Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 43.216 - Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
43.216.136 - Working connections child care program—Eligibility.

RCW 43.216.136
Working connections child care program—Eligibility.

(1) The department shall establish and implement policies in the working connections child care program to promote stability and quality of care for children from low-income households. These policies shall focus on supporting school readiness for young learners. Policies for the expenditure of funds constituting the working connections child care program must be consistent with the outcome measures established by the department and the standards established in this section intended to promote stability, quality, and continuity of early care and education programming.
(2) As recommended by P.L. 113-186, authorizations for the working connections child care subsidy are effective for twelve months beginning July 1, 2016.
(a) A household's 12-month authorization begins on the date that child care is expected to begin.
(b) If a newly eligible household does not begin care within 12 months of being determined eligible by the department, the household must reapply in order to qualify for subsidy.
(3)(a) The department shall establish and implement policies in the working connections child care program to allow eligibility for families with children who:
(i) In the last six months have:
(A) Received child protective services as defined and used by chapters 26.44 and 74.13 RCW;
(B) Received child welfare services as defined and used by chapter 74.13 RCW; or
(C) Received services through a family assessment response as defined and used by chapter 26.44 RCW;
(ii) Have been referred for child care as part of the family's case management as defined by RCW 74.13.020; and
(iii) Are residing with a biological parent or guardian.
(b) Families who are eligible for working connections child care pursuant to this subsection do not have to keep receiving services identified in this subsection to maintain twelve-month authorization.
(4)(a) Beginning July 1, 2021, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department may not require an applicant or consumer to meet work requirements as a condition of receiving working connections child care benefits when the applicant or consumer is a full-time student of a community, technical, or tribal college and is enrolled in:
(i) A vocational education program that leads to a degree or certificate in a specific occupation;
(ii) An associate degree program; or
(iii) A registered apprenticeship program.
(b) An applicant or consumer is a full-time student for the purposes of this subsection if he or she meets the college's definition of a full-time student.
(c) Nothing in this subsection is intended to change how applicants or consumers are prioritized when applicants or consumers are placed on a waitlist for working connections child care benefits.
(d) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department may extend the provisions of this subsection (4) to full-time students who are enrolled in a bachelor's degree program or applied baccalaureate degree program.
(5)(a) The department must extend the homeless grace period, as adopted in department rule as of January 1, 2020, from a four-month grace period to a twelve-month grace period.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "homeless" means being without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence as described in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a) as it existed on January 1, 2020.
(6) For purposes of this section, "authorization" means a transaction created by the department that allows a child care provider to claim payment for care. The department may adjust an authorization based on a household's eligibility status.

[ 2021 c 199 § 202; 2020 c 279 § 2.]
NOTES:

Effective date—2021 c 199 §§ 201, 202, 301, 309, and 504: See note following RCW 43.216.1368.


Short title—Findings—Intent—Conflict with federal requirements—2021 c 199: See notes following RCW 43.216.770.


Effective date—2020 c 279: "This act takes effect July 1, 2020." [ 2020 c 279 § 4.]

Structure Revised Code of Washington

Revised Code of Washington

Title 43 - State Government—Executive

Chapter 43.216 - Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

43.216.005 - Findings.

43.216.010 - Definitions.

43.216.015 - Department of children, youth, and families—Created—Duties—Agency performance data—Oversight board for children, youth, and families—Powers and restrictions—Stakeholder meetings.

43.216.020 - Department duties.

43.216.022 - Annual quality assurance report.

43.216.025 - Secretary—Appointment—Salary.

43.216.030 - Secretary's authority.

43.216.035 - Office of innovation, alignment, and accountability—Duties and focus.

43.216.040 - Family services and programs—Administration.

43.216.045 - Advisory committees or councils—Travel expenses.

43.216.050 - Evaluation and research materials and data on private nonprofit group homes—Availability.

43.216.055 - Federal and state cooperation—Rules—Construction.

43.216.060 - Policies to support children of incarcerated parents.

43.216.065 - Private-public partnership—Secretary's duties.

43.216.070 - Reports to the governor and legislature.

43.216.075 - Early learning advisory council—Policy development and implementation—Early achievers review subcommittee.

43.216.080 - Integration with other entities.

43.216.085 - Early achievers program—Quality rating and improvement system.

43.216.087 - Early achievers program—Participation of culturally diverse and low-income center, family home, and outdoor nature-based child care providers.

43.216.089 - Early achievers program—Final report—Mitigation plan for areas not achieving required rating levels—Data availability—Reports.

43.216.090 - Early achievers program—Mental health consultants.

43.216.091 - Early achievers program—Administrative policies—Rating and rerating.

43.216.092 - Early achievers program—Administrative policies—Various.

43.216.100 - Community information and involvement plan—Informing home-based, tribal, and family early learning providers of early achievers program.

43.216.105 - Native language development and retention—Dual language learning—Rules.

43.216.110 - Core competencies for early care and education professionals and child and youth development professionals—Adoption and implementation—Updating.

43.216.115 - Partnership responsibilities—Department's duties—Partnership's duties.

43.216.120 - Reduction of barriers for using local or private funds for early learning opportunities.

43.216.125 - Parental notification of report alleging sexual misconduct or abuse—Notice of parental rights.

43.216.130 - Home visiting services account—Purpose—Administration—Funding.

43.216.135 - Child care providers—Subsidy requirements—Tiered reimbursements—Copayments.

43.216.136 - Working connections child care program—Eligibility.

43.216.1368 - Working connections child care program—Eligibility—Copayments.

43.216.137 - Working connections child care program—Unemployment compensation.

43.216.139 - Working connections child care program—Notification of change in providers.

43.216.141 - Working connections child care program—Standards and guidelines—Duties of the department.

43.216.143 - Working connections child care program—Contracted child care slots and vouchers.

43.216.145 - Working connections child care—Eligibility of high school students.

43.216.152 - Definitions.

43.216.155 - Home visitation programs—Findings—Intent.

43.216.157 - Home visitation programs—Definitions.

43.216.159 - Home visitation programs—Funding—Home visitation services coordination or consolidation plan.

43.216.165 - Early start account.

43.216.170 - Applicants for positions with the department—Investigation and background checks.

43.216.180 - Education of students in the custody of juvenile rehabilitation facilities—Duties—Creation of a comprehensive plan.

43.216.190 - Assistance with submission of Washington state identicard application materials.

43.216.195 - Child care centers—Negotiated rule making.

43.216.200 - Imagination library of Washington program.

43.216.205 - Youth and young adults exiting publicly funded system of care—Rapid response team.

43.216.250 - Secretary's licensing duties.

43.216.255 - Licensing standards.

43.216.260 - Minimum requirements for licensure.

43.216.265 - Fire protection—Powers and duties of chief of the Washington state patrol.

43.216.270 - Character, suitability, and competence to provide child care and early learning services—Fingerprint criminal history record checks—Background check clearance card or certificate—Shared background checks.

43.216.271 - Background check clearance registry—Background application form.

43.216.272 - Fee for developing and administering individual-based/portable background check clearance registry.

43.216.273 - Individual-based/portable background check clearance account.

43.216.280 - Licensed day care centers and outdoor nature-based child care providers—Notice of pesticide use.

43.216.285 - Articles of incorporation.

43.216.290 - Access to agencies—Records inspection.

43.216.295 - License required.

43.216.300 - License fees.

43.216.305 - License application—Nonexpiring licenses—Issuance, renewal, transfer, duration.

43.216.310 - License renewal.

43.216.315 - Initial licenses.

43.216.320 - Probationary licenses.

43.216.325 - Licenses—Denial, suspension, revocation, modification, nonrenewal—Proceedings—Penalties.

43.216.327 - Licenses—Denial, revocation, suspension, or modification—Notice—Effective date of action—Adjudicative proceeding.

43.216.335 - Civil fines—Notice—Adjudicative proceeding.

43.216.340 - Licensure pending compliance with state building code, chapter 19.27 RCW—Consultation with local officials.

43.216.345 - Adjudicative proceedings—Training for administrative law judges.

43.216.350 - License or certificate suspension—Noncompliance with support order—Reissuance.

43.216.355 - Actions against agencies.

43.216.360 - Unlicensed providers—Notification to agency—Penalty—Posting on website.

43.216.365 - Operating without a license—Penalty.

43.216.370 - Negotiated rule making.

43.216.375 - Negotiated rule making—Statewide unit of family child care licensees—Antitrust immunity, intent.

43.216.380 - Minimum licensing requirements—Window blind pull cords.

43.216.385 - Reporting—Actions against agency licensees—Agencies notified of licensing requirement—Posting on website.

43.216.390 - Reporting resignation or termination of individual working in child care agency.

43.216.395 - Child care inspection reports—Internal review process—Definitions—Final review.

43.216.500 - Intent.

43.216.505 - Definitions.

43.216.5052 - Definition of "Indian"—Rule making.

43.216.510 - Admission and funding.

43.216.512 - Expanded enrollment—Risk factors—Participation in other programs.

43.216.513 - Early entry—Participation in other programs.

43.216.514 - Enrollment priority.

43.216.515 - Eligible providers—State-funded support—Requirements—Data collection—Pathways to early childhood education and assistance program.

43.216.520 - Advisory committee.

43.216.525 - Rules.

43.216.530 - Review of applications.

43.216.535 - Reports.

43.216.540 - State support—Priorities—Program funding levels.

43.216.545 - Reimbursement of advisory committee expenses.

43.216.550 - Authority to solicit gifts, grants, and support.

43.216.555 - Early learning program—Voluntary preschool opportunities—Program standards—Prioritizing programs—Rules.

43.216.556 - Early learning program—Funding and statewide implementation.

43.216.559 - Early learning program—Short title—2010 c 231.

43.216.565 - Findings—Intent—Early start program.

43.216.567 - Early therapeutic and preventative services and programs.

43.216.570 - Early intervention services—Findings.

43.216.572 - Early intervention services—Infants and toddlers with disabilities—Interagency coordinating council—Conditions and limitations.

43.216.574 - Early intervention services—Infants and toddlers with disabilities—Interagency coordinating council—Coordination with counties and communities.

43.216.576 - Early intervention services—Interagency agreements.

43.216.577 - Prenatal to three family engagement strategy.

43.216.578 - Birth to three early childhood education and assistance program—Pilot project—Reports.

43.216.579 - Infant child care incentives.

43.216.580 - Early intervention services—Funding.

43.216.585 - Program rates.

43.216.587 - Complex needs funds.

43.216.590 - Trauma-informed care supports.

43.216.592 - Dual language designation—Rate enhancement.

43.216.595 - Early childhood equity grants.

43.216.597 - Play and learn groups—Resources and supports.

43.216.600 - Professional development supports.

43.216.602 - Child care deserts grant program.

43.216.650 - Child fatality reviews.

43.216.655 - Data collection and program evaluation—Reports.

43.216.660 - Child care services—Declaration of policy.

43.216.665 - Child care workers—Findings—Intent.

43.216.670 - Child care provider rules review.

43.216.675 - Child care workers—Career and wage ladder.

43.216.680 - Child care workers—Career and wage ladder—Wage increases.

43.216.685 - Child care—Toll-free information number.

43.216.687 - Child care—Required postings—Disclosure of complaints.

43.216.689 - Child care—Public access to reports and enforcement action notices.

43.216.690 - Child day care centers and outdoor nature-based child care providers—Immunization.

43.216.692 - Family home providers—Capacity flexibility.

43.216.695 - County regulation of family day-care centers—Twelve-month pilot projects.

43.216.700 - Day care insurance.

43.216.705 - Child care providers—Tiered-reimbursement system—Pilot sites.

43.216.710 - Child care services.

43.216.715 - Child care partnership employer liaison.

43.216.720 - Child care expansion grant fund.

43.216.725 - Subsidized child care report and assessment.

43.216.730 - Child care subsidy fraud—Referral—Collection of overpayments.

43.216.735 - Placement of children ages sixty months through six years.

43.216.742 - Outdoor nature-based child care program.

43.216.745 - Child care consultation program—Creation, operation, and duties.

43.216.749 - Child care subsidy rates—Use of cost model.

43.216.750 - Child welfare workers—Department duties—Technical work group to develop workload model—Annual report to legislature.

43.216.755 - Child care providers—Community-based training pathway.

43.216.760 - Child care and early learning providers—Firearms, dangerous weapons.

43.216.762 - Child care and early learning providers—Firearms, dangerous weapons—Rules.

43.216.770 - Fair start for kids account.

43.216.772 - Fair start for kids account—Spending goals and strategies.

43.216.775 - Inflationary adjustments to rates.

43.216.900 - Early childhood education and assistance program—Short title—1985 c 418.

43.216.901 - Contingency—Effective date—1985 c 418.

43.216.902 - Effective date—2006 c 265.

43.216.903 - Construction—Chapter applicable to state registered domestic partnerships—2009 c 521.

43.216.904 - Short title—2015 3rd sp.s. c 7.

43.216.905 - Transfer of powers, duties, and functions of the department of early learning.

43.216.906 - Transfer of child welfare provisions from the department of social and health services.

43.216.907 - Transfer of juvenile justice services provisions from the department of social and health services.

43.216.908 - Conflict with federal requirements—2017 3rd sp.s. c 6.

43.216.909 - Transfer of working connections child care and seasonal child care programs from the department of social and health services.

43.216.910 - Savings clause—2021 c 199.