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: In the most recent survey, conducted by the Lead Agency, to inquire about barriers to participation in child care subsidy, providers reported the following reasons for not participating in CCDF: 35 percent stated the families they currently served would not qualify for child care subsidy; 20 percent stated there was too much paperwork involved; 19 percent stated they were at full enrollment without participating; 15 percent stated families in the area they operated would not qualify; 11 percent stated payment rates were too low; and 10 percent stated payments took too long to receive. Beginning in May 2021, in response to the pandemic, the Lead Agency used funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to pay all differences when the provider’s rate exceeded the subsidy payment, effectively paying the full price of care for all families. Despite removing all barriers related to provider payment rate amounts, the Lead Agency saw no increase in provider participation. This outcome indicates that payment rate amounts are not the most significant barrier to participation and reinforces the survey data that other barriers are more impactful in determining participation rates. For those providers that stated that there was too much paperwork involved, the program process has been improved to eliminate paper completely from all aspects of participation, unless the provider chooses to use paper forms. This improvement removes the burden of completing and submitting paper-based forms for program enrollment. For those that responded that payments took too long, the Lead Agency believes that this barrier is more perception than reality. Payments have been and continue to be paid weekly. While the time between the billing and payment on the first invoice can be up to 10 days, regular and timely invoicing by a provider will result in regular weekly deposits from the subsidy program. Implementation of the 2024 rule will not necessarily improve the current processes. There will continue to be some delay between enrollment and the first payment, which will be minimized to the greatest degree possible. After the first payment, the cadence of payments will continue to be regular and predictable but will be in advance of care. This change may improve the perceptions regarding payment timing. Overall, the most significant barrier is that many providers operate successfully without participation and see no benefit to their business by taking on the perceived burdens of participation. The Lead Agency cannot force participation to eliminate this barrier, so this barrier is likely to continue to be noted by potential providers in the future. 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? [ ] Yes. [x] 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: CAPS staff provide consumer education to families during the application or redetermination process about different child care provider options. CAPS staff, a resource and referral website known as Find Help GA, and the 1-877-ALLGAKIDS referral helpline are available to help parents select a child care provider. QualityRated.org, all CCR&R agencies, and the statewide call center maintain information on Quality Rated providers and child care providers who accept CAPS subsidies to share with participating families. If a family needs guidance on how to select a child care provider, CAPS staff or staff at the All Georgia Kids call center are available to assist. This information is also shared during community outreach, workshops, or other in-person activities. e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: Information included on the child care certificate includes details on the child, the parent, the provider, the type of care, and payment amounts. The certificate reports the provider rate, family fee, and CAPS weekly payment amount to the child care provider. Dates on the certificate show when it was issued and when it is up for redetermination. Consumer education about the parent’s weekly responsibility is also included on the child care certificate. The child care certificate is generated after the family has selected a provider.