What are the parents responsibilities when on child care assistance?
Parents are expected to pay a share of their child care costs on a bi-weekly basis. This payment is made directly to the provider and is called a co-payment. The co-payment is calculated per family, not per child, for the two week period. Co-payments are based on the parents’ gross income minus allowable deductions. Allowable deductions to help decrease household income are medical premiums, dental premiums, and child support that is being paid out for a child not in the home. The state of Minnesota sets the rates for co-payments based on income and household size. This standard is the Sliding Fee Scale, which is used to determine co-payments for MFIP, TY, and BSF child care assistance programs. The co-payment appears on the authorization form sent to both the provider and parent. It also appears on claim forms when it will be deducted from the provider’s payment. The parents pay the provider the co-payment bi-weekly. The provider should set up a payment plan with the parent to ensure
