Regards publicly funded child care, the Child Care Cred Program
What changed between versions
Added numerous new definitions to clarify the scope of covered programs, including 'approved child day camp,' 'border state child care provider,' 'career pathways model,' 'drop-in child care center,' 'home education learning pod,' and 'protective child care.'
Created a new 'early childhood education grant program' (Section 5104.53) to provide grants to programs rated highly in the 'step up to quality' initiative, supporting eligible preschool-age children.
Modified eligibility rules to allow families to continue receiving child care for up to four months after a parent loses employment or education participation status, and clarified rules for children turning thirteen or eighteen.
Established a new process in Section 5104.45 where the Attorney General coordinates with prosecutors to investigate and prosecute fraud or abuse, including a timeline for prosecutors to decide on charges.
Added new requirements for contracts to specify eligibility determination responsibilities and introduced an automated system to track attendance and calculate payments starting July 1, 2027.
Set a specific deadline of July 9, 2028, for the department to fully transition to calculating payments based on enrollment rather than attendance, with interim rules for absent days.
Expanded the definition of 'child care' and 'publicly funded child care' to include care provided by parents in home education learning pods and care for children in homeless shelters.
