COVID-19 Resources & Information

For Parents:

• Prioritized Essential Workers Child Care Application  During the declared COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the children of Prioritized Essential Workers are eligible to receive child care through the Illinois Department of Human Services Child Care Assistance Program. Prioritized Essential Workers, include those working in Health Care, Human Services, essential Government services and essential infrastructure. Questions about eligibility can be directed to SAL Child Care Connection at 309-686-3750 Option 2.
• Copays for April and May have been reduced to $1.  

• CCAPHELP@salccc.org In order to better serve our clients and providers and give them an alternative method of submitting and requesting forms during the Illinois Stay At Home order, we now have an email account that can be used to submit and request documents.  Clients and providers may now submit their request to the new email account. Any document that we presently accept via our drop box, USPS mail, in person and fax can now be submitted to CCAPHelp.  Requested documents will be mailed.  Also note that the CCAPHelp account will not be used to correspond with clients and providers.  Please call the office and speak with a CCAP Specialist for questions or concerns about a case.

For Providers:

• Restore Illinois Child Care Guidelines:  Requirements and Recommendations for Reopening Child Care
• IDHS works cooperatively with the Department of Employment Security and may validate receipt of unemployment compensation. Funds obtained through a false certification will be subject to investigation and recoupment and may result in termination from participation in the Child Care Assistance Program.  Please fully investigate the federal emergency relief funds available to individuals and small businesses. This includes expanded unemployment benefits, emergency grants and forgivable loans and refundable tax credits. It may be more beneficial to you and/or your staff than claiming the attendance exemption. More information can be found here: www2.illinois.gov/sites/OECD/Pages/COVID-19.aspx
• IDHS & GOECD - Child Care Business Resources COVID-19: Webinar Slides, Webinar Slides in Spanish, Toolkit of Child Care Provider Resources, Webinar Recording (4/6/2020)
• To encourage subsidized child care programs to provide services during unforeseen, extraordinary circumstances and to lessen the financial impact of those events which are beyond the control of the programs, to include; licensed child care centers, licensed child care homes, license-exempt centers, and license-exempt homes may apply for an attendance exemption when an extraordinary event is responsible for substantially less than normal attendance. By claiming an exemption, the provider attests staff will continue to be paid for all scheduled work hours regardless of closure or reduction in services.  Provider specific policy information and forms can be found here: 
  • Centers & Licensed Homes
    • Guidance for CCAP Billing Certificates for Centers and Licensed Homes
    • Center and Licensed Home May and June Attendance Exemption Form
  • License Exempt Homes
    • Guidance for CCAP Billing Certificates for License Exempt Homes
    • License Exempt Home May and June Attendance Exemption Form
• COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions Following the Mandatory Closure of All Child Care Centers and Homes