Effective Date: 07/26/04
Reference: 89 Ill. Adm. Code, Chapter IV, §50.230

Policy Statement:

Parents and other relatives eligible to receive child care services include relatives (other than parents) who receive child-only TANF or General Assistance (GA) benefits as Representative Payee for children in need of care while they work outside the home.

Procedure:

A Representative Payee (RPY) case is a case in which only the child(ren) is the recipient of TANF or GA cash assistance. Child Care Assistance received by a relative caretaker who works is considered a TANF benefit and is viewed differently than other child care services.

  1. Employment
    1. Non-Parent RPY
      A caretaker relative who is not a parent or stepparent is eligible to receive child care assistance if they are employed.
      1. The Child Care Application (3455) must include verification of employment.
      2. The caretaker relative does not need to provide income documentation and does not need to meet the income guidelines.
      3. Do not assess a copayment.
      4. Verify that neither biological parent is living in the household.
      5. Accept the relative caretaker's (RPY's) statement that the other adult in the household is either unavailable or unable to care for the children.
    2. Parent or Stepparent RPY
      (These cases are not a true RPY for child care purposes)
      A parent or stepparent who is an RPY for their own children may be eligible to receive child care assistance if they meet the income guidelines.
      1. Process the Child Care Application (3455).
      2. Assess a copayment.
      3. Do not code the case as RPY in the Child Care Tracking System.
  2. Education and Training Programs
    1. All RPYs who need child care assistance to participate in education and training programs must meet the income guidelines for their family size.
    2. All RPYs in an Education and Training program are assessed a copayment.
    3. RPYs in an Education/Training program are bound by the two-parent policy (i.e. both adults must be either working or in an approved education/training program and unavailable to provide care for the child).
  3. How to Confirm RPY status in PACIS
    1. All RPY cases will be active in PACIS. If the case is not listed in PACIS, it is not an RPY case.
    2. Verify the receipt of TANF or GA cash assistance. The grant history line must be designated by a "Y" on PACIS page 1. If the family does not receive TANF or GA cash assistance on behalf of the child, this is not an RPY case.
    3. For each child, confirm that the relationship code (REL) in box 62 on PACIS page 3 is NOT one of the following codes:
      • 01 - Two Parents
      • 02 - Mother and Stepfather
      • 03 - Father and Stepmother
      • 04 - Father
      • 05 - Mother
    4. For each child, confirm that the status of either the mother/father in box 63 on PACIS page 3 is NOT one of the following codes:
      • 13 - Parent lives in the home.
      • 27 - Incarcerated parent permitted to live at home.
      • 02 - Homebound parent.
      • 29 - Paternity established at the local office and the father is in the home.  Parents not married to each other when the child was born.
    5. For the payee, confirm that the relationship code (REL) in box 62 on PACIS page 3 is:
      • 25 - Payee Only
    6. If an RPY has children of their own and requests child care for their own children, the client may either complete a separate application or the application used to apply for RPY child care may be copied. If the application is copied but relevant information needed to determine income eligibility or information regarding the other parent is missing, pend the application and send a Request for Additional Information pursuant to the procedures in 02.02.02. This case must be income eligible and is assessed a copayment.
      Use the applicant's own TANF number if they are a TANF/Medical/Food Stamp client or assign a "Z" case number, if there is not a number in PACIS. Do not code the "Z" case number as RPY in the child care tracking system.
      It is possible for an RPY to be ineligible for a child care assistance for their own children because they are over income, there is a non-working parent in the home, or for any other reas      on.