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CAPS Policy – Provider Rights and Responsibilities No.: CAPS/00-12 Effective Date: 10/01/2016 Revised: 03/02/2026 Revision Effective: 03/02/2026

CAPS Policy Manual

Page 67 of 109 Chief Legal Officer - Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive East Tower, Suite 754 Atlanta GA 30334

12.3.3.4 Providers have the right to appeal to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR) if they feel that the DECAL or the CAPS program has violated their civil rights. Refer to the CAPS Administrative Hearings Policy (CAPS/00-18) for additional information.

Child Care Provider Responsibilities

12.4.1 State and Federal Laws and Regulations 12.4.1.1 The provider shall comply with all applicable local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, regulations, and policies. Failure to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal ordinances, regulations, and policies will deem a provider out of compliance and may lead to adverse actions as deemed appropriate by CAPS including but not limited to, suspension, recoupment of funds, dismissal or disqualification from CAPS. At the discretion of DECAL, a provider may be deemed out of compliance during review or investigation of the program which may lead to adverse actions including but not limited to, suspension, recoupment of funds, dismissal or disqualification from CAPS. 12.4.1.2 The provider is responsible for reviewing CAPS policies on a regular basis, as policies are subject to change. The provider must be knowledgeable of CAPS policies and any revisions to CAPS policy. 12.4.1.3 Licensed providers must comply with reporting requirements as prescribed in Child Care Services rules. License-exempt providers must comply with reporting requirements as prescribed in the Health and Safety Standards for License-exempt Providers Receiving Subsidy manual. Informal providers must comply with reporting requirements as prescribed in the Health and Safety Standards for Informal Providers Receiving Subsidy manual. 12.4.1.4 Providers shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights of Act of 1964 (exception: Family Child Care Learning Homes and informal providers); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and, if the provider is center- based or a family child care learning home, the provider shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2010. 12.4.1.5 Providers must ensure that parents have unlimited access to their children when children are in the care of the provider. 12.4.1.6 Providers must ensure they are operating within the guidelines as prescribed in CAPS Participating Providers Policy (CAPS/00-11) when the parent of the child receiving CAPS subsidies is employed at the location child care services are rendered. 12.4.1.7 Federal law prohibits CAPS from reimbursing a child care provider who has had a serious injury as defined in Definitions and Acronyms.

12.4.2 Contact Information 12.4.2.1 All participating providers in the CAPS program must submit current, accurate and complete contact information, including email address, at enrollment and annual renewal. The program contact’s email address submitted will be used as the designated email to receive all communications. 12.4.2.2 The provider is responsible for maintaining correct contact information and must report all changes in contact information within five business days of the change. Changes in contact information can be entered into the CAPS administration and payment system. 12.4.2.3 The program contact’s email address will be used as the primary contact to communicate and send information to the provider. It is the provider’s responsibility to respond timely to information requests transmitted to the provided email address from DECAL. Delivery of any such information, including but not limited to, amendments/updates to CAPS policy, data requests, document requests, overpayment notices, and any other matters related to the provider to said email address shall be considered valid so long as the sender does not receive a failure to deliver message. In certain circumstances DECAL may also provide notifications and requests to providers via mail through an approved mail carrier service.