Section C Rates and Unit Types
How Rates Are Determined
The rates paid by DHS for child care are determined by the following factors:
- Star status of the facility
- Setting in which child care is provided (child care center or family child care home)
- Child’s age
- Unit type that is approved (full-time, part-time, blended, weekly, or special needs)
- Add-on rates in addition to base rate include Non-Traditional Hours, and Child Welfare
See Appendix C-4-B, Child Care Provider Rate Schedule, for more details.
Authorization
An authorization is information entered by caseworker into the eligibility system about a particular child’s eligibility for subsidized child care. This information is transferred to the EBT system and is communicated to you on the Provider Web. The client also receives a notice with the same information. The Unit Type information below provides information on what type and amount of care is on an authorization.
Unit types
One of the factors when determining payment rate is the unit type authorized. The following are the different unit types:
Full-time
Unit type approved for more than 4 but fewer than 24 hours of care per day. It is NOT limited to a specific number of hours per day. The full-time daily unit type is approved when the child needs care more than four hours per day and fewer than 15 days or more than 23 days per month.
Part-time
Unit type approved for 4 or less hours of care per day.
Weekly
The weekly unit type may be approved when care is needed more than four hours per day and at least 15 days and no more than 23 days per month. A weekly unit type is paid at the full-time daily rate for the number of days the child attends more than four hours. Absent day payments are made with the payment received after the tenth of the following month.
A weekly unit type is not approved when the child:
- requires any part-time care;
- uses two different providers;
- uses an in-home provider that comes to the child’s home; or
- receives child care subsidy on two separate cases due to a joint custody arrangement.
The child MUST attend the minimum number of full-time days for that calendar month before OKDHS pays an absent day payment. When the child does not attend the minimum number of full-time days for that calendar month, OKDHS pays only for the days the child attended.
Remember, only full-time days count toward the number of days needed to qualify for an absent day payment. When the child does not attend enough full-time days to qualify for absent days payments, you:
- CANNOT charge the client for absent days;
- CANNOT require the child to attend a minimum number of days to meet this requirement; or
- CANNOT allow attendance to be swiped for days the child was not in your care.
If the client fails to swipe accurate attendance which causes you not to receive an absent day payment, you can charge the client for absent days only if the child actually attended the days that the client failed to swipe.
Blended
The blended unit type is approved for a child 4 years of age or older when the child needs care Monday through Friday only (never on Saturday or Sunday); part-time on school days and full-time on school holidays. The traditional blended unit type is effective from August 16th through May 15th of each year and payment reverts to the weekly unit type beginning May 16th through August 15th. The blended unit type is not approved when the:
- facility is not open on school holidays;
- child requires more full time days in addition to school holidays;
- child does not need care on school holidays;
- child uses a different facility for school holidays;
- child only needs part time care;
- child uses more than one provider;
- child uses an in-home provider that comes to child’s home;
- child receives the special needs rate; or
- child receives child care subsidy on two separate cases due to a joint custody arrangement.
Special Needs Unit Type
Unit Type approved for a child with disabilities that is in addition to the rate received for a typical child of the same age. To be authorized at this higher rate, the special needs process must be followed.
- The child must already be receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), SoonerStart early intervention services documented by an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or special education services from the local school district as documented by an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
- You, the provider, will initiate the special needs rate process by accessing Form 08AD006E, Certification for Special Needs Rate for Licensed Child Care Homes and Centers located in Section K, Links and Forms. You, the client, and your licensing specialist must then complete the appropriate sections of the form. This form helps determine any extra care the child may require from you, how these care needs will be met, whether you meet certification requirements to receive the rate and what rate is approved.
- To meet certification requirements for this special needs rate, you must have a previous record of compliance with licensing requirements, develop and follow an appropriate plan to meet the child’s needs, have staff present with current first aid and CPR training and obtain an on-site consultation regarding the nature of the child’s disability and the development of a child care plan.
- Depending on how the form is scored, the child may be approved for a moderate or severe special needs unit type or may continue to receive the typical child care rate.
- If the child is approved to receive the higher rate, it will be effective the first day of the month following the date Child Care Subsidy staff signs the form.
- Once the Certification for Special Needs Rate for Licensed Child Care Homes and Centers form has been completed and one of the special needs unit types approved, it does not need to be completed again unless the child changes to a new child care provider, the child stops attending the facility that was approved for the special needs rate for more than 6 months or the care needs of the child change.
Child Welfare Add-on
A foster care add-on rate to help support children in foster care. The add-on rate is $5 per day in addition to the typical daily rate approved for the child. (Child Welfare authorizations will be case numbers that begin with a “KK”) The trauma experienced by children in the child welfare system may not rise to the level of a special needs diagnosis yet it warrants a special level of care. This aligns with support and work for this vulnerable population.
Non-Traditional Hours’ Add-on
A non-traditional hours payment can be made when the child attends full-time on weekdays and at least two of those hours fall between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am. A non-traditional hours payment can also be made for full-time care on weekends. To qualify for the non-traditional hours payment, the child must be approved for a full-time daily or weekly unit type. The non-traditional hours payment amount is $14 per day and is paid in addition to the typical full time daily amount paid for the child. Non-traditional hours payments are included in the payment received after the 10th day of the following month.
Additional $5/day added for each day of care for each child until further notice.
Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) is temporarily increasing the daily subsidy rate by $5 per eligible child in addition to the regular DHS rate on the Child Care Provider Rate Schedule, Appendix C-4-B. This additional $5 per day of care will be automatically added for each child in addition to the already authorized amounts. The Provider Web authorization information will include this $5/day addition in the payment amounts.