How to Apply for Reach Up Child Only Without Your Income Counting in Vermont

The short answer: use Form 202CARE — the caretaker application — for Child-Only Reach Up. DCF's form instructions say to download it from the Child-Only Reach Up page, then submit the completed form to ESD or drop it off at a district office. DCF's rules say a caretaker's resources are not available to the child when the caretaker has no legal responsibility to support the child, and the caretaker's income is not available unless the caretaker commits to ongoing monetary contributions.

This is not a loophole or a special exemption. It is the standard pathway Vermont's Reach Up program provides for relative caregivers. Form 202CARE is the dedicated caretaker application for Child-Only Reach Up. ESD procedures also allow a caretaker to use Form 202 for a child-only request when no other programs are being applied for; in that case, answer the questions as if the child were answering.

Why the Form Matters So Much

Vermont's Reach Up program has two tracks for relative caregivers:

Regular Form 202: Use this for 3SquaresVT, Essential Person, Fuel Assistance, or Reach Up for yourself. ESD procedures also allow it for a child-only request when no other programs are applied for, with questions answered as if the child were answering.

Form 202CARE (caretaker application): DCF's application for Child-Only Reach Up. The child's Reach Up household is formed under DCF's rules, which specify when caretaker income and resources are available to the child.

Form 202CARE is DCF's dedicated caretaker application for Child-Only Reach Up. ESD procedures also describe using Form 202 when applying for a child-only grant without other programs.

What You Need to Bring

Before contacting the ESD office, gather these documents:

For the child:

• Birth certificate or other proof of age
• Social Security number (DCF's application requires an SSN for each person on it)
• Proof of Vermont residency for the child (school enrollment letter, mail addressed to the child at your address)
• Any documentation of the child's own income (this is zero for most children)

For the care arrangement:

• Documentation showing the child lives with you — this can be a school enrollment form listing your address, a letter from the child's previous caregiver, or a DCF placement letter if the child was placed through child welfare
• If you have a guardianship order from probate court, bring it — but you do not need one to apply. Informal caregivers are eligible for Reach Up Child Only

For the child support cooperation requirement:

• Reach Up Child Only requires that you cooperate with the Office of Child Support to establish paternity and pursue support from the child's parents. Bring any information you have about the biological parents — names, last known addresses, dates of birth
• If you believe that OCS actions to pursue support could cause serious physical or emotional harm to you or the child, you can request a Waiver of Cooperation. Form 202CARE explains how to request it on the application.

The Application Process

1. Get Form 202CARE. Download the caretaker application from DCF's Child-Only Reach Up page, or call the ESD helpline at 1-800-479-6151 for help applying. You can submit the completed form to ESD or drop it off at a district office.

2. Complete the form. The application asks about the child's kinship arrangement, your relationship to the child, the child's residence and income, and information about the child's parents and child support.

3. Submit your documents. ESD may verify information required for the application. A caretaker's income is not available to the child unless the caretaker commits to ongoing monetary contributions, and a caretaker's resources are not available when the caretaker has no legal responsibility to support the child.

4. Wait for the determination. Reach Up rules require ESD to decide the application and send written notice within 30 days. If a delay is caused by the applicant or circumstances beyond ESD's control, ESD must document the reason. If approved, the monthly cash grant is issued to you on behalf of the child.

5. If denied, request a Fair Hearing. For a Reach Up eligibility or benefit decision, request a hearing through the Human Services Board within 90 days from when the grievance arose. The Board can review an ESD eligibility or benefit decision.

What Happens After Approval

Reach Up Child Only approval opens doors to additional programs:

• Dr. Dynasaur health coverage: Children receiving Reach Up Child Only may also be eligible for comprehensive health coverage under Dr. Dynasaur, which covers medical, dental, and vision care for children under 19 at no premium
• CCFAP childcare subsidy: For a Verified Primary Caretaker applying for a child eligible for Reach Up Child Only, DCF says the caretaker's income is not counted and the family share is zero; the accepted service need and other eligibility conditions still apply
• 3SquaresVT: A Reach Up cash payment is unearned income for 3SquaresVT. Households with a member age 60 or older can also deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses above $35 per month, which may increase their food benefit

These programs have separate eligibility rules. ESD procedures allow Reach Up and 3SquaresVT requests to be processed together; if the Reach Up amount is not known within 30 days, ESD processes 3SquaresVT first and updates its benefit after Reach Up income is known. Dr. Dynasaur has a separate Vermont Health Connect eligibility application.

Who This Process Is For

• Grandparents on Social Security or a pension who were told the child isn't eligible for Reach Up because the household income is too high — that determination was likely based on the wrong form
• Aunts, uncles, and older siblings who took in a child without a court order and don't know whether they can apply — you can, with or without legal guardianship
• Caregivers who started the standard Reach Up application, saw the income questions, and gave up — the caretaker pathway avoids those questions entirely
• Relatives who have been paying for the child out of pocket for months and didn't know a monthly cash grant was available

Who This Process Is NOT For

• Parents applying for Reach Up for their own children — the child-only caretaker pathway is for non-parent relative caregivers
• Relatives seeking foster care payments — foster care maintenance is a separate program administered by DCF Family Services, not ESD
• Anyone involved in an active custody dispute where the child's living arrangement is contested — consult Vermont Legal Aid (1-800-889-2047) before applying

Common Mistakes That Cause Delays

Choosing the form. Form 202CARE is DCF's dedicated application for Child-Only Reach Up. ESD procedures also allow the regular Form 202 for a child-only request when no other programs are applied for; answer as if the child were answering. When applying for 3SquaresVT or Fuel as well, Form 202 asks about everyone in the household.

Not mentioning the care arrangement. If you don't explain that you're a relative caregiver, the intake worker may not offer the caretaker form. Be direct: "I'm a grandparent/aunt/uncle raising my grandchild/niece/nephew and I need the caretaker relative application for Reach Up Child Only."

Abandoning the application over child support. If pursuing support could cause serious physical or emotional harm to you or the child, Form 202CARE explains how to request a Waiver of Cooperation.

Not bringing proof of the care arrangement. Even without a court order, you need something showing the child lives with you. A school enrollment form, a letter from a doctor who has seen the child at your address, or even utility bills showing a change in household composition can work.

The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Vermont guide walks through the entire Reach Up Child Only application process with document checklists, the child support exemption procedure, and the Fair Hearing steps if anything goes wrong — plus the applications for 3SquaresVT, Dr. Dynasaur, CCFAP, and four other programs that stack on top of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need legal guardianship to apply for Reach Up Child Only?

No. Informal caregivers — relatives caring for a child without any court order — can apply for Reach Up Child Only. You need to demonstrate that the child lives with you and that you are the child's primary caregiver, but a probate guardianship is not required. That said, obtaining legal guardianship opens access to additional programs like the CCFAP income-guideline waiver.

What counts as the child's income?

Form 202CARE asks about work-study grants or loans and other income the child receives, including child support, trust or annuity income, and Social Security benefits. DCF's Reach Up rules determine which reported amounts are countable.

How much is the Reach Up Child Only grant?

The monthly amount is calculated by subtracting the Reach Up household's net countable income from its payment standard and rounding down to a whole dollar. The payment standard depends on the household's needs, including applicable shelter costs. The grant is paid to the caretaker responsible for the child's care and supervision.

Can I apply for Reach Up Child Only and 3SquaresVT at the same time?

Yes. ESD procedures allow Reach Up and 3SquaresVT requests to be processed together when the information is available. Each program has its own eligibility decision. Because Reach Up cash assistance is countable income for 3SquaresVT, ESD may decide 3SquaresVT first and update that benefit after the Reach Up amount is known.

What if the biological parent comes back and wants the child?

Reach Up Child Only requires the child to live with or be cared for by someone other than a legal, step, or adoptive parent. If the child returns to a parent, report the change in your care arrangement to ESD within 10 days. The guide does not cover custody disputes — if there's a disagreement about where the child should live, contact Vermont Legal Aid.

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