TO:	  Commissioners; TA Directors; FS Directors; MA Directors; WMS Coordinators; CAP Coordinators, Services Directors, and Finance Directors

FROM:	Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Temporary Assistance

SUBJECT:	Camp Fees and Non-Federally Participating Safety Net Assistance

EFFECTIVE DATE:	Immediately

CONTACT PERSON:	Central Team (TA) at 1-800-343-8859; extension 3-9344, Eastern Team (FS); extension 3-1469, Western Team (HEAP); extension 3-0332.
Medicaid contacts: Local District Liaison at (518) 474-8216, or, for New York City, (212) 268-6855.

The purpose of this GIS is to remind districts that camp fees must not be paid on cases where the children are recipients of temporary assistance (TA) under either the cash or non-cash components of non-federal categories of Safety Net Assistance (SNA-FNP).  These include households who receive SNA-FNP because they have reached their State 60-month time limit, and are no longer eligible to receive TA under Family Assistance (FA) or federally participating SNA (SNA-FP).  Social Services Law 131-a (5)(d) requires districts to provide payment for camp fees for children receiving Aid to Dependent Children (FA and SNA-FP), when funds cannot be obtained from other sources.  The amount that may be authorized is established by Office Regulations 18 NYCRR 352.7(i) at $400 per year, not to exceed $200 per week.

To meet the requests for camp fees by those families receiving TA under SNA-FNP, districts may elect to provide information to them on other sources of funding, or provide referrals to locally available programs that pay summer camp costs.  Examples of these programs may include faith-based groups and organizations, professional social organizations, local schools or colleges, police, fire and rescue worker benevolent groups, unions, businesses, etc.

If the summer camp is meeting a child care need while the parent participates in a district-approved or required activity, camps that provide less than 24-hour services are a possible additional source of available day care slots for any TA recipient (whether FP or FNP).  Please refer to 00 OCFS INF-3, "Child Care Subsidies for School Age Children During the Summer" for further information on this subject.