EIU Child Care Resource and Referral

For Providers

What is CCAP:

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and assists low-income parents with child care payments through 16 Resource & Referral agencies throughout the state.  CCR&R covers the counties of Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Edgar, Moultrie and Shelby.  If you have more questions, or need clarification, please call your local CCR&R.

Provider Requirements:

• Licensed OR
• License-exempt (LE)-Please visit our policy manual for LE Provider Qualifications
  • Not legally required to be licensed but is required to complete license-exempt trainings)
• A child care center or a home
• A relative, friend or neighbor
• Must be at least 18 years old
• May not be the parent or step parent of the children
• May not be on the same TANF cash assistance grant as you andyour children if you are receiving these benefits

Required Provider Documentation:

As part of the application process, all licensed-exempt home providers must submit copies of their Social Security Card and a copy of a photo I.D. (Illinois driver's license, Illinois state I.D. or military I.D.), complete a W-9 form and authorize and submit to all required background checks.

Application Process:

Families of limited income that work or attend school or vocational training may be eligible for help with the cost of child care. Your CCR&R will either “approve” or “deny” their application based on the information provided. Information is verified using various state databases. If conflicting information is found, or there is information missing, the CCR&R will send a Request for Additional Information Form to both you and the family. The information requested must be returned within 10 business days of the request or the application will be denied.

Your Approval Letter:

After a parent has been approved for the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program, and has selected you as their child care provider, an approval letter is mailed to both you and the parent. This letter contains important information including:

• Length of time the parent is eligible for the program
• Amount of the parent's monthly co-payment
• Children who are eligible for the program
• Number of days per week that IDHS will pay you
• Daily rate at which you will be paid

The Approval Period:

It is very important that parents submit their application for child care assistance as soon as possible. Services can be backdated a maximum of seven days from the date an application is received at the Child Care Resource and Referral agency.

Parents must periodically renew their child care case in order to continue receiving assistance. To do this, the parent must complete a "redetermination" form. This form is mailed to parents the month before their eligibility ends. 

As the provider, you are responsible for collecting payment from the parent for any child care provided before or after the dates listed on the approval letter. If you do not receive a new approval letter- with new eligibility start and end dates-you should not expect any further payments from IDHS.

Changing Your Address:

It is your responsibility to notify the Child Care Resource and Referral agency when you change your address. The notification of address change must be in writing and signed by you and the parent(s). If your address is not current, your payments may be delayed and you may not receive important notices regarding a parent's case. Licensed providers must also inform their DCFS licensing representative.

Background Check:

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. 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 license exempt child care providers, except a provider who is a relative of the child, shall 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.

Monthly Co-Payments:

What is a monthly co-payment?

The monthly "co-payment" is the portion of child care costs that the parent is responsible for paying to you, their provider. It is your responsibility to collect this amount directly from the parent.

• Parent Co-Payment Information-Effective 07/01/24

How are co-payment amounts determined?

Monthly co-payment amounts are determined by IDHS and are based on the number of people in the family, the number of children receiving child care and the schedule of the children in care.

The monthly co-payment amount is listed on the parent's approval letter. Co-payment changes can occur each time a parent's case is renewed (redetermined) or if there is a change in the parent's income, the number of people in the family, the number of children in care, or the schedule of care provided. You will receive a new approval letter anytime a monthly co-payment changes so you know how much to collect.

How are monthly co-payments collected?

How and when you collect the monthly co-payment is between you and the parent. All payment arrangements should be agreed upon before care starts.

The monthly co-payment amount is deducted from the payment you receive from IDHS. If you don't collect the monthly co-payment from a parent, you will not receive full payment.

If a parent has more than one child care provider, only one provider will collect the monthly co-payment. If you have been assigned to collect the monthly co-payment, the amount will be printed on the approval letter you receive. If you are not assigned to collect the monthly co-payment, nothing will be deducted from your child care payment from IDHS. There will be no co-payment amount listed on your approval letter.

Provider Rights and Resonsibilities

As a participant in the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program, you have specific rights and responsibilities. It is important that you read and understand your rights and responsibilities, as any misunderstanding could affect the child’s care. For a list of your rights and responsibilities, please visit the Child Care Assistance Program Policy Manual or if you have any questions, please call your local CCR&R.