Am I Eligible for Assistance

Child care assistance actual eligibility must be determined by a caseworker.

When determining your income eligibility, there are two categories of income that are counted:

Earned income- Income in cash or in kind, before deductions, earned by an applicant or other countable adult household member through the receipt of wages, salary, commissions, tips, bonuses, or fees; or for a self-employed individual, that income remaining after deducting allowable business expenses.

Unearned income- Money received for which a person does not perform a service. Countable unearned income includes, but is not limited to: TANF, pensions, VA benefits, alimony, retirement, child support, back child support, Social Security (SSA), interest income, insurance settlements, lease income, worker’s compensation, lottery winnings, inheritance, investment earnings, and unemployment compensation.

Types of income that are not counted include, but are not limited to:

• Student financial aid (grants, loans, scholarships)
• GI Bill,
• Utility allowance,
• Foster care payments,
• SSI disability, VA disability,
• Earned Income Tax Credits, and
• IRS tax refunds.

Compare your household income with the chart below. You may be eligible for assistance if your income falls below these limits. Depending on where your income and household size falls on the scale, you may be required to make a co-payment or out-of-pocket expense.

Sliding Fee Scale

Additional information regarding child care assistance income calculations, deductions, and co-payments can be found in the Child Care Services (CCS) Subsidy Manual

Please send a completed application for an accurate assessment of your case. You can obtain an application by visiting any local office or One-Stop Career Center or by one of the following:

• Call CCS at 800.227.3020
  
• Email CCS@state.sd.us
  
• Print and fill out a Child Care Assistance Application