Determining Eligibility
Providers
Payments/Billing
Child Support
BFIS Questions/Issues
Documentation
If you have a question that has not been answered on this page you can send it to: AHS.DCFCDDFAPQuestions@state.vt.us
Employment
If pay stubs do not specifically state number of hours or the rate of pay, but do show taxes removed; how should we determine the number of hours to authorize?
Answer: Have the employer fill out an Employment Verification form
When determining an application, does mileage reimbursement count as income on a pay stub?
Answer: No, mileage is not countable income.
Reach Up
If I have a client that is coming off of Reach Up, do they need to fill out a blue application?
Answer: Yes
Self-Employment
If I have a self-employed family who has not submitted the Form 4562, can I determine without it?
Answer: Yes. If the client does not give you a 4562 then they are not reporting Section 179, non countable business depreciation and you may determine eligibility without the form.
Do we need a self employment business plan every year if it is the same business?
Answer: No, a Business Plan is required only once as long as the business name has not changed. Please make sure that the start date of the business is listed on the plan.
A client is self-employed as a landscaper from May - September. When this seasonal income ends, she works full time and is paid wages by an employer. Is it appropriate to count the self employment for 5 months (divide income/expenses on Schedule C by 5 months) and count wages received from employer 7-months?
Answer: Yes. This scenario is the exception to dividing by 12. As you know, in most self-employment cases we annualize the income by 12. This is done because the assumption is that the income is meant to carry throughout the year. When we have the situation of two distinct jobs over two distinct time frames we change our approach and divide by the appropriate time frames.
Education
When a client who is using education as a service need, gives you a new course schedule for the winter and the hours and income are still the same, do you put the application in again or just create certificates from the authorization that was used before?
Answer: As long as the client’s grades show successful completion and the new semester registration does not change the authorized hours, you may extend the certificates under the current authorization. Please put notes in BFIS.
Seeking Employment
If a parent uses child care only 2 days a week for work search, can the initial work search be longer than 4 weeks?
Answer:No, the work search may be created for 2 pay periods (4 weeks) only. Since the client is looking for work 2 days per week, the certificate should be for part time only. A certificate should not be created for a school age child except during summer or school break periods
A client found a part time job but really needs to work full time. Can they work part time and be authorized part time for Seeking Employment in order to continue looking for full time work?
Answer: Yes, you can authorize part time Seeking Employment if the client still wants to look for full time work. List the Seeking Employment as the secondary service need on the drop down menu.
Other
Has the application processing window frame of 10 days changed to 5 days? Is this written in the new state contract?
Answer: Yes. Processing of the application must start within 5 business days of receipt in agency. Please speak with your Agency Director regarding contract specifications.
A client wants to list her 20 year old autistic child as a household member. Do we count him?
Answer: Yes, if she has power of attorney and can claim him on her taxes - then he may be counted as a household member.
Are stipends, student loans, and grants considered countable income?
Answer: No, they are excluded.
What application date do we enter in BFIS?
Answer: Enter the date that was “date stamped” on the paper application or the date that the online application was received on the work list.
When applying the minimum wage equivalency formula to someone who is self-employed, what is the minimum number of hours to constitute a part time service need?
Answer: Part time is defined as 1-25 hours; therefore anything over 1 hour constitutes a part time service need.
Separate Authorizations: A client with a service need of employment for their own child becomes the legal guardian for another child who is receiving a Reach Up Child Only Grant – how is the authorization created?
Answer: Create two authorizations under the one client name: the first based on the parents service need and income for their only child and a second authorization based on service need – where the income is overridden for the child who is under legal guardianship.
Legally Exempt Child Care (LECC)
A 20 year old lives at home and is providing child care for her younger siblings and is curious if she could be the LECC provider?
Answer: No, a LECC provider may not be the child’s sibling, half-sibling, or step-sibling residing in the child’s residence.Out of State
Can we pay a provider who lives out of state?
Answer: Yes, in order to be approved by Vermont, as an Out of State child care provider,
the provider must have a current child care license from the state where they reside. If they do not, then the child care must occur in the client's home in Vermont. All of the necessary out of state provider paperwork must be completed.
May a LECC provider use the “N” code when a parent does not give notice?
Answer: No, LECC's are paid for only the days when the child is in attendance, therefore they do not receive payment for any of the codes.
A client wants to use 2 registered providers but is only eligible for part time (20 hours/week). Can I make certificates for 4 hours for one and 16 for the other?
Answer: No, you may not create two fixed certificates for a part time client.
How far back may we backdate?
Answer: Financial Assistance will begin on the first day the completed application along with necessary documentation is received. If a “Service Need” is established, the “Income Eligibility Requirement” is met and the family is determined eligible.
Financial Assistance may be retroactive for up to 30 days, provided the child was with a licensed, registered or certified provider and the primary caretaker(s) can satisfactorily document that the parent was eligible and had a service need during that period of time.
Payment of financial assistance by the Child Development Division (CDD) will be made from the first day of eligibility and actual attendance, and end with the last day a child attends according to the authorized part time, full time or extended care schedule at the established rates.
Can we authorize an H code for an unborn child?
Answer: Yes, for Protective Services if the social worker authorizes it. No for all other cases.
I have a written letter from a client that states that they do not get court ordered child support. Instead spouse pays the mortgage on the home they shared in the amount of $2000/month. Does this get entered in as child support income?
Answer: Put the amount under “Other income” and then in BFIS notes, explain that the client is receiving this amount in lieu of child support.
Client reports on application that she is receiving 640.00 in child support. When I run her name through Path Match it shows that she receives less than that. Which amount do I use?
Answer: If the amount is in PATH, the child support is through the Office of Child Support. In order to get an accurate figure, please request a disbursement print out from the client.
Client lists $886.00 per month on the application for child support received, but then puts a sticky note saying it is not always this amount.
Answer: Ask client to get a disbursement printout from the office of child support. Use the average for the year.
When I am bringing up cases to work on, some of them are under a Specialist that no longer works here. She is not listed in BFIS so I am not able to pull from her case load to transfer. What should I do?
Answer: Instead of going by the Specialist’s name, enter the case id number. It will bring up the case and you will be able to transfer it to you.
How does a new Eligibility Specialist get a log-in for BFIS?
Answer: This is the site to direct them to: https://bfishelp.ahs.state.vt.us/
Please note the following:
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The new person must have an agency email address set up prior to the BFIS log-in request.
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The person needs to use the agency address and phone number since this information is printed on the child care certificates.
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The account type is BFIS internal worker. Once the request is submitted in BFIS, the Help Desk will send additional links for paperwork which must be completed by the employee’s supervisor. Once this paperwork is returned to CDD, the new Specialist will receive their log-in name and password.
How are the hours determined for a Special Health Need (Adult) if the physician’s office did not fill in this section in the form?
Answer: You can’t, highlight the section on the form and return it to the physician’s office with a note explaining that the hours must be filled or the client will be denied child care assistance.
Can child care be authorized child care under a Special Health Need (Adult) file if a state licensed mental health counselor signed the form?
Answer: No. It must be signed by a licensed medical doctor (MD), nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistance (PA) or licensed psychologist on a form provided by or in the manner prescribed by CDD.
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