Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

Childhood Cancer Lantern
Search Saved

Rhode Island program

Help paying for child care (CCAP)

Rhode Island's Child Care Assistance Program helps eligible families pay for child care.

What it is

Rhode Island's Child Care Assistance Program helps eligible families pay for child care.

Your child or another child may need care during treatment. CCAP pays part of the cost while a parent works or is in an approved activity and income is under the line. If you already have it, ask about continuing it, including a medical extension, before the place ends.

Eligibility rules
  • The entry ceiling is 261% of poverty. From February 15, 2026 it is $5,942 monthly for three and $7,178 for four people.
  • Work or approved education or training can qualify as an activity.
  • Children ordinarily qualify from six weeks to under 13; ages 13 through 18 require a documented disability that prevents self-care. Each parent ordinarily needs a qualifying activity, commonly work or approved training averaging at least 20 hours a week; public Rhode Island college study has a separate seven-credit route. Initial eligibility can also use the documented parent-disability exception when the parent cannot provide routine care, with DHS approval. Caring for an ill child or being at hospital does not by itself establish that exception. At recertification, an existing recipient may receive up to two six-month short-term approvals when the parent’s or the child-care recipient child’s serious health condition causes temporary need and the required professional verification is provided; illness of a different sibling is not automatically this exception.
What you get
  • Help paying eligible child-care costs; the family share may be zero or a percentage of income under the current schedule.
  • Medical extensions for eligible existing recipients at recertification.
What this covers
  • Your share runs from nothing at the lowest incomes to 7% of income at the top of the range. RI Works families pay nothing.
  • At recertification, an existing recipient may receive up to two six-month short-term approvals for a verified serious health condition of the parent or the child receiving child-care assistance, when the rule’s temporary-need and documentation conditions are met. Illness of a different sibling is not automatically this exception.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask a DHS worker or the hospital social worker to help you check the approved-activity requirement.
  2. If you decide to explore CCAP after checking the activity or exception rules, ask the social worker for help with HealthyRhode and the income and activity records.
  3. If you already receive CCAP, ask about medical verification for an extension at recertification.

HealthyRhode / DHS: 1-855-697-4347 · Official page ↗

What happens next
  • DHS decides the application. The hospital team can help document a health condition for an extension.
Good to know

Being at the hospital does not count as the activity to start this; it is the working parent's hours that open it.

Other details
  • A family without siblings can still have child-care questions for the child in treatment. DHS must assess the child’s needs and the family’s eligibility.
Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could child-care assistance help with the care our family needs, and would our work or study qualify? What would we pay, and could you help with an application or medical extension?”

Why I’m asking: I want to understand which child-care costs we could get help with during treatment.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Apply and name the approved activity.

Your social worker

The hospital social worker can help with the medical verification for an extension.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The state human services department.
Ask your social worker
“Can we get help with child care for our other children while we are here?”

How to apply

First step: Apply on healthyrhode.ri.gov if a parent is working or studying.

  1. If a parent is working or studying, apply on HealthyRhode.
  2. If you already get it and things have changed, ask about the medical short-term approval at recertification.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Apply on HealthyRhode.

What to gather

The diagnosis letter, the child’s insurance card, and the last two pay stubs cover most applications. The official page lists the rest.

Watch out

  • Being at the hospital is not established as a qualifying activity to start this.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 10, 2026.

What it is worth

Help with child-care costs up to $7,178 a month for four people, with an approved activity.

  • $7,178/month — Entry income ceiling, family of 4 (261% of poverty)
  • $5,942/month — Entry income ceiling, family of 3

Covers: Payment toward child care for the other children · Up to two six-month extensions at recertification for a serious health condition

What it costs the family: A family co-payment applies.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
261% of poverty at entry
Activity
work, approved education or training; hospital attendance is not established as a qualifying activity
Extension
two six-month short-term approvals for a verified serious health condition, for an existing recipient

The trap: Being at the hospital with your child is not established as a qualifying activity to start this. If you are already in the programme, a serious health condition can support up to two six-month extensions at recertification, with medical verification.

Where I read this

← Back to your options