Difficulty Affording Child Care? Qualify for Subsidized Payments! By the Pomona Unified School District

Qualified parents may be eligible to receive subsidized child care fee’s from the Pomona Unified School Districts GOALS Program, even if you reside outside the Pomona school district.

Alternative Payment

CalWORKs

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Do I have to live in Pomona to receive services?
   1. No, there are pre-school programs for all pre-school aged children that live in our area and surrounding cities as well. 
2. Do I have to make a certain income to qualify?
   1. No, not all programs take income as a consideration for enrollment.
3. What is GAIN?
   1. Gain stands for “Greater Avenues for Independence” and provides comprehensive welfare-to-work services to assist CalWORKs participants in obtaining unsubsidized employment.
4. What is CalWORKs (California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids)?
   1. CalWorks is the State’s mandated public assistance program to provide financial assistance including subsidized child care assistance, social services, and employment services to families with dependent children.
5. What is Collocation?
   1. Staff members that are located at, or visit, a Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) District/Regional Office to assist CalWORKs participants in establishing State child care arrangements.
6. What is a GSW (Gain Service Worker)?
   1. A DPSS or contracted employee who works with participants enrolled in the GAIN and Cal-Learn Programs.
7. What is a Family Fee?
   1. The amount that a participant/parent will be required to pay towards childcare costs based on the fee schedule established by the State.
8. What is a co-payment?
   1. A co-payment is a parent/participant payment made directly to the child care provider when that provider’s child care fee exceeds the Regional Market Rate Ceiling (RMR).
9. What is RMR?
   1. The Regional Market Rate is the maximum amount the State of California reimburses for subsidized child care in a region based on market surveys.
10. What is the STI-05?
    1. The STI-05 is the participant/provider services agreement.
11. What is an MCCR (Maintenance Child Care Request)?
    1. An MCCR is an electronic child care request which is used to determine child care services.
12. How do I know if I qualify for the Stage 2 Program?
    1. To be eligible for subsidized child care under the Stage 2 Program, a parent must be either receiving aid or have received it within the past two (2) years. Participants who are only receiving cash aid for their children will not qualify for this program.
13. What is the EL – Eligibility List?
    1. a) The EL is a countywide list of families interested in receiving assistance applying for State Pre-School, Head Start, or child care programs. Agencies with subsidized funding through the California Department of Education (CDE) are required to pull names from the EL to fill out vacancies in their child development programs.
14. How can I obtain an EL application?
    1. Following are the ways to obtain an EL application:
       1. Apply over the phone: (909) 397-4740, extension, 25269.
       2. Request to have an application mailed to you by calling the EL specialist at (909) 397-4740, extension, 25205.
       3. Download an application under at www.pusd.org
15. I sent in my application to get on the Eligibility List (EL). How long will I need to wait before I get subsidized child care?
    1. Space for subsidized child care is based primarily on availability, which is difficult to predict.
16. What is Early Head Start?
    1. Early Head Start is a program that provides low-income pregnant women and families with children from birth to age three with family-centered services that facilitate child development, supports parental roles, and promote self-sufficiency. The Early Head Start home-based program option supports children and their families through home visits and group socialization experiences. The center-based Early Head Start program supports teenage mothers by providing child care at the high school they attend.
17. Who is eligible?
    1. The following are eligible for the Early Head Start program:
       1. Low-income pregnant women (including pregnant teenagers)
       2. Low-income families with babies and toddlers
       3. Families with infants and toddlers who have disabilities
18. Who funds the program?
    1. The program is federally funded by the Federal Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
19. What is the cost?
    1. It is free to low-income families or families with a child with an IFSP based on the Federal Income Guidelines.