Parents or caretakers have the right to:

1. (1) have persons represent them when applying for child care services;
2. (2) receive notification of their eligibility to receive child care services within 20 calendar days from the day the CCMS contractor receives all necessary documentation required to determine eligibility for child care services;
3. (3) be notified in writing by the CCMS contractor at least 12 calendar days before the denial, delay, reduction, or termination of services, except in cases where the child care has been authorized to end immediately because the client is no longer participating in Commission's Employment Program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Recipients education or training services and in cases where the child care has been authorized to end immediately for Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) Child Protective Services (CPS) clients. The Commission's Employment Program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Recipients and CPS clients are notified of denial, delay, reduction, or termination of services and the effective date of such actions by their respective Commission and TDPRS CPS case workers;
4. (4) request a hearing within 60 days of the receipt of the notice of denied, delayed, reduced, or terminated child care services. The exception is a parent who has a child in a TDPRS CPS in-home case and has not requested the child care services. The CCMS contractor must inform parents how to request a hearing. The parent or caretaker may have someone represent them during this process. Provisions for child care to continue while awaiting a hearing are found in §809.154 of this title (relating to Provision of Child Care Services During an Appeal);
5. (5) receive child care services regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, political beliefs, or religion;
6. (6) have the CCMS contractor treat information that is used to determine eligibility for child care services as confidential;
7. (7) reject an offer of child care services or voluntarily withdraw their child from child care services unless the child is in a CPS in-home protective case;
8. (8) be informed by the CCMS contractor of the possible consequences of rejecting or ending child care that is offered;
9. (9) be informed of all child care options available to them and choose the arrangement they desire from these options including information about the various standards that facilities may or must follow;
10. (10) visit available child care facilities before making their choice of a child care option and visit the facility during the time their child is enrolled; and
11. (11) receive assistance in choosing initial or additional child care referrals, including information about the Commission's policies regarding transferring children from one facility to another.

Source Note:The provisions of this §809.75 adopted to be effective August 25, 1997, 22 TexReg 7909.