difference if there is any. I have some clients who's whole bill is paid by the state, others only half etc....depends on their income) The state makes it very clear to parents that day care providers do not work for the state. They cannot dictate what we charge. And the parent is responsible to make up any difference in fees.

I