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For more information on the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and other services available through the Office of Family Support, call 1-888-LAHELPU (1-888-524-3578).
What is the Child Care Assistance Program?
The Child Care Assistance program helps low-income families to pay for the child care they need while working, looking for work, attending school or training. Monthly payments are based on the number of hours the parents work, look for work, or attend school or training, the amount charged by the child care provider, family size and household income. Parents can select any Class A child care center, school-based before and after school program, registered family child day care home, or in-home provider.
Do I Qualify for Child Care Assistance?
1. Are you responsible for paying child care costs for a child under 13, or a disabled child under 18, who lives with you?
2. Do you, your spouse, and any other parents of children who live in your home, work or attend an educational or training program, or need child care assistance to look for work? If not participating in one or a combination of these activities, do these persons receive disability income?
3. Is your household's monthly gross earned income (before any deductions from paycheck) and unearned income less than the amount listed below for your household size?
| 2 persons-$2378 |
4 persons-$3497 |
6 persons-$4616 |
8 persons-$4826 |
| 3 persons-$2937 |
5 persons-$4056 |
7 persons-$4721 |
9 persons-$4931 |
If you answered YES to all of the above questions, you may be eligible for child care assistance.
How and Where Do I Apply?
Parents can apply by completing an application form and mailing it to any OFS Family Assistance parish office along with the following verification. An interview is not required.
- 4 most recent check stubs for all jobs for each household member who is working
- Proof of any of these types of income if received by any household members: child support, adoption subsidy, alimony, SSI, Social Security, Veteran's Administration benefits, Unemployment Compensation, Worker's Compensation, and any other retirement or disability benefits
- For any adult or parent seeking employment, a written statement signed by that person indicating the number of hours each week he will actively look for work.
- For any adult or parent (including a minor unmarried parent age 16 or older whose child is in need of care) attending school, statement from the educational or job training program verifying hours of attendance each week, and the anticipated date of completion
- Social Security cards or proof of application for Social Security cards for all household members
Note: Social security numbers are not required for Child Care Assistance eligibility and eligibility cannot be denied for failure to provide social security numbers. If provided, social security numbers may be used to verify income and need for assistance or for data collection or statistical purposes.
- Birth certificates for all children in the home.
- Proof of citizenship or alien status of children in need of care.
- Verification of disability (doctor’s statement, etc) if not receiving SSI, Social Security Disability benefits, or VA Disability benefits.
- Immunization verification for all children in need of care.
Visit here to find the OFS Family Assistance parish office in which to apply or you can print the application form, complete it and mail to any OFS Family Assistance parish office.
Downloadable Application form: The following standard form can be downloaded to a disk and then completed on the user's PC. To download a form, simply click on the desired title below, then follow the prompts given by your browser. (On most browsers, you will need to choose the "Save to Disk" option, and then choose the drive and directory you wish to save to.)
Note: The Adobe Acrobat document will be viewable in all formats. To view the Adobe Acrobat document please download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader at: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.
This form has been provided as a public service and has been successfully processed on a State computer system. However, we unfortunately cannot guarantee success for all users, due to the wide variety of browsers/platform in use. It is still the responsibility of the user to use this form appropriately and in a manner consistent within these limitations. No actual text of this form may be changed, and doing so may render it null and void. All relevant deadlines still apply.
Visit here to download the Application for Child Care Assistance (CCAP 2).
Visit here to download the Instructions for the Application for Child Care Assistance (CCAP 2).
What Happens After I Apply?
After sending in your application form and the required information, you may be contacted by phone or mail for more information. You will not not need to come into the office for an interview. The worker has up to 30 days to process your application. A written notice will be sent telling you of the decision reached. If found eligible, you will receive a certificate (and a provider packet if the provider you have chosen is not active in the Provider Directory) for each child who needs care.
You must take the certificate to your child care provider to complete. It will be your responsibility to return the certificate completed by your provider and any information requested in the provider packet by the due date given. Return of the certificate does not ensure that payments will be made to that provider. The child care provider must meet program requirements to be eligible for payment. After receipt of all required verification, your provider will receive notification of the determination of his eligibility for participation in the Child Care Assistance Program. All payments are made directly to eligible providers each month.
You may choose care in:
- A licensed Class A Day Care Center
- A Family Child Day Care Home that meets registration requirements and cares for no more than six children
- A school program
- Your own home (provider cannot live at the same residence)
The amount that is paid is based on household size and income, the number of hours you and any other adults/parents work, attend an educational or training program, or engage in job search, the number of hours your child is in care, and the applicable maximum rate. You will be responsible for paying the provider the difference between the total amount charged and the amount the program pays.
Providing false information, withholding information, or failing to report changes is subject to penalty under the law. If providing false information or withholding information causes an overpayment for child care, you may be required to repay to the Office of Family Support the amount of ineligible benefits that you received. If you purposely fail to report any information that causes you to receive benefits you are not eligible for, you may have fraud charges brought against you and you may be disqualified from participating in the program. If intentional program violation is established, penalties are as follows: (1) six months for the first violation, (2) twelve months for the second violation, and (3) twenty-four months for the third and for any additional violations.
Other Services Provided to Families and Child Care Providers
In addition to the subsidy program, Child Care and Development Fund is used for a variety of other activities that improve the availability of child care in Louisiana. Visit here for more information on the following services:
- Training and Technical Assistance
- Resource and Referral
- Child Care for Protective Service Cases
- Child Care and Development Fund Advisory Council
- Licensing and Monitoring
- Quality Incentives
- Repair and Improvement Grants
Publications
Visit here to view Brightstart: LA Early Childhood Comprehensive System Strategic Plan
Visit here to view Louisiana Early Learning Guidelines and Program Standards: Birth through Three
Visit here to view LA Child Care Market Rate Survey for 2007
Visit here to view LA Child Care Market Rate Survey for 2005
Visit here to view the Current Louisiana CCDF Plan Approved October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2009 as amended November 2007.
Visit here to view Investing in the Child Care Industry
Visit here to view Report of the Advisory Council on Child Care & Development Block Grant
Related Links
http://www.aphsa.org/Links/links-state.asp (American Public Human Services Association)
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/45cfr98_00.html (Federal Regulations for Child Care)
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ccb/ (Child Care Bureau)
http://www.afterschool.gov/ (After-school Programs)
http://www.dps.state.la.us/sfm/dc_info.htm (LA State Fire Marshal Family Child Day Care Homes) |
