Kentucky CCAP Income Limits and Work Exemptions for Kinship Caregivers

Childcare in Kentucky costs more than many kinship caregivers earn — and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) exists to close that gap. But the income limits, work requirements, and recertification rules create confusion, especially for retired grandparents who do not fit the program's standard applicant profile.

Income Limits

CCAP income eligibility under 922 KAR 2:160 works on a two-tier system:

• Initial application: household income at or below 160% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
• Annual recertification: continuing eligibility up to 200% FPL (85% of Kentucky's State Median Income, or SMI)

Use the CCAP prescreening tool or call DCBS to check the current limit for your household.

K-TAP child-only cash is excluded. Under 922 KAR 2:160 Section 8(4)(a)–(b), K-TAP child-only payments and legacy Kinship Care payments do not count toward your household gross income when DCBS evaluates CCAP eligibility. If a caseworker includes these payments, they are applying the regulation incorrectly — ask for a supervisory review.

Your Social Security retirement, SSDI, and pension income do count toward the CCAP income limit, unlike K-TAP child-only (where your income is excluded entirely). Compare that income with the current 85%-of-SMI limit for your household.

Work Requirements

Standard CCAP eligibility requires active employment or enrollment in accredited education:

• Single caregiver: average of 20 hours per week of work, or the education eligibility route, which allows part-time or full-time students enrolled in at least six credit hours
• Two-adult household: combined average of 40 hours per week (at least 5 hours for the second adult)

Retired grandparents who are not working face a genuine barrier here. The regulation does not have a blanket age-based exemption from work hours. However, there are two paths around it:

Incapacity exemption. If documented physical or mental disability prevents you from working, you can request an exemption. Medical documentation from your provider supports this.

DCBS child welfare placement. Children placed with you by DCBS child welfare receive direct CCAP authorization under 922 KAR 2:160 Section 5 — no income test, no work requirement. This is the strongest path to childcare assistance for kinship caregivers, but it only applies when DCBS is formally involved in the placement.

Recertification

CCAP eligibility is not permanent. You must recertify annually, and the process requires:

• Updated income verification
• Updated proof of work hours or student enrollment
• Confirmation that the child still lives in your home

The 160%-of-FPL limit applies at initial application; the 85%-of-SMI limit applies at annual recertification. Continued eligibility must be recertified at least every 12 months. If you miss a recertification deadline, contact DCBS promptly to confirm the status of your case and the next step.

Mark the recertification date on your calendar the day you are approved. DCBS sends a reminder, but the deadline is yours to meet.

How CCAP Stacks With Other Benefits

CCAP subsidies, K-TAP child-only cash, SNAP, and Medicaid can all run simultaneously. Each has its own application, eligibility rules, and recertification cycle. The K-TAP income exclusion for CCAP is specifically useful because it means the cash help you receive for the child does not push you over the CCAP income ceiling.

For a complete walkthrough of every Kentucky kinship benefit — who qualifies, what documents to bring, and how the programs interact — see the Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Kentucky guide.

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