Childcare.

Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age, which includes various programs and services, including, among others, CalWORKs Stage 2 and Stage 3 childcare, migrant childcare, childcare and development services for children with special needs, the alternative payment program, and Head Start programs. Under existing law, for purposes of establishing initial income eligibility for services under the Child Care and Development Services Act, "income eligible" means that a family's adjusted monthly income is at or below 85% of the state median income, adjusted for family size. Existing law requires, to be eligible for the 3rd stage of childcare services, CalWORKs participants to have an income that does not exceed 70% of the state median income, adjusted for family size, as specified. This bill would revise the income eligibility for the 3rd stage of childcare services to also be 85% of the state median income, adjusted for family size. Existing law requires the department, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to establish a fee schedule for families who utilize childcare and development programs and to be assessed in a single monthly flat fee that is based on income, certified family need for full-time or part-time care services, and enrollment. Existing law authorizes that a family with children who are recipients of child protective services, or children who are at risk of being neglected or abused, may be exempt from being charged family fees for up to 12 months. This bill would extend the exemption period to up to 24 months. Existing law requires childcare providers reimbursed through childcare and development programs to submit monthly attendance records for each child under specified circumstances. Existing law defines "attendance" for purposes of the act to mean the number of children present at a childcare and development facility, and includes extended absences due to specified reasons for purposes of reimbursement. This bill would add medical and educational appointments to the list of reasons for extended absences that are included in attendance for purposes of reimbursement, and would also, for purposes of reimbursement, authorize a contractor to claim attendance for days that the contractor or provider is required to hold a space for a child during the period that a family is assumed to have abandoned care or is engaging in the appeal process based on disenrollment for abandoning care.