Children’s Long-Term Support: Program Costs
The Children’s Long-Term Support Program helps kids and families pay for certain services. You may have to pay part of the cost for a service yourself. We call this a parental payment.
How do I know if I have a parental payment?
Some families don't have a parental payment, and each one is different. It depends on:
- Your family size.
- How much money your family makes and the U.S. poverty guidelines.
- How much the services in your individual service plan cost.
You won't have a parental payment if you are part of:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)-Related Medicaid
- BadgerCare Plus
- FoodShare
- Wisconsin Works (W-2)
- Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
What services might I have to pay for?
All CLTS and CCOP services are part of parental payments, except support and service coordination. You won’t have a parental payment for the help the support and service coordinator provides.
Do I need to submit proof of income?
You must provide your gross income (pay before taxes and deductions), but we do not need written proof. The best place to find this information is on your most recent federal income tax return, W-2s, or paystubs.
You do not need to provide copies of your tax return, W-2s, or paystubs.
Will the amount I have to pay change?
The amount you pay might change each month. This depends on how your county chooses to bill you. Some counties bill for the services you actually get. Other counties bill for services you plan to get throughout the year. This means you’ll pay an average of that total each month—kind of like how average billing works with a utility company. If you pay for more services than you use, you’ll get money back or the extra amount will go toward next year’s parental payment. You can ask your county how they handle the parental payment.
The support and service coordinator you work with will review your parental payment every year. You can also ask to review it if your individual service plan changes, or your family’s needs or finances change.
What if I can't afford to pay it?
If you are struggling to pay, talk to the support and service coordinator. They can consider your situation when deciding your parental payment.
Here are some common situations:
- Getting shutoff notices from the utility company
- Natural disasters like floods or fires
- You need to pay for something like a car repair or hospital stay
The services your child gets are not affected by your ability to pay the parental payment.
What if I disagree with the amount I have to pay?
You have the right to ask for your parental payment to be recalculated at any time. Talk with the support and service coordinator.