7.4.3 Custodial Parent of an Infant (CMC)

The CMC placement is for eligible parents with newborns to help the parents provide care for their child(ren) during the early months of a child's life and successfully adjust to the challenges of being a parent.

A custodial parent of an infant 8 weeks old or younger who meets W-2 financial and nonfinancial eligibility may receive a monthly CMC payment of $673 and not be required to participate in W-2 activities, unless they volunteer to do so.

The eight-week CMC placement allows parents time to physically recover from childbirth, care for their newborn, secure childcare, and prepare for a return to the workforce.

W-2 agencies should encourage CMC participants to take advantage of employment-related services offered within the W-2 program during the eight-week CMC period.

7.4.3.1 Eligibility for CMC

To qualify for a CMC placement, the custodial parent must meet all W-2 financial and nonfinancial eligibility requirements (see Chapters 2 and 3), and:

2. No other adult member in the W-2 Group is participating or eligible to participate in a W-2 employment position or is working in an unsubsidized job.

If another adult in the W-2 Group is working in unsubsidized employment or is eligible for W-2 participation, regardless of the W-2 Group’s income, the family is not eligible for CMC. Even if the income of the other adult results in the family's income being at or below 115% of the federal poverty level, the family is still ineligible for a CMC payment.

If the family's income is at or below 115%, the other adult must be considered for placement in a W-2 employment position. In this situation, this family would be considered a two-parent family and be treated accordingly. (See Chapter 14)

EXAMPLE 1: Diane gives birth to Marina and applies for CMCCustodial Parent of an Infant. Diane reports that Marina’s father lives with them and works part-time hauling lumber. Since he is a non-marital co-parent living in the home and is employed in unsubsidized work, the family is not eligible for CMC. The FEPFinancial and Employment Planner must offer the family other employment services, if otherwise eligible, such as case management services in the CMUCase Management Underemployed placement.

EXAMPLE 2: Dorothy applies for a CMC and has a 3-week-old baby. During intake, Dorothy explains that she is married to John, who is not the baby’s biological father but lives with her and works in unsubsidized employment. Although the family income is below 115% of the Federal Poverty Level, they are ineligible for CMC due to John’s unsubsidized employment. The FEP should explore other appropriate services and W-2 placements with Dorothy.

EXAMPLE 3: Mia has a baby while employed full-time. Her husband Jeff, the baby’s biological father, has not worked in a year to stay home and care for their 3-year-old son. Because Jeff lives in the home and is eligible for W-2 employment services, the family is not eligible for a CMC. Based on Jeff’s work history, the FEP determines that Jeff is appropriate for a CSJCommunity Service Job placement. Jeff agrees to be the placed parent as Mia plans to stay home with their son and newborn.

EXAMPLE 4: Sonia has a 5-week-old baby. Sonia’s husband Victor is the biological father of the baby. Victor has been receiving SSDISocial Security Disability Insurance since 2000 when he was injured in a car accident. Although Victor is included in the W-2 Group, he is not working, and he would not be eligible to participate in a W-2 employment position. The family is eligible for CMC.

7.4.3.1.1 Paternity Establishment

In situations where the CMC participant is not married, the FEP must inform the participant that they and the baby’s biological father will have the ability to sign the Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment (PATH) form at the hospital to establish legal paternity. The FEP must explain that both parents must sign the form in the presence of a notary and that most hospitals have notaries on staff. The participant must also be informed that the PATH form requires a filing fee. If the participant cannot afford the fee, the hospital may be able to provide assistance.

If the participant is uncertain about the identity of the father, the FEP should explain the option of genetic testing.

FEPs must emphasize the importance of establishing legal paternity at the time of the child’s birth.

· The child may be eligible for coverage under the father’s health insurance; and

If the FEP does not have the opportunity to discuss paternity acknowledgement until after the participant leaves the hospital, the FEP must still review the benefits of establishing paternity with the participant and inform the participant that the PATH form is also available through the local child support agency (CSA) or county Register of Deeds office.

The FEP must also explain how establishing paternity may affect CMC eligibility. If the alleged father lives in the home and paternity is established while the CMC payment is ongoing, the family becomes ineligible for CMC if the father is either:

In certain situations, the FEP must contact the local CSA and request that paternity establishment for a specific CMC case be prioritized. These situations include:

· When the PATH form is signed and then later rescinded due to concerns about losing the CMC payment; or

· When paternity acknowledgement is not appropriate, e.g., there is more than one potential father living in the home.

7.4.3.2 CMC Verification, Placement, and Payment

If an individual meets the eligibility criteria, the FEP must place the participant in the CMC placement. Once the parent has been determined eligible for the CMC payment, the FEP may encourage the participant to volunteer for appropriate services such as:

These services are not mandatory activities and cannot be used as a basis for eligibility determination while the participant is in the CMC placement.

The CMC placement begin date is either the birth date of the child or the date of application, whichever is later. An applicant has seven days to provide appropriate verification. If the applicant provides verification within that timeframe, the placement must begin as of the date of application but no earlier than the date of birth. The agency may extend the verification period up to 30 days and still backdate the placement back to the date of the application. (See 4.1.3)

The W-2 agency must have verification of a baby’s birth and application for an SSN prior to placing a participant into the CMC placement. Medical verification requiring the individual to be in the home for eight weeks is not necessary. (See 4.1.2 and 2.2.1. #14)

EXAMPLE 1: Mary’s baby is born April 14. On April 21, she applies for a CMC placement. At the time of her April 23 intake appointment, Mary does not have verification of her baby’s birth or SSN application. Mary’s FEP instructs her to bring in verification no later than April 30. Mary brings in her verification on April 25 and is placed in CMC effective April 21, the date of application.

EXAMPLE 2: Jontae applies for a CMC placement on May 5 because her baby is due on May 10. At her intake appointment on May 8, the FEP asks Jontae to bring in verification of the baby’s birth and SSN application as soon as possible. Jontae has her baby on May 11 and submits the required verification to the FEP on May 15. Jontae is placed in CMC effective May 11, the date of the baby’s birth.

Ongoing participants have 10 days to report a change in circumstances. (See 2.8.1) If the change (the birth of the baby) is reported within this timeframe, the payment should begin as of the date of the child’s birth. If it is reported outside of 10 days, the FEP determines whether the payment begins as of the date of the child’s birth or when the parent verified the birth and SSN application date. The FEP should consider whether circumstances prevented the parent from reporting the child’s birth within 10 days.

7.4.3.3 CMC Time Limits

Whether a participant’s time in a CMC placement counts against the 24-month placement time limit, 48-month state lifetime limit, or 60-month federal lifetime limit depends on the participant’s W-2 placement history and the timing of the child’s birth.

The FEP must explain the impact reaching a time limit will have on the family’s eligibility for future W-2 benefits. If a CMC participant reaches the 48-month state lifetime limit while in the CMC placement, they are automatically eligible for a time limit extension.

7.4.3.4 Ending CMC

The CMC placement must end eight calendar weeks (7 days x 8 weeks = 56 days) after the child is born. CMC cannot extend beyond the date the child turns 8 weeks of age, regardless of the date the CMC placement begins.

A CARES alert is generated to remind the FEP to change the CMC placement on the appropriate day.

As the CMC placement end date approaches, the FEP must discuss next steps with the CMC participant, including employment goals and supportive service needs once the CMC placement ends.

If the CMC participant is going to continue in a different W-2 placement, the FEP must enter the new placement on the 57th day which will end CMC placement on the 56th day.

If the CMC participant is not going to continue in a different W-2 placement, the FEP must end date the W-2 episode on the 56th day which will also end the placement on the 56th day.

EXAMPLE 1: Miguel is placed in a CMC on March 6, after the birth of his child, for whom he has sole custody. Two weeks before his 56th day in the placement, the FEP meets with Miguel to discuss Miguel’s options once his CMC placement ends. During this meeting, Miguel confirms that he will be returning to his prior job by relying on the child care services the FEP helped him secure and does not want any W-2 follow-up services. Based on this information, the FEP will end-date Miguel’s CMC placement effective April 30, which is the 56th day.

EXAMPLE 2: Bobbi gave birth to a baby and is placed in CMC on March 6. Two weeks before the 56th day in the placement, the FEP meets with Bobbi to discuss plans for when her CMC placement ends. Bobbi explains that she originally planned to go back to work but has been very depressed and anxious and does not feel like she can handle getting a job as she had hoped. Based on an informal assessment, the FEP determines that Bobbi is in need of a formal assessment and possible mental health services depending upon the outcome of the assessment. For that reason, the FEP will place Bobbi in a W-2 T effective May 1, which will correctly end date the CMC placement on April 30 (the 56th day).