equal-access-payment-practices

Reason(s) for non-compliance: • The Lead Agency does not pay all provider types prospectively or alternatively does not demonstrate that it is not a generally-accepted practice for all provider types, as required by 98.45(m)(1). (Plan Question 4.4.1a). Please note the Lead Agency has an approved waiver for this requirement through August 1, 2026. • The Lead Agency does not pay based on enrollment or alternatively does not provide justification that this is impracticable or is not a generally-accepted practice, as required by 98.45(m)(2). (Plan Question 4.4.1b). Please note the Lead Agency has an approved waiver for this requirement through August 1, 2026. Overall Target Completion Date: 02/28/2026 Action Step Number Action Step Description Target Completion Date 1 The Lead Agency does not pay all provider types prospectively or alternatively does not demonstrate that it is not a generally-accepted practice for all provider types, as required by 98.45(m)(1). 01/31/2026 2 Submit waiver request to Office of Child Care 12/30/2024 3 Request technical assistance from National Center on Subsidy Innovation and Accountability 04/30/2025 4 Draft prospective payment regulation change, release notice of proposed regulation changes; and provide a public comment period 10/31/2025 5 Legislative approval of proposed regulation 12/31/2025 6 Update child care database and test functionality 01/31/2026 7 Update policy manual to reflect changes and align training materials with new policy and procedure and disseminate information to impacted entities 01/31/2026 8 Launch prospective payments 02/28/2026 9 Develop plan for lead agency oversight of new policies and procedures 02/28/2026 10 Partner with fraud unit to develop new risk assessment 02/28/2026 11 The Lead Agency does not pay based on enrollment or alternatively does not provide justification that this is impracticable or is not a generally-accepted practice, as required by 98.45(m)(2). (Plan Question 4.4.1b) , as required by (Plan Question) 02/28/2026 12 Submit waiver request to Office of Child Care 12/30/2024 13 Request technical assistance from National Center on Subsidy Innovation and Accountability 04/30/2025 14 Draft payment based on enrollment regulation change, release notice of proposed regulation changes; and provide a public comment period 10/31/2025 15 Legislative approval of proposed regulation 12/31/2025 16 Update child care database and test functionality 01/31/2026 17 Update policy manual to reflect changes and align training materials with new policy and procedure and disseminate information to impacted entities 01/31/2026 18 Launch payments by enrollment 02/28/2026 19 Develop plan for lead agency oversight of new policies and procedures 02/28/2026 20 Partner with fraud unit to develop new risk assessment 02/28/2026