The Child Care Subsidy program (formerly known as Child Care Connection Hawaii or CCCH) helps low-income families to sustain their employment, educational efforts and job training by paying a subsidy for their children who are in the care of DHS-approved child care providers. Unless child care is required for protective purposes, families must meet income and activity requirements to qualify for this subsidy program.

The Preschool Open Doors (POD) program is a separate subsidy program with funds that provides services state-wide to families sending their children to a licensed preschool during the two (2) school years prior to kindergarten entry. The goal of POD is to promote school readiness for children, and the program focuses on meeting the needs of the child. Parents are not required to have an eligible activity, unlike the Child Care Subsidy program, but they must meet income and other eligibility requirements. For POD, there is an initial application period established and published each year with the possibility of additional application periods dependent on the availability of funding.

The Child Care Subsidy and the Preschool Open Doors (POD) programs use a sliding fee scale for families meeting the income eligibility requirements. The subsidy amount varies based on the family’s gross monthly income, family size, type and cost of care. The subsidy may not cover the full cost of care, thus families may be required to pay for some of the child care costs.

For families with children under the age of 13 years, the Child Care Subsidy program provides subsidies to help pay for a variety of legal child care settings including: care provided in the child’s home, care by relatives or friends in their home, before and after school programs, and preschools. All child care providers, even if they are not licensed by DHS, need to have child abuse/neglect, adult perpetrator, and criminal history background checks completed in order to receive a DHS child care subsidy payment. This is to help ensure that the child is in a safe setting.

Child Care Subsidy program also provides families with: guidance in selecting a child care provider; information about quality child care programs; and referrals to community resources for help with other concerns.

Child Care Subsidy Eligibility Requirements (general child care)

• Child: Under 13 years, or between 13 through 18 years if the child cannot do self care and resides with their parent(s) or caretakers.
• Parents or Caretakers: Must be employed, attending school, or participating in a job-training program. In two-parent families, BOTH parents/caretakers must be participating in any of the above activities.
• A minor parent who needs care for their child shall have their adult caretaker apply for child care payments on behalf of the minor parent.  (A minor parent is a person who has not reached the age of eighteen years.)  The minor parent must be either employed, attending school, or participating in a job-training program.
• Income limits by family size: Gross monthly income (before taxes and deductions) must not exceed 85% of the State Median Income for the family size.
• A completed application along with supporting documents such as birth certificates and income verifications are required before eligibility can be established and payment initiated.
• Re-determinations for continued eligibility are conducted every 12 months.
• HAR §17-798.3 Child Care Payments Rules
• Child Care Gross Income Eligibility Limits and Sliding Fee Scale

Applications for child care services are accepted statewide, year-round, except for the Preschool Open Doors (POD) program which has a limited Open Enrollment period during the spring.

• Application for Child Care Services (DHS 911) (Fillable version)

Apply online at ChildCareSubsidyApplication.dhs.hawaii.gov.

OR download the Application for Child Care Services (DHS 911) and drop off, email, or mail the application and supporting documents to:

Mail: Child Care Subsidy Unit
   94-275 Mokuola Street, Room 105
   Waipahu, Hawaii 96797
Phone: (855) 643-1643
Email: HawaiiCCSU@dhs.hawaii.gov

Applying Online:

1. Before submitting your application online, you will need to upload required supporting eligibility documents. Please click on the link below that matches closest to your family situation to receive more information on which supporting document(s) are required to upload with your online application.
   • Family with employment, school and/or job training
   • Family experiencing homelessness
   • Two-Parent Family with one parent permanently disabled
   • Family with self-employment income
   • Foster Family with only Foster Children
   • Foster Family with Foster and Own Children
   • Family receiving CPS family supervision with court ordered child care
   • Minor Parent Living with Parents
   • Minor Parent Living with Foster Parents
2. Visit ChildCareSubsidyApplication.dhs.hawaii.gov to apply online and upload required supporting eligibility documentation.
3. Please write down your tracking number for your online application as soon as you complete your applicant details. You will need this tracking number to return to your online application if you were unable to complete it in one session or if your session times out.
4. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any edits or upload any documents. There will be a message to inform you that your application has been submitted.
5. You will receive a DHS letter in the mail to notify you on your family’s eligibility for child care subsidy payments.

Applying by paper:

(Child Care Subsidy)

1. Download (here) and print the Application for Child Care Services – DHS Form 911.
2. Complete all applicable fields and submit your application along with all required supporting eligibility documents and drop off, email or mail to:

   Mail: Child Care Subsidy Unit
      94-275 Mokuola Street, Room 105
      Waipahu, Hawaii 96797
   Phone: (855) 643-1643
   Email:HawaiiCCSU@dhs.hawaii.gov

3. You will receive a letter in the mail to notify you on your family’s eligibility for child care subsidy payments.

For Families that are determined eligible for Child Care Subsidy Payments:

1. If your family receives a letter informing you that you meet the basic child care subsidy eligibility requirements, contact: People Attentive to Children (PATCH), DHS Child Care Resource and Referral contractor for resources in selecting a child care provider. For a list of PATCH locations statewide, click on the following website:
   https://www.patchhawaii.org/contact/
   If you do not know what child care provider you would like to use, the Child Care Resource & Referral staff may help you find a provider.
2. After selecting a provider, the Child Care Resource & Referral office will send you provider forms.
3. Parents may choose between: licensed or license-exempt center based care, a licensed or licensed-exempt family child care home, or care by relatives (not including the child’s siblings, caretakers, or parents residing in the home). DHS will only approve payments for legal child care arrangements when the selected child care provider does not have a child abuse or adult perpetrator background or a criminal history that indicates the provider, adult household members, or staff, might pose a risk of harm to children.
4. Requirements for obtaining the background and criminal history clearances, health and safety guidelines and monitoring visits for licensed-exempt family child care homes will be explained by the Child Care Resource & Referral Staff. The staff will also contact your licensed-exempt family child care home provider to explain all the requirements and assist them with the health and safety checklist prior to a licensing worker making a home visit to where child care takes place.
5. Once your child care provider forms and requirements are met, the Child Care Subsidy Worker will determine the amount of subsidy and will send you notification by mail

• DHS 948 Authorization for Background Check and to Release Information (fillable .pdf)
• DHS 948A Instructions
• DHS 948B Non-Criminal Justice Applicant Privacy Rights
• DHS 961B Instructions for Background Checks Oahu
• DHS 961C Instructions for Background Checks Neighbor Islands
• Application for Child Care Services – DHS 911 (fillable)

The Preschool Open Doors (POD) program provides subsidies for eligible families with children for up to two school years prior to kindergarten entry. POD subsidies may be used to assist with payments to DHS licensed preschools or exempt center-based providers that are listed with DHS. The program has an initial application period established and published each year.

POD subsidies may be paid directly to families via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card or direct deposit to the family’s bank account, or a direct payment to a licensed child care provider.

Each family has different child care needs and preferences.  The parent/guardian chooses the child care provider most appropriate for their child.  Contact People Attentive To Children (PATCH) for resources in choosing a child care provider.

Preschool Open Doors (POD) Eligibility Requirements

There is a priority application period from February to April 30th and a first-come, first-serve application period from July to January 31st for each program year. Assistance is provided according to priority criteria based on the child’s age, referral documentation, and the family’s income:

• Child must turn 5 years old between 8/1 through 12/31, 4 years old by 12/31, or 3 years old by 7/31 of the applying program year (the school year that the child will be attending preschool). Priority is given to children:
  • who received POD services the previous year;
  • who are eligible to enter kindergarten at the start of the following school year;
  • who qualify as a special population (underserved or at-risk).
• Parents or Caretakers: No activity requirement;
• Child for whom assistance is being requested must reside with the applicant;
• Income eligibility for the household size (see POD program information here).

There is a priority application period from February to April 30th and a first-come, first-serve application period from July to January 31st for each program year.

• Application for Child Care Services (DHS 911) (Fillable version)

Apply online at ChildCareSubsidyApplication.dhs.hawaii.gov.

OR download the Application for Child Care Services (DHS 911) and drop off, email, or mail the application and supporting documents to:

Mail: PATCH
   Preschool Open Doors
   560 N. Nimitz Hwy, Ste. 218
   Honolulu, HI 96817
Email: PODadmin@patch-hi.org
Phone: (808) 791-2130 or toll free at (800) 746-5620.

Visit Patch Hawaii for more information.

Applying Online:

1. Before submitting your application to the department, you will need to upload required supporting eligibility documents online or make copies and attach them with your paper application.
   • Preschool Open Doors Application Checklist
   • Preschool Open Doors Special Populations Priority Referral
2. Visit ChildCareSubsidyApplication.dhs.hawaii.gov to apply online and upload required supporting eligibility documentation.
3. Please write down your tracking number for your online application as soon as you complete your applicant details. You will need this tracking number to return to your online application if you were unable to complete it in one session or if your session times out.
4. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any edits or upload any documents. There will be a message to inform you that your application has been submitted.
5. You will receive a DHS letter in the mail to notify you on your family’s eligibility for child care subsidy payments.

Applying by paper:

(Preschool Open Doors program)

1. Download (here) and print the Application for Child Care Services – DHS Form 911.
2. Complete all applicable fields and submit your application along with all required supporting eligibility documents and drop off, email or mail to:

   Mail: PATCH
      Preschool Open Doors
      560 N. Nimitz Hwy, Ste. 218
      Honolulu, HI 96817
   Email: PODadmin@patch-hi.org
   Phone: (808) 791-2130 or toll free at (800) 746-5620.

3. You will receive a letter in the mail to notify you on your family’s eligibility for child care subsidy payments.

Links:

1. • To download: Application for Child Care Services – DHS Form 911
     PATCH office locations
     Click here to navigate to the Preschool Open Doors FAQ