Child Care Assistance Program

- What is the Child Care Assistance Program?
- Who can get help from Child Care Assistance?
- How does the Child Care Assistance Program work?
- How much will I have to pay each month on CCAP?
- Can I pick my child care provider if I get help from CCAP?
- How do I find a child care provider who will accept CCAP?
- Can I change my child care provider at any time with CCAP?
- Can I use more than one child care provider with CCAP?
- Do I have to work, look for work, or go to school to get CCAP?
- Who is an eligible caregiver?
- What if I am unemployed and need child care to look for work?
- Do I or my children have to be U.S. citizens to get CCAP?
- I am an immigrant. If I get help from CCAP, will I be a public charge?
- Does it matter how long I have lived in Minnesota?
- Are there any asset limits for Child Care Assistance?
- Do I have to cooperate with the child support office to get CCAP?
- How do I get an application for the Child Care Assistance Program?
- What is the application like?
- How do I apply? Do I have to go in person?
- Can I apply for CCAP while I am pregnant, if I have no other children?
- How soon will I be able to get help from CCAP?
- Is there a waiting list to receive Child Care Assistance in my county?
- How does the waiting list work?
- What do I have to do to stay on the program?
- How often do I have to renew my CCAP?
- What happens if I move to another county?
- Is there a limit to how long I can get CCAP?
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps parents with lower incomes pay for child care. CCAP has many subprograms to help families. CCAP includes:
- Basic Sliding Fee (BSF), for parents who are working, looking for work, or going to school,
- MFIP Child Care, for parents on MFIP,
- Transition Year Child Care, for parents in the first year after leaving MFIP.
The Child Care Assistance Program is administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services but eligibility and case management is done by county human services departments.
The Child Care Assistance Program is for families with children under age 13 (and under age 15 for children who are handicapped or have special needs). To get CCAP, your income has to be below the limits. Parents also have to work, look for work, or go to school to get CCAP. All families on MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program) can get CCAP. Lots of other parents also get CCAP to help them pay for child care.
The amount you pay each month (your parent co-pay) depends on your income and your family size. Some families with very low incomes do not have a co-pay. Other families pay between $10 and several hundred dollars each month.
You can call or visit the website for Child Care Aware of Minnesota. Information is available about providers all across the state. You can search for childcare that meets your needs. On the website under Search, you can search for information on centers/preschools, family child care and Head Start. Operators are available in Hmong, Spanish and Somali. Parents and Child Care Providers are encouraged to call 1-888-291-9811 (651-665-0150 in the metro area) for personalized support in their home language. You can also search for child care providers online by clicking here.
Yes. To get CCAP, every adult who lives in your home who is a parent, legal guardian, or spouse has to work an average of 20 hours per week, be looking for work, or going to school. These people are called “eligible caregivers.”
- The child’s mother and father (even if they are not married)
- An adult married to the mother or father of the child
- The child’s legal guardian and his or her spouse
- Grandparents of a child
- A parent’s boyfriend or girlfriend
- Adult relatives who are not the mother or father of the child
- Other people who live with you but who are not related to you
Children for whom you are applying for CCAP must be U.S. citizens or have an acceptable immigration status. Parents or other caregivers do not have to be U.S. citizens or have an acceptable immigration status but they do need to provide proof of identity (e.g. driver's license, state identification card, passport, school identification card or birth certificate) and residence (e.g. one of the items listed above or a copy of a recent utility bill, rental lease or mortgage document).
Also, you will be asked to provide Social Security Numbers on the application. You are not required to provide Social Security Numbers and it will not impact your ability to get any benefits if you do not provide them.
Pick up an application from your county human services office or download one from this website by clicking here. Complete and mail the application to your county human service office. Instead of completing the paper application, you can opt to apply online at MN Benefits.
The paper application is about 9 pages long, including instructions. It asks questions about your income and expenses, your employer or school, and your children and their needs. You will also have to prove your identity and your residence (where you live). You can do this by including copies of an ID or birth certificate and utility bill, rental lease, or mortgage.
The online application is a combined application which allows you to select the program of Child Care Assistance, for which you are interested in applying. The questions will vary based on which programs you select.
After submitting the online application, you should expect to be asked to send in proofs as mentioned above.
You have to turn in an application to your county human services office. You can apply online or you can mail, fax, or deliver a paper application. There is an intake interview required to apply for CCAP. Once you get CCAP, you will work with a child care worker who will help you understand the program.
Some counties have waiting lists to receive Child Care Assistance. To find out if your county has a waiting list click here.
Usually every 12 months. You will be sent a “redetermination” form in the mail. Fill it out and mail it back right away so that you can continue to get help paying for child care from CCAP.