Applying for child care assistance can seem daunting, but understanding the process step-by-step can simplify it significantly. This guide will walk you through the application for the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP), ensuring you have all the necessary information and documents ready. Access to affordable child care is crucial for working families, and programs like CCPP play a vital role in supporting both parents and the early childhood education sector, which includes dedicated professionals such as After School Care Program Assistants.
Step 1: Finding the Right Child Care Provider
Before you begin your CCPP application, identifying a suitable child care provider is essential. The Child Care Payment Program requires you to select a provider before you apply for tuition assistance.
Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) offers an online search tool to help you locate providers in your area. When using this tool, remember to check the “Accepts MDHS Subsidy Children” box to filter for providers who participate in the CCPP. This ensures that the provider you choose is eligible to receive payments through the program.
Alt: Screenshot of the Mississippi Child Care Provider Search webpage, highlighting the “Accepts MDHS Subsidy Children” checkbox to filter search results for CCPP eligible providers.
Step 2: Gathering Your Supporting Documents
The CCPP application process requires you to provide documentation to verify your eligibility. Collecting these documents beforehand will streamline your application process. Many documents can serve multiple purposes, so you may not need to provide a separate document for each requirement.
Here’s a detailed list of required documents:
Child’s Documents
- Proof of Age:
- Long form birth certificate, OR
- Record of Live Birth (for children under three months) until the long form birth certificate is available.
Income Verification Documents
Eligibility for CCPP is determined by gross family income. You must provide proof of income for the last 30 days. Acceptable documents include one of the following:
- Check Stubs:
- Monthly pay: One (1) most recent check stub.
- Bi-monthly pay: Two (2) consecutively issued check stubs.
- Weekly pay: Four (4) consecutively issued check stubs.
- Estimated Quarterly Tax Report
- Federal 1040 Tax Form: Line 9 (total income).
- Schedule C Form 1040: Line 7 (gross income).
- New Employment/Temporary Agency Employment: If employed for less than 30 days, a letter from your employer on company letterhead is required. This letter must include:
- Start date of employment
- Pay rate
- Work schedule (including hours)
- Method of pay
- Employer name, address, and phone number
- Alternatively, a completed Wage Verification Form can be submitted.
- Paid in Cash: Wage Verification Form or a notarized letter from your employer. The letter must verify:
- Employment
- Income
- Rate of pay
- Number of hours worked
- Employer’s name, address, and phone number
- Statement that employee is paid in cash.
- Paid by Personal Check: Copies of the front and back of two checks cleared by the bank.
- Self-Employed with Filed Tax Return:
- Completed Wage Verification Form
- Copy of an Estimated Quarterly Tax Report OR Federal 1040 Tax Form with Profit/Loss Statement (Schedule C). Total Sales and Receipts on Schedule C determine work requirement fulfillment. Line 22 of Form 1040 determines income eligibility.
- Self-Employed, New Business (within current tax year):
- Completed Wage Verification Form
- Current business license.
Note: Income information is required for the applicant, spouse, and any biological parent residing in the household.
Alt: Preview of the Wage Verification Form PDF, an example document required for income verification in the CCPP application process, suitable for self-employed individuals or those paid in cash.
Work or Education Verification Documents
Parents must demonstrate proof of work or enrollment in an educational/training program. Provide one of the following for the last 30 days:
- Check stubs (using the same guidelines as income verification).
- New Employment or Temporary Agency Employment: Employer letter (as detailed in income verification, point 5).
- Paid in Cash: Wage Verification Form or notarized employer letter (as detailed in income verification, point 6).
- Self-Employed: Wage Verification Form and a copy of the business license.
- Paid by Personal Check: Copies of cleared checks (as detailed in income verification, point 7).
- Medical Leave: Employer letter on company letterhead stating:
- Rate of pay
- Typical hours per pay period
- Pay frequency
- Expected return to work date.
Note: This information is required for the applicant, spouse, and any biological parent living in the home.
If a parent works less than 25 hours per week, they must be enrolled in a full-time educational or training program aimed at improving job skills. This includes GED classes and accredited programs. Full-time enrollment is defined by the institution.
Acceptable proof of education includes:
- Letter from the Registrar confirming full-time enrollment.
- Printout of current class schedule verifying full-time status and applicant’s name. For redetermination between semesters, a future course schedule is acceptable if the next semester starts within 30 days of submission.
Teen Parents in High School
- Verification of full-time enrollment from the school principal.
- If living with parents under 65, parents must work 25+ hours/week and provide check stubs.
Important: Parents cannot be paid to care for their grandchildren under this program if the teen parent lives at home.
Educational hours can be combined with work hours to meet the 25-hour requirement. Educational hours include classroom time and study hours (study hours cannot exceed classroom hours and cannot be carried over week to week).
Parent-Child Relationship & Guardianship Documents
A. Documents must list both parent/applicant and child’s names. Acceptable documents:
- Long form birth certificates.
- Court documents indicating custody.
- School registration documents (elementary/middle/high school).
B. If a parent is unable to act as the parent or has delegated authority, guardianship verification includes:
- MDHS Guardianship/In Loco Parentis Verification form (if the signing parent’s identity and relationship are verifiable).
- Court Order.
Mississippi Residency Documents
A. Documents must show a Mississippi address, and at least one must match the application address. The application address should be the applicant’s current residence, even if temporary. Acceptable documents:
- Valid Mississippi driver’s license.
- Valid state-issued ID.
- Current bank statement.
- Current cell phone bill.
- Current utility bill.
- Current cable bill.
- Current employment records.
- Rent/lease agreement (effective date within 30 days of application).
B. Current documents must be dated within 30 days of application submission. For temporary addresses without corroborating documents, a MDHS Transitional Living form must be completed by the applicant and host.
C. If a parent attends school out-of-state, the application must use the address where the child resides in Mississippi. Both parents and children must reside in Mississippi to participate in CCPP. CCDF offers subsidy programs in all 50 states, and out-of-state residents should apply in their state of residence.
Identity Verification Documents
Acceptable forms:
- One (1) Photo ID for the applicant:
- Driver’s license
- State-issued photo ID
- Passport or government-issued photo ID.
- If no Photo ID: Two (2) forms of identity verification:
- Work or school ID
- Health benefits ID
- Voter registration card
- Birth certificate
- EBT card
- EPPICard.
Special Needs Exemption Documents (if applicable)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) award letter, OR
- Social Security Administration (SSA) award letter.
- Award letters must be dated within 12 months of application submission.
- If a parent meets the special needs requirement, the work requirement is waived for that parent only.
Step 3: Completing the Online Application
The CCPP application is exclusively online. You will need to list all children enrolling in childcare at your chosen provider.
Remember to submit your application before submitting any supporting documents.
Complete Online CCPP Application
Downloadable Applications (for reference):
English
Espanol
Vietnamese
You can check your application status online after submission.
Alt: Screenshot of the CCPP online application portal webpage, showing the “Start a New Application” button, guiding users to begin their application process for child care payment assistance.
Step 4: Submitting Your Supporting Documents
After completing the online application, submit your gathered supporting documents to MDHS via:
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Parent Document Upload Form: Parent Document Upload Form
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Fax: (601) 359-4422
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Mail:
MDHS
DECCD
Mississippi Child Care Payment Program
P.O. Box 352
Jackson, MS 39205
What Happens Next?
Child Care Certificate Issuance
Upon approval, you will receive a “child care certificate.” This certificate details:
- Child’s name approved for care.
- Tuition assistance amount (subsidy reimbursement rate).
- Approved care type: full-time, part-time, or both (including days of care).
- Assigned co-payment rate (your responsibility).
- Approved provider location name and ID number. Care is restricted to the location specified on the certificate.
Program Participation and Updates
Once approved, payments will be sent directly to your child care provider. You may still be responsible for a monthly co-payment, as indicated on your certificate.
Find Co-Payment Rates
Parents are also responsible for the difference between the CCPP voucher and the provider’s regular tuition rates.
It is crucial to report any changes in your family circumstances that could affect your CCPP eligibility, including changes to income, work hours, employment, education, or relocation. You must also notify MDHS if you wish to withdraw from CCPP or change providers.
Report Changes
By following these steps and ensuring you have all necessary documentation, you can navigate the CCPP application process effectively and access vital child care assistance, which supports not only families but also the dedicated individuals working in child care settings, such as after school care program assistants, who contribute significantly to the well-being and development of children in our communities.
