4.1 Access to Full Range of Provider Options

Lead Agencies must provide parents a choice of providers and offer assistance with child care services through a child care certificate (or voucher) or with a child care provider that has a grant or contract for the provision of child care services. Lead Agencies are reminded that policies and procedures should not restrict parental access to any type or category of care or provider (e.g., center care, home care, in-home care, for-profit provider, non-profit provider, or faith-based provider, etc.). 4.1.1 Parent choice a. Identify any barriers to provider participation, including barriers related to payment rates and practices, (including for family child care and in-home providers), based on provider feedback, public comment, and reports to the Lead Agency: Rates do not cover costs. In a limited licensed provider (family child care homes and centers) cost survey conducted as part of the Alternative Methodology, respondents were asked to compare current CCCAP rates (as of January 2024) with their program costs. One-third (33%) indicated CCCAP rates were much lower, and 11% reported they were slightly lower than the costs incurred to run their program. Two percent reported CCCAP rates were higher, and 7% indicated they were about the same as program costs. Nearly half of respondents didn’t know how the rates compared or thought the question wasn’t applicable to their position or program. Some respondents opted to write in comments stating that the differences between reimbursement rates and their costs kept them from participating in CCCAP. In the same survey, providers were invited to write in comments related to their current expenses. The following comments are listed based on the frequency of mention. -Need more grant opportunities -As part of a school district, facilities, food and other costs are covered -Inflation has increased costs -Property taxes are extreme -Transportation costs are high -Costs have gone up, grants have gone down -Increasing food costs -Almost all of our income goes to staff -Business insurance costs are increasing -I don’t get paid enough -We are supported by a religious organization -Need to align Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program (UPK) and CCCAP -Nonprofits struggle to be competitive with wages -CACFP helps -Raising tuition to increase staff to pay living wages Additional barriers reported anecdotally to counties from both licensed and qualified exempt providers included: -Administrative burden -Having multiple Fiscal Agreements with multiple counties increases administrative burden -Stigma about accepting children who receive CCCAP -Rates are not competitive with private pay rates b. Does the Lead Agency offer child care assistance through vouchers or certificates? [x] Yes. [ ] No. c. Does the Lead Agency offer child care assistance through grants or contracts? [x] Yes. [ ] No. d. Describe how the parent is informed that the child care certificate allows the option to choose from a variety of child care categories, such as private, not-for-profit, faith-based providers; centers; family child care homes; or in-home providers: Families are informed of child care options and provider types through consumer education materials provided by counties and on the CDEC website, referrals provided to child care resource and referral agencies, and resource and referral staff in eligibility offices. Information on child care options is posted on state and county websites and through the statewide child care resource and referral call center. County staff also provide this information as well as through verbal communication during the application process. e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: A child care certificate, otherwise known as an Authorization Notice, is provided to parents once an eligible child care provider has been chosen by the family. The Authorization Notice includes provider specific information such as provider name, provider ID, provider address and provider phone number as well as child specific information such as child’s name, State ID, primary adult caretaker, case number, authorization begin date, authorization end date and authorization notes. In addition, the Authorization Notice includes the days that the child is authorized,full time or part time care status and the co-payment amount. Families who have not already selected a provider when applying for child care assistance are referred to the statewide Child Care Resource and Referral call center or a Child Care Resource and Referral agency for consumer education and referral services. Child care program choices are driven by a family's needs. If a family's choice coincides with a child care program that has an active contract with the county, the resource and referral agency will inform the family.