Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families - Division
of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
Eligibility will end systematically at the end of the third month in CWW if a parent has not started a new verified approved activity or returned to their approved activity by the end of an Activity Break Period (see 5.3.1). Authorizations will end systematically in CSAW on the last day of the last month in which the child was eligible if there is no eligibility for the following month. Agency workers must let eligibility and authorizations end systematically and not take any action to end eligibility or authorizations manually due to the end of an Activity Break Period.
If Wisconsin Shares eligibility closes in CWW for a different reason during an Activity Break Period (see 5.3.7), the authorization will also end systematically in CSAW at the end of the last month of the child’s eligibility. If Wisconsin Shares eligibility is closing according to adverse action (see 11.2), agency workers do not need to take action to end an authorization earlier unless:
The parent indicates that they do not plan to use child care; or
The case is closing due to the parent not being eligible for an Activity Break Period the first month of the new eligibility period after the renewal has been completed (see 5.3.1.1).
If Wisconsin Shares eligibility closes and reopens in CWW within one (1) calendar month while the parent is in an Activity Break Period, the agency worker will need to recreate the previous authorization in CSAW as the authorization will have been systematically ended when eligibility ended.
If
eligibility closes at the end of an Activity Break Period and reopens
in CWW within one (1) calendar month because the parent gains a new approved
activity or returns to their approved activity, the local agency must
follow the policy in Section
15.2 for determining the authorization begin date.
| Example 1 (Eligibility closes and reopens): Krystal is in an ACTS period from June 1 – August 31 and her child, Mallory, has an authorization at Kelly’s Kuddles. When Krystal’s ACTS period is ending in August, Krystal does not have a new approved activity for September. Wisconsin Shares eligibility systematically ends on August 31. On September 23, Krystal reports that she has started a new job and provides verification. Eligibility reopens effective September 1. Mallory has been attending Kelly’s Kuddles since her authorization ended. However, Mallory’s new authorization can only begin on September 23 because this was the date that both criteria of Krystal participating in an approved activity and Mallory attending the child care provider were met. |
If
a parent who is in a TBRK period intends to return to their approved activity
prior to the end of the 3-month period, the authorization should remain
in place until the parent reports that they have returned to their approved
activity.
| Example 2 (TBRK): Adeline reports on January 12 that she had a baby and is on maternity leave until February 28. The agency worker updates her Approved Activity Status in CWW to TBRK for February 1 – April 30. Adeline has an authorization for her older child, Phoebe. The agency worker leaves the original end date of June 7 in place for Phoebe’s authorization as the authorization will be ended systematically on April 30 when eligibility ends if Adeline does not report she has returned to work by April 30. Adeline will need to report if she returns to work before April 30 and if she has a change in child care need following her return to work. |
| Example 3 (ACTS): Mia lost her job on March 10 and the agency worker updated her Approved Activity Status in CWW to ACTS for April 1 – June 30. Mia’s child, Milo, has an authorization with an end date of Mia’s annual renewal date, August 31. The agency worker does not need to update Milo’s authorization (unless Mia requests changes to the authorization). If Mia does not have a verified approved activity by June 30, Mia’s eligibility in CWW and Milo’s authorization in CSAW will systematically end on June 30. |
If eligibility is ending according to adverse action due to a parent’s permanent loss of or temporary break in approved activity during the renewal month, agency workers must end or delete any authorizations created for the new eligibility period (see 5.3.1.1). This is to ensure that the same policy to not allow an Activity Break Period to begin the first month of the new eligibility period is applied to all parents regardless of when they complete the renewal.
This section last updated 12/1/2022