<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" citation="COMAR 13A.14.06.03" title_num="13A" subtitle_num="14" chapter_num="06" heading="Eligibility.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>To be eligible for the CCS Program, a customer shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Be a resident of the State of Maryland;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Meet the need requirement set forth at §E of this regulation; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Meet the income requirement set forth at §F of this regulation of this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Citizenship Status. To receive CCS Program services, a child shall be a:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>United States (U.S.) citizen; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Qualified alien, as defined in Regulation .02B(44) of this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Proof of Identity.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>At the time of initial application for CCS Program services, a customer shall submit to the contractor acceptable proof of identity for each family member;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Acceptable proof of identity is limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A valid U.S. passport;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A birth certificate;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Documentation of birth abroad issued by the U.S. Department of State;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Documentation issued by an agency of the U.S. government that certifies the applicant as:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>A naturalized U.S. citizen;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A permanent resident alien;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The holder of a current non-immigrant work visa;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>A valid, unexpired foreign passport with a current U.S. visa affixed and accompanied by documentation of the applicant's most recent entry into the U.S.;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>Any other document designated by an agency of the U.S. government, and established by notice in the Federal Register, as acceptable for certifying proof of identity;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>A valid driver’s license, issued by Maryland or by another state; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>A Maryland State Motor Vehicle Administration photo identification card.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Services shall be denied for a child for whom care is requested if acceptable proof of identity for that child is not provided.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Proof of identity shall be maintained by the contractor in the customer’s CCS Program case record.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Child Immunizations.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Before a child may begin receiving CCS Program services, the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Child shall have had immunizations appropriate for the child's age that meet the immunization guidelines set by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH); and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Child’s immunization status shall have been documented on an immunization certificate form provided by MDH.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Exemption from Immunization.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Section §D(1) of this regulation does not apply if a child's:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Documented medical condition contraindicates immunization; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Parent objects to the immunization on religious grounds.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If the child’s parent objects to a child's immunization or medical examination, or both, on religious grounds, the contractor shall require the parent to:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Provide a written health history of the child; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Sign a statement indicating that to the best of the person’s knowledge and belief, the child is in satisfactory health and free from any communicable disease.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The immunization requirement is met when the customer submits to the contractor a written declaration, on a form supplied or approved by the CCS Branch, affirming that the child attends a:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Registered family child care home, licensed child care center, letter of compliance facility, or large family child care home where the child’s immunization records are maintained in accordance with applicable COMAR requirements; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Full-day program at a public or nonpublic school where the child’s immunization records are maintained.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Need. The need requirement is met:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>When the child's parent, caretaker, or legal guardian is not available or capable to care for the child, no other acceptable child care plan can be arranged, and one or more of the priority situations exist according to Regulation .08A of this chapter;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>By a customer who meets the requirements specified in Regulation .08A(1) of this chapter:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>During approved activity periods;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Before beginning an approved activity for a period not to exceed 1 month;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>During gaps in approved activities for a period not to exceed 1 month; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>As necessary to accept employment or to remain employed and if the child care would otherwise be lost; or</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>By a customer who meets the requirements specified in Regulation .08A(2) and (3) of this chapter:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>While employed; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>During gaps in employment for a period not to exceed 1 month and if the child care would otherwise be lost, to:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Seek employment;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Accept employment; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Remain employed.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Income.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>An applicant shall meet the income eligibility requirements set forth at §H of this chapter, except for the following who are exempt:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>TCA customers; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Recipients of SSI.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Except when TCA is received only for a child, the income requirement is met by a family that:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Receives TCA; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Has an annual gross income not exceeding the maximum income for family size as specified in the income eligibility scale set forth at §H of this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>For purposes of determining parental copayments and subsidy amounts, a family's annual or annualized gross income, as defined at Regulation .02B(30) of this chapter, shall be used.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Annualization of gross income shall be performed by multiplying:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Weekly income by 52;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Bi-weekly income by 26;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Twice monthly income by 24;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Monthly income by 12; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Quarterly gross income by 4.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>A customer applying for CCS Program services shall provide acceptable documentation to the contractor of all current income, whether derived from employment or another source, that is received on a regular or a recurring basis by:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The customer; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Each family member.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Acceptable documentation of employment earnings received, including cash earnings, is limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The most recent 4 weeks of pay stubs indicating gross income from each employer, if the stubs indicate the individual’s pay frequency or schedule;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A statement from each employer, signed and dated by the employer or bearing the employer’s official business stamp, that indicates the:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Employer’s name, address, and telephone number;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Employer’s type of business;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Gross earnings for the most recent pay period;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Pay frequency or schedule; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>If available, total gross earnings to date;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The individual’s most recent federal income tax return, if filed within the past 12 months;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Payment receipts for services rendered, where the type of employment, such as but not limited to restaurant waitress, beautician, or taxicab driver, may not generate an earnings statement or a pay stub; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>If none of the types of documentation listed at §F(6) of this regulation is able to be produced, a signed and dated statement from the customer attesting to current gross earnings, the frequency or schedule of those earnings, and the type of employment.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>The customer shall submit to the contractor the applicable income documentation described at §F(6) of this regulation:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Within 30 calendar days of applying for CCS Program services; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>After approval for CCS Program services, at least annually for the duration of those services.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>Special Income Calculation.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Self-Employment.</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>For income eligibility determination purposes, a flat 30% is subtracted from the annual gross taxable self-employment income amount for business-related expenses.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A salary drawn by the customer from a business owned wholly or in part by the customer shall not be applied toward calculation of the customer’s gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Military Service Pay.</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Paid rental and mortgage fees shall be deducted from the allowance and only the excess amount shall be counted as gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>If a military spouse is absent from the home solely due to military deployment, the spouse’s gross income shall be counted as a part of the family gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Child Support.</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The customer’s three most recent consecutive months of support payments shall be counted as gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>If a customer has received child support for less than three months, an average of the payments received to date will be used to determine gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Payments that are made directly to a vendor on a regular basis on behalf of the customer shall be counted as gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>If in-kind support is received, the customer shall apply a fair market value to the item or service and count that value as gross income.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>To maintain eligibility for CCS Program services, a family or individual shall report to the local department within 10 days of its occurrence any change in:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Income;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Employment;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Family composition;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Marital status;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Address; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Needed hours or days for child care services.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="H.">
    <text>Income Eligibility Scale.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>