Before you accept a subsidized child into your program, you must verify that they have an active authorization and placement in the CCFA system. Providing care before this is confirmed means you will not be reimbursed for those days — and doing so repeatedly can trigger a Provider Intentional Program Violation.

What "Active Authorization" Means

An active authorization means all of the following are in place:

1. The family has been determined eligible for subsidized care by their CCR&R or DTA/DCF
2. An authorization record exists in CCFA
3. A placement (linking that child to your specific program) has been entered in CCFA

All three conditions must be met. A family can be eligible and authorized but not yet have a placement at your program — in that case, you cannot begin care.

When Enrollment Can Begin

Enrollment can begin up to 14 days before the child's service need officially starts (for example, before a new job starts). But authorization must already exist in CCFA for this to apply. Contact your CCR&R to confirm both the authorization and the placement before you allow the child to start attending.

EEC also lifted the requirement that a child must physically attend once before payment begins. As long as the authorization and placement are in CCFA and the parent has submitted written intent for the child to be enrolled, payment can begin from the first day of enrollment — but again, only if authorization is confirmed first.

How to Verify

Contact your CCR&R's CCFA Administrator to confirm:

• Is there an active authorization for this child?
• Has a placement been entered at my program?

Do not rely on what a parent tells you about their voucher status. Verify directly.

What Happens If You Accept Without an Active Voucher

If you begin providing care before authorization is confirmed in CCFA:

• EEC will not reimburse you for those days
• If this happens repeatedly or is determined to be intentional, it can be treated as a Provider Intentional Program Violation (PIPV)
• You cannot retroactively collect from EEC for un-authorized care

The financial exposure is yours — EEC will not reimburse for unauthorized care, and there is no retroactive remedy. A brief delay to verify is worth it.

Accepting Children From Different Referral Types

Some children come through standard income-eligible vouchers; others come through DTA referrals (TAFDC, SNAP) or DCF referrals. The verification process is the same in all cases — confirm that an authorization AND placement exist in CCFA before care begins.

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Next Steps

• Overview of provider obligations: See Accepting Subsidies (2.1)
• How reimbursement works once authorized: See How Reimbursement Works (2.4)
• Attendance and enrollment tracking: See Attendance Tracking (2.7)
• What happens if there's a billing error: See Provider Improper Payments and Fraud (2.9)
• Contact your CCR&R to verify voucher status before accepting a child for subsidized care