See if your family may be eligible for child care assistance through the Child Care Payment Program.
The Child Care Payment Program serves four priority groups of families. Each priority group has different eligibility requirements.
Priority Groups
You’ll see that some groups have specific income requirements based on the State Median Income (SMI).
Priority Group 1: Referred Clients
Referred clients include parents served by:
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Transitional Child Care (TCC)
Foster or Protective Services
Healthy Families Mississippi
Homeless agencies
Eligibility for child care services for referred clients is determined by the referring agency which may include the appropriate MDHS Division or DECCD-approved community partners. Referred clients must comply with all requirements as set forth by the referring agency, and failure to do so will result in termination of child care certificates.
TANF and TCC Clients
Not required to complete a CCPP application form.
Eligibility for CCPP is determined by the MDHS full or part-time care.
Must meet TANF/TCC eligibility requirements.
Receive a certificate based on the referral date entered by the MDHS TANF/TCC Case Manager.
Parent is required to comply with all of the requirements for the TANF/TCC program in order to remain eligible for child care assistance beyond the 12-month eligibility period.
Children in Protective Services
Not required to complete a CCPP application form.
Eligible for child care services without regard to income of the guardian.
Children in custody or supervision of MDCPS shall receive funding based on the referral date entered by the case manager.
Children may qualify under this definition due to declared emergency conditions and shall receive funding based on the application approval date.
Children in foster care who receive child care payment assistance may be granted a 24-hour grace period from the date of admission into a child care payment- approved program to obtain the necessary immunization records. Payment for these children during the grace period shall not be considered an error or an improper payment. The timeframe for immunizations is established by the MSDH for the enforcement of health, safety, and welfare.
Children Being Served by Healthy Families Mississippi (HFM)
Not required to complete a CCPP application form.
Must meet the eligibility requirements for CCPP and HFM.
Served based on the referral date received from HFM Family Support Workers.
Homeless Clients
Not required to complete a CCPP application form. These clients may apply or be referred by an approved agency serving homeless families.
Eligibility for CCPP shall be determined by MDHS and/or an approved agency serving homeless families.
Must meet the definition of homeless as defined by McKinney Vento Act.
Homeless clients shall receive a certificate based on the referral date entered by the referring agent/case manager, or the application approval date as appropriate.
Homeless children who receive child care payment assistance may be granted a 24-hour grace period from the date of admission into a child care payment- approved program to obtain the necessary immunization records. Payment for these children during the grace period shall not be considered an error or an improper payment. The timeframe for immunizations is established by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH).
Priority Group 2: Special or At-Risk Populations
Parents at this priority level are served up to 85% of the State Median Income (SMI). These clients include:
Children with special needs
Single parents with special needs
Parents deployed in the United States Armed Services, MS National Guard or Reserve
Children with Documented Special Needs
Must complete a CCPP application form.
The parent(s) must be working at least twenty-five (25) hours per week or be enrolled full-time in an educational program or engaged in an approved job training program; or a combination of both.
Must be at or below 85% of the SMI.
Parent(s) with a Documented Disability
Must complete a CCPP application form.
Must meet the SSI definition of disability by being unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months.
Spouse must meet the twenty-five (25) hour per week work requirement.
Current documentation of SSI benefits is necessary to determine priority eligibility for child care.
Children of Deployed Parents
Must complete a CCPP application form.
Must meet the twenty-five (25) hours per week work requirement, unless they are 65 years of age or provide proof that they have retired from full-time employment. The non-deployed, non-custodial responsible guardian’s income shall not be counted.
Must be at or below the 85% of the SMI.
Priority Group 3: Very Low Income, at Risk of Going on TANF
In this group, the family’s gross income must be at 50% or below the SMI. These clients include:
Teen parents
Parents who are working
Parents in an approved educational program
Teen Parents
Must complete a CCPP application. The teen parent must make the application in his/her own name as a family unit separate from his/her parent.
Must be enrolled full-time in high school or attending a full-time educational program.
If the teen parent is living with his/her parent(s), the parent(s) of the teen must meet the work requirement or be enrolled full-time in an educational/training program; however, income of the parent(s) of the teen parent should not be counted.
If the parent of the teen meets the special needs requirement (as described in Chapter 5: Parent Eligibility Requirements), the work requirement is waived.
If the teen parent has been legally emancipated from his/her parent(s), the teen parent must meet the work requirement or be enrolled full-time in an educational/training program.
The parent(s) must be working at least twenty-five (25) hours per week or be enrolled full-time in an educational program or engaged in an approved job training program; or a combination of both.
Must be at or below 50% of the SMI.
Priority Group 4: Low Income, at Risk of Going on TANF
Based on the availability of funding, children of parent(s) in an approved, full-time educational program and/or working the required (25) hours per week whose income falls between 50% and 85% of the SMI.
The parent(s) must be working at least twenty-five (25) hours per week or be enrolled full-time in an educational program or engaged in an approved job training program; or a combination of both.
Income must be above 50% or below 85% of the SMI.
Income Guidelines
The table below shows the maximum amount of annual income your family can make to be considered at or below 85% of the SMI and at or below 50% of the SMI. This table also shows the federal poverty line and the TANF maximum income limit.
