The sliding fee is the portion of the child care expense that the eligibility unit must pay directly to the child care provider. Children who are classified as “special needs” do not have a sliding fee.
If an eligibility unit’s only income is Temporary Assistance, or, if the total gross income falls below 25% of the State Median Income Level, the eligibility unit is required to pay $1 annually to meet the sliding fee requirement.
The amount of the sliding fee paid by the eligibility unit is determined by using the Child Care Eligibility Income Guidelines and Sliding Fee Chart. It is based on household size and adjusted gross monthly income. The sliding fee is deducted from the base rate before payment is made to the child care provider. The sliding fee varies by units of care (full, half, and part unit).