MFWCCA 2008 Conference Enhancing the CCAP Child Care Experience for Families

1. MFWCCA 2008 ConferenceEnhancing the CCAP Child Care Experience for Families “Promoting the CCAP program, and other early learning resources. Informing the families you serve about quality child care.”

2. Who is a Key Partner in the CCAP Program?

3. Financial Workers and Case Aides Are Awesome! • Very complex work situations • You are the most public Face and Voice for your county • You bear the brunt of the complaints & unhappy customers for the county

4. You keep showing up for work!! • Highly dedicated workforce • Key partner in the Child Care Assistance Program • Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

5. Why is Quality Child Care Important?

6. Why is Quality Child Care Important? • In the 1950’s, most kids were cared for at home. • By 1998, 78% of all women with children under 13 years old, were working. • By 2007, it was predicted that 83% of women ages 25-54 will be working.

7. Why is Quality Care Important ? • 90% of a child’s brain is developed by age 5 • Millions of American children are spending 40-50 hours a week in child care.

8. Why is Quality Child Care Important • Parents need a full range of child care options so that they can work or go to school. • Children need healthy, safe and quality learning environments while they are in child care.

9. 5 Steps to Choosing Quality Child Care

10. 5 Steps to Choosing Quality Child Care #1Start Early

11. 5 Steps to Choosing Quality Child Care #2 Make a Callor search on the internet. • MNchildcare.org or • 1-888-291-9811

12. 5 steps to Choosing Quality Child Care #3 Visit and Ask Questions Parents can go to : www.licensinglookup.dhs.state.mn.us

13. 5 steps to choosing quality child care For sample questions, go to mnchildcare.org • Click on families • Click on selecting childcare • Click on phone interviews • Click on face to face interviews

14. 5 Steps to Choosing Quality Child Care #4 Make a Choice

15. 5 Steps to choosing quality child care #5 Stay Involved

16. Child Care Assistance Program

17. Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Provides Child Care Assistance so: • Child care is affordable • Children are well cared for and ready to learn • Parent can work or prepare for work

18. Child Care Assistance ProgramChild Care Providers There are 4 different types of CCAP providers. • Licensed family child care • Licensed centers • License exempt centers • Legal non-licensed providers

19. Legal Non Licensed Provider • At least 18 years of age • Not a member of the MFIP assistance unit, or a member of the family applying for or receiving child care assistance. • Provides child care only to related children, and/or provides child care to children from a single unrelated family at one time.

20. CCAP Provider Registration • A provider must be reauthorized for CCAP every 2 years • CCAP Provider registration is a separate process from licensing. • Licensing or re-licensing a provider does not reauthorize a provider in CCAP

21. CCAP & ES workers working together • prevent initial delays in child care authorizations • prevent gaps in child care authorizations or services • authorize the most care possible to provide parents with the most options • cluster EP activities to create blocks of time that fit with child care provider schedules and practices

22. CCAP General Eligibility

23. Child Care Assistance Program General Eligibility Parents must: • Have income less than or equal to 47% of SMI at program entry and equal to or more than 67% of SMI at program exit. • Use a legal child care provider. • Cooperate with child support enforcement for all children in the household with an absent parent. • Be in an authorized activity.

24. Child Care Assistance ProgramGeneral Eligibility Have a child 12 years or younger, or 13 or 14 years old if the child has a disability. Be assessed a family copayment fee based on gross income and household size.

25. Authorizations

26. Child Care Assistance Program Authorization • Hours needed for the parent/s to participate in their activity AND • The age of and care necessary for eligible children

27. Child Care Authorizations • The authorization must contain enough information for the provider and parent to know the total amount of care that CCAP will pay, the county’s maximum rates and how payments will be made. • If the parent is sent home early or the child is picked up early , the county must pay according to the authorization.

28. School Readiness Initiatives

29. School Readiness Initiatives for at Risk Children • School Readiness Connections – SRC • Pre-Kindergarten Allowance Program • Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF) Scholarships

30. School Readiness Connections (SRC)

31. School Readiness Connections • $1 million (one-time) was appropriated over the 2008-2009 biennium for this pilot project • Selected providers are eligible for a CCAP maximum payment 25% higher than the current maximums and more child friendly payment policies to support continuity of care

32. School Readiness Connections • 14 providers from 9 counties are serving approximately 220 children ages 0-5 • Priority was given to programs that had at least 25% of the children subsidized through CCAP

33. School Readiness Connections Providers have been selected based on program description, licensing compliance, caregiver/staff qualifications, educational environment, & ability to provide supports to low income families & children

34. School Readiness Connections For more information about School Readiness Connections you may contact Stacia Rosas 651-431-4259 stacia.rosas@state.mn.us or Laurie Possin 651-431-4044 Laurie.J.Possin@state.mn.us

35. Parent Aware

36. Parent Aware Participating pilot areas are located in: • Blue Earth & Nicollet counties • Wayzata School District • St. Paul & North Minneapolis

37. Parent Aware Web Site • www.parentawareratings.org

38. Pre-K Allowance Program

39. Pre-K allowances • Annual income at or below 185% of the FPG guidelines which is about $38,000 a year for a family of 4 • Have one or more children who are 3 or 4 years old or will be 3 or 4 by September 1

40. Pre-K allowances • St. Paul 651-641-6604 • North Minneapolis 612-348-4111 • Wayzata School district 612-348-4111 • Blue Earth & Nicollet counties 507-345-6822

41. Other support programs in the pilot areas. • St. Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program for families in Frogtown and North End Area of St. Paul 651-641-6604 • 500 under 5 serving families in North Minneapolis contact Way to Grow at 612-874-4740 ext.115 • Caring for Kids Initiative for families living in the Wayzata school district contact Nancy Johnson at 952-288-2568 or njohnson@iocp.org

42. MEC² Integrated • For more information contact your county MEC2 mentor • DHS is also presenting a MEC2 workshop on Thursday at 10:15 am & 2:45 pm in Split Rock #1

43. Useful Tools and Resources • Legal Reference • Minnesota Statute 119B: www.leg.state.mn.us • Minnesota Rule 3400: www.revisor.leg.mn.us/rule/3400 • Bulletins can be located at: www.dhs.state.mn.us -example of CCAP bulletin numbering 06-68-02

44. Useful tools Child Care Assistance Policy Manual www.dhs.state.mn.us Click on countylink, click on manuals and then click on CCAP manual For the Provider Guide www.dhs.state.mn.us Click on Forms (e Docs) click search, enter either CCAP provider guide or DHS-5260-ENG.

45. Thank You!! DHS appreciates the work that you do for the CCAP program.

46. The End