EHS /Head StartIntake Information Fact Sheet

3-2017

Head Start Income / Over Income Guidelines

  1. EHS/HSincome eligibility is 100% of the poverty guideline. Income used is Gross Income/Total Income. Please Note: Line 27 of the 1040 may be deducted from the total income when a family is self-employed. Please be aware of the NMCAA service area. New Performance Standards do now allow EHS / HS to serve outside this area when it best serves the family.
  1. When a child transitions from EHS to HS programs, the family must go through the process of having a new application completed. Their income eligibility is assessed based on the new application. Please discuss with your PSC regarding the question of FES taking Head Start applications.
  1. Please note that younger siblings are not automatically income eligible. Their eligibility

is determined by the income guidelines the year of application.

  1. Gross Income / Total Income from 101 – 130% income guidelines may be enrolled as income eligible when a current opening exist and there are no children on the EHS County WL / Head Start Center wait list. Staff are required to contact Michelle Karns DMT to get authorization in this situation. EHS/HS Child Care will also use the same procedure to 101-130% children as income eligible – as the HS Center base program. See “Procedure for Enrolling 101-130%.
  1. EHS/HSis allowed to have 10% of their enrolled children as over income. If a child has a handicap label and is over income, that slot still needs to be counted as over income. DMT (Michelle) controls the over income slots for EHS and EHS CC. Cindy Buss controls the over income slots for HS and HS CC
  1. EHS/HS: Annualizing Current income:
  • You may use a family’s current income if therehas been a

job loss or significant loss of income.

  • The loss would be ongoing with no call back.
  • This would be a significant change.
  • We would compute a month worth of income.
  • This month’s worth of income would include wages; unemployment; no income; no unemployment.
  • The income for the month would be multiplied by 12.
  • Applications using current income will get final review by the HS Program Service Manager (Cindy Buss) or EHS Manager Shannon Phelps.
  • We are taking a current month’s income and annualizing it.
  • If we are able to make a family eligible by using the past 12 months or last years income, this is preferred.
  • Seasonal work that the family endures every year, would not qualify as a job loss. The family would have expectations of a call back date. We would use the regular tax information in this circumstance as normal.
  • For those on a wait list that have a new child, staff can use a recert to make families income eligible. If the family had a loss of income, staff will take a new application.

The Head Start/Early Head Start Eligibility Verification form will be completed with each application. This form will be sent with the application to the Traverse City Office

  1. We must keep copies of income and categorical documents and all income that you use to determine a family’s eligibility. These documents must be attached to the original application that is turned in to the DMT. Please “black out” all Social Security numbers and financial account numbers of tax, W2 and banking information. Please note that the new Performance Standards now have additional requirements for Protecting the Privacy of Child Records. (Personal Identifiable Information PII)
  1. Families that have no income or who are unable to prove income can provide a written declaration of their eligibility. As a response to this written declaration, staff must make reasonable efforts to verify the family’s eligibility. Staff will use the Family Income Status / Staff Documentation form and / or the Third Party Documentation form to verify the family’s written declarationand document the steps that they as staff took to try to secure income information.
  1. Family Income Status / Staff Documentation: This form will be used for families to document their written declaration that they do not have income; or cannot provide documentation of their income. Parent Signature is required. Staff also use this form for families to document that they do not receive child support, unemployment, grants or scholarships. Staff will also use this form to log their attempts to obtain third party documents. In the log verification section, staff may include phone calls; statements about employers/ family not willing to provide a written statement (“i.e.” under the table income, off the record arrangements etc.) It is important to have a clear snap shot of the family’s situation.
  1. Third Party Documentation: This for is used to verify families’ written declarations of little or no income. To request third party documentation from a family and similar supports use the Third Party form. Applicant and third party signatures are needed on this form.
  1. Categorical Eligibility: FIP (Family Independence Program- cash assistance); and SSI (Supplemental Security Income); Foster Care/Kinship Care; Homeless:automatically makes the family’s income eligible for EHS/HS (the family must currently be receiving oneof these payments to be automatically eligible).

If a family is Categorically Eligible and the application is for an EHS child or a HS three year old – the total income of the family does not need to be documented. Staff will mark the child as Categorically Eligible and attach the Categorical Document to the application. If the child is four years old and may be considered for a GSRP program – the total income of the family does need to be included in the income section of the application.

Also Please Note: Social Security Disability - SSDI does not makethe family’s income automatically eligible forHead Start.

Guardian’s income must be counted as family income of the child.

Power of Attorney: Income of child’s authorized caregiver or legally responsible party must be counted as family income of the child.

Foster Care/Kinship Care – Child is considered family of one. Must have documentation verifying child is in foster care/kinship care.

Families that meet the McKinney Vento definition of Homeless are alsoautomatically

income eligible for the Head start program. Families that are living at a homeless shelter

at the time of the application are categorically eligible for EHS/HS and the staff taking

the application can indicate this on the application.

Families that are in a possible double up situation that may make the family eligible for

the McKinney Vento status will have the HS/EHS staff flag this application & complete

the appropriate Release of Information and the “ Families in TransitionQuestionnaire”.

EHS/HS staff will ensure that these applications are given to their Coordinator in a timely

manner.

Coordinators will conduct follow-up withthe McKinney Vento Liaison and ensure the

necessary referrals are maderightaway. The family in question will notbe designated

as “Homeless” until aMcKinneyVento Liaison havemade this designation. If the family

is deemed to meet the McKinney Vento status, the PSC/ERSEA Manager/R&H will obtain

the supporting documentation from the McKinney Vento Liaison in the school district that

the family lives and attach this documentation to the application and mark the

application & Income Eligibility Verification form as homeless.

  1. It is asked that you refer to the military guidance when completing an application with military income.

Please note: We are not counting the GI Bill as a scholarship or grant money.

13. Application Reminders: EHS please compute the age at the top of the application, based

on the date of application; HS – the age at the top of the application is based on Sept 1;

#8 teen parent is determined by the age of the parent at the time of birth of the applying

child; #10 professional referral must be from an agency/professional outside HS/EHS; if

indicating for the applying child / unborn child,any health concerns, please also circle

HLTH or Fetal HLTH RISK in the needs / crisis section of the application.

  1. Posters, recruitment material, reminder cards and conversations with families need to be specific about the “preferred” income documentation that we need families to bring to recruitment.
  1. Please note: an unborn child for an EHS application will only be counted as a family member (# in family) when the program applicant is the pregnant mom and unborn child.
  1. Applications in which a family is not able to present adequate income documentation will need to be discussed with your Coordinator before they are submitted to Traverse City. (This will include applications in which the family does not have adequate income documentation; applications that are getting paid under the table; and applications that have no income.) Coordinators will initial these applications.
  1. Staff will need to ensure that they see documentation of the “actual” amount of child support that a family receives. This documentation could be by means of bank statements or through the Friend of the Court. It is acknowledged that not all families that receive child support are involved with the Friend of the Court. Documentation may be available at for child support debit card statements.
  1. Only those adults who are considered “in the family”: are written on the

application under A01 /A02.

  1. Applications will not be sent in unless every item is complete on the application and all income is verified (no incomplete applications). Note – Applications can now be processed even if you are having trouble documenting the age of the child.
  1. FES staff will need to complete a new application on children from the wait list when the application is too old to use.
  1. When enrolling an EHS child off the wait list, staff will need to look at the date on the application to ensure that the income information is not too “old”.
  • The EHS program year is from September 1 to August 31.
  • An application is good to use if: You take an application on/or after September 1 and enroll the child/pregnant mom before Aug 31 of the same “program year”.
  • Please Note: Any applications taken after Jan 1 are good for the remaining months till Aug 31 and also good for the next program year.
  • A new application would need to be taken if : You take an application prior to Jan 1 of the current program year and do not enroll the chid/pregnant mom until the next program year.
  1. Over Income children that become income eligible will need to have a new application

completed.

  1. We continue to watch Michigan Legislation to see if the age eligibility for EHS or HS will change this fall.
  1. A HS income eligible child has two program years of income eligibility. The income-eligible child who stays in the HS program for a second year is automatically income eligible even if the family’s income increases. Teaching staff / Child Care Support Coordinators will recertify the applications of HS income eligible children that are eligible for a second year of programming. They will use the Recertification / Updates form R-15. This R-15 will be attached to the previous year’s application. Submit to your R&H or CC Coordinator to DMT. With returning children, also complete a new Release of Health Screening & Dental H-11 A.

A new income is not needed if the income –eligible child will be returning to the HS

program for a second year. There is a new rule that now allows us not to have to take a

new applications for eligible children that are returning to HS that may be placed in an

Extended day Head Start/GSRP blended program that receives GSRP funds. (However

We have made some exceptions, where we still are taking new applications for returning

children in our HS extended day programs with blended GSRP slots.) Please note that if a

family wants their eligible HS child to be placed in a 100% GSRP classroom the following

year, a new application with income is required.

  1. Recruitment & Health Specialist and Child Care Support Coordinator will be responsible for completing a new application for any child that needs to have family income calculated.
  • Applications on waitlist children
  • 2nd year applications on HS over income & 101-130% income children
  • Applications of HS children that now need a new income to be considered for a GSRP slot or HS/GSRP blended slot
  • 3rd year applications
  1. Agency Policy: Staff who intentionally violate eligibility rules would be in violation of the NMCAA Standards of Conduct and are subject to discipline up to and including termination.

GSRP Requirements

  1. NMCAA covers ten counties; Roscommon, Missaukee, Wexford, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Kalkaska, Antrim, Emmet, and Charlevoix. * Please note with GSRP some eligible children can reside in additional counties (i.e. BenzieSchool District / ManisteeCounty, MesickSchool District/ ManisteeCounty).
  1. For GSRP programs that can include GSRP children from counties not in our HS service area – collaboration is required between our GSRP program and the Head Start program. A “ Release to Serve” form to enroll HS income eligible children in our GSRP program is required. R & H are required to contact the ERSEA Manager regarding the above situation. The Head Start director may also give guidance on the above situation.
  1. GSRP eligibility: the GSRP child must live in the school district or be allowed to attend as school of choice by living within a ISD service area; or be give permission to cross ISD boundary lines; must be four on or before the GSRP age eligibility date Sept 1; have income under 250% poverty. There is current proposed legislation that may no longer allow children to be served in GSRP that are Over Income.

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