BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend § 502, Title 31 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
§ 502. Definitions.
As used in
For purposes of
this chapter:
(9) “Purchase of Care” or “POC” means child care assistance provided under this chapter.
Section 2. Amend § 503, Title 31 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
§ 503. Eligibility for assistance; amount; method of payment.
(e)
Child care assistance. —
Persons seeking employment who are in need of child care services in order to obtain employment, to retain employment, or to obtain training leading to employment are
(1)a. An individual is
eligible to apply for child care assistance under
the Child Care Subsidy Program. Such persons
Purchase of Care if the individual needs child care services in order to do any of the following:
1. Obtain employment.
2. Retain employment.
3. Obtain training leading to employment.
b. An individual
seeking employment
are
is
eligible to apply for child care assistance
under paragraph (e)(1)a. of this section
for a period not to exceed 90 consecutive days over the course of 1 year.
(2)
Eligibility for and the amount of assistance granted
to persons under Delaware’s Child Care Subsidy Program
under POC
shall be determined in accordance with the rules and regulations
made
established
by the Department of Health and Social
Services, Division of Social
Services
(DHSS)
and Chapter 3 of this
title
.
title, and must include all of the following:
a. Copayments for families receiving POC assistance must be determined based on all of the following:
1. The family’s household size and income.
2. If the child is receiving assistance for a full day of child care or a half day of child care.
b.
If a child is eligible for POC assistance, DHSS must pre-authorize a summer child care provider at any time after January 1 if pre-authorization is necessary for enrollment. If a child care provider is pre-authorized under this paragraph (e)(2)b, all of the following apply:
1. The pre-authorization provided in advance of attendance may be for purposes of enrollment only and is subject to meeting eligibility requirements for POC at the time the child attends the summer child care provider.
2. The total number of hours of child care pre-authorized for a child may not exceed 10 hours a day.
3. This pre-authorization must be provided in addition to all provider authorizations for the child’s care during the school year.
