Recertification of Eligibility

18082.1

(a) Families shall be recertified for services by the contractor no later than 50 calendar days following the last day of the 12-month certification period, which starts with the day the agency's authorized representative signed the last application for services.

(b) In order to recertify families, the contractor's authorized representative shall:

(1) Notify the parent in writing in the final 30 days of the 12-month certification period, which starts with the day the contractor's authorized representative signed the last application for services, of:

(A) The requirement that the families be recertified in order to receive ongoing services;

(B) The date that the recertification must be completed by;

(C) The recertification appointment date, which can be no earlier than one day following the last day of the 12-month certification period;

(D) Information on the recertification process;

(E) Required information/documentation needed for the recertification appointment; and

(F) A telephone contact number and an optional email address in the event the parent may have any questions regarding the recertification process.

(2) Recertify or deny each family's/child's eligibility and need for early learning and care services after reviewing the completed application and documentation contained in the family data file, as provided for in chapter 19, subchapter 3, (commencing with section 18077); and

(3) Issue a Notice of Action pursuant to section 18095 to recertify eligibility for services or disenroll the family.

(c) Once recertified as eligible to receive services, except as otherwise provided in law or regulation, the contractor shall consider the family to meet all eligibility and/or need requirements for 12 months, at which point the family's eligibility and/or need must be recertified as set forth in this section.

(d) When a family is recertified as income eligible, the contractor shall at the same time provide notice to the family of the requirement to report if their income exceeds the income threshold, as provided in section 18082.2.

(e) Except as otherwise provided for in law or regulation, disenrollment cannot occur prior to the end of the 12-month certification period, even if disqualifying information is discovered during the preliminary collection of documentation for recertification, with the following exceptions:

(1) When the recalculation of income, pursuant to section 18082.2, based on the provided documentation indicates that the family's adjusted monthly income, adjusted for family size, exceeds the income threshold set forth in Education Code section 8263.1 and the family does not meet the requirements for another eligibility basis pursuant to section 18083; or

(2) When the parent changes residency outside of California, as reported by the parent; or

(3) When there is substantiated evidence of fraud that invalidates the initial certification or recertification; or

(4) When the family has abandoned care pursuant to section 18066.5.

(f) Families disenrolled prior to the last day of the 12-month initial certification or recertification period shall be issued a Notice of Action for disenrollment pursuant to section 18095.

(g) The contractor shall make every effort to make the recertification process convenient for families by providing early morning, evening, weekend appointments, or appointments at alternative locations as needed. The contractor may use technology to complete the recertification process if there is no reasonable way for the family to complete the process in person.

NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 8261 and 8263, Education Code. Reference: Sections 8261, 8263 and 8263.1, Education Code; and 45 Code of Federal Regulations Section 98.21.