1.3 Consultation in the Development of the CCDF Plan

The Lead Agency is responsible for developing the CCDF Plan, and consultation with and meaningful input and feedback from a wide range of representatives is critical for CCDF programs to continually adapt to the changing needs of families, child care programs, and the workforce. Consultation involves meeting with or otherwise obtaining input from an appropriate agency in the development of the State or Territory CCDF Plan. As part of the Plan development process, Lead Agencies must consult with the following: (1) Appropriate representatives of general-purpose local government. General purpose local governments are defined by the U.S. Census at https://www2.census.gov/govs/cog/g12_org.pdf. (2) The State Advisory Council (SAC) on Early Childhood Education and Care (pursuant to 642B(b)(I)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act) or similar coordinating body pursuant to 98.14(a)(1)(vii). (3) Tribe(s) or Tribal organization(s) within the State. This consultation should be done in a timely manner and at the option of the Tribe(s) or Tribal organization(s). 1.3.1 Consultation efforts in CCDF Plan development Describe the Lead Agency’s consultation efforts in the development of the CCDF Plan, including how and how often the consultation occurred. a. Describe how the Lead Agency consulted with appropriate representatives of general- purpose local government: Child care subsidy services and child care licensing services are state administered in Hawaii. Representatives from both the subsidy services and licensing services held discussions and workgroup meetings virtually to collaborate on the state plan. Community stakeholders from the counties are invited to attend the Department’s quarterly Child Care Advisory Committee meetings and there are positions established for voting members who represent the county communities. The Department is a non-voting ex-officio member of the Early Learning Board and representatives from the Hawaii Council of Mayors are also members of the Early Learning Board. a. Describe how the Lead Agency consulted with the State Advisory Council or similar coordinating body: The Department of Human Services convenes quarterly for meetings with the Child Care Advisory Committee with 20 voting members from a variety of early childhood stakeholders including: A Statewide child care director's group; An association for independent schools; The Head Start association; The Statewide Child Care Resource & Referral agency; A Family Child Care Provider; A Hawaii Island representative; A Kauai Island representative; A parent representative; A faith-based representative; The Hawaii Association For Young Children; The Department of Health; A multi-site child care center organization group; A Maui County representative; A school-aged care representative; The University of Hawaii, Center on the Family; The Department of Education; The University of Hawaii Community Colleges; and An Early Childhood Advocacy group. Additionally, other early childhood stakeholders are invited to attend the Child Care Advisory Committee meetings and participate in the discussions. The Department of Human Services is also a non-voting ex-officio member of the Early Learning Board which is a governing board that directs and supports the Executive Office on Early Learning. The Early Learning Board meets on a monthly basis and its members represent public and private entities such as child care providers, family-child interaction learning program providers, Hawaiian medium early learning providers, home-visiting providers, parents, philanthropic organizations that support early learning, state and local government departments, Head Start, association of independent schools, and the Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. b. Describe, if applicable, how the Lead Agency consulted with Indian Tribes(s) or Tribal organizations(s) within the State: N/A c. Identify other entities, agencies, or organizations consulted on the development of the CCDF Plan (e.g., representatives from the child care workforce, or statewide afterschool networks) and describe those consultation efforts: The Hawaii Departments of Education and Health and the University of Hawaii (including its community colleges) have representation on the Early Learning Board, as well as the Department's Child Care Advisory Committee. The Department of Human Services which is the lead CCDF agency is responsible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The TANF program operates under the same Division as the CCDF program. The CCDF Administrator is also the TANF Administrator, who is the Assistant Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division Administrator (ABESSDA). ABESSDA reviewed the CCDF Plan and has been consulted on an on-going basis regarding the CCDF State Plan. 1.3.2 Public hearing process Lead Agencies must hold at least one public hearing in the State or Territory, with sufficient Statewide or Territory-wide distribution of notice prior to such a hearing to enable the public to comment on the provision of child care services under the CCDF Plan. Describe the Statewide or Territory-wide public hearing process held to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the provision of child care services under this Plan. i. Date of the public hearing: 5/31/2024 Reminder: Must be no earlier than January 1, 2024. If more than one public hearing was held, enter one date (e.g., the date of the first hearing, the most recent hearing date, or any hearing date that demonstrates this requirement). ii. Date of notice of public hearing: 5/8/2024 iii. Was the notice of public hearing posted publicly at least 20 calendar days prior to the date of the public hearing? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: iv. Describe how the public was notified about the public hearing, including outreach in other languages, information on interpretation services being available, etc. Include specific website links if used to provide noticePublic notices were published in the newspapers statewide, distributed via email, and internet posting on the Department’s website at http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child- care-program/. Announcements were made at the Early Learning Board meeting on April 11, 2024, and at the Department of Human Services Child Care Advisory meeting on February 13, 2024 and May 14, 2024. v. Describe how the approach to the public hearing was inclusive of all geographic regions of the State or Territory: Public notices were published in the newspapers statewide, distributed via email, and internet posting on the Department’s website at http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/. vi. Describe how the content of the Plan was made available to the public in advance of the public hearing (e.g., the Plan was made available in other languages, in multiple formats, etc.): The proposed plan was posted on the Department’s website at http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/. The public notice also informed interested parties to contact the Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division Child Care Program Office to request a copy of the proposed plan at no cost. vii. Describe how the information provided by the public was taken into consideration regarding the provision of child care services under this Plan: Comments made by the public relative to service deliveries were reviewed and considered. Minor amendments were immediately completed. Other substantive amendments to the plan which require further review as considerations may be needed for funding, changes to the Department’s administrative rules, and discussion with the Department’s Child Care Advisory Committee. 1.3.3 Public availability of final Plan, amendments, and waivers Lead Agencies must make the submitted and approved final Plan, any approved Plan amendments, and any approved requests for temporary waivers publicly available on a website. a. Provide the website link to where the Plan, any Plan amendments, and waivers (if applicable) are available. Note: A Plan amendment is required if the website address where the Plan is posted changes. http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care- program/ b. Describe any other strategies that the Lead Agency uses to make submitted and approved CCDF Plan and approved Plan amendments available to the public. Check all that apply and describe the strategies below, including any relevant website links as examples. i. [x] Working with advisory committees. Describe: Work with the Department’s Child Care Advisory Committee. Distribute via email the notice of the public hearing, the website link for the draft CCDF Plan, and any Plan amendments. ii. [x] Working with child care resource and referral agencies. Describe: Work with the Department’s contracted statewide child care resource and referral agency to distribute via email the notice of the public hearing, website link for the State CCDF Plan, and any Plan amendments to its listed members. iii. [x] Providing translation in other languages. Describe: The notice of the public hearing indicates that persons needing interpreter services may receive such service without charge, including oral interpretation of the draft State CCDF Plan. The Department would provide interpreter services as requested without charge including oral interpretation of any Plan amendments. iv. [x] Sharing through social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, email). Describe: Information on the 2025-2027 Draft CCDF State plan, notice of public hearing and information to provide oral/written testimony will be shared on the Governor’s social media pages. v. [x] Providing notification to key constituents (e.g., parent and family groups, provider groups, advocacy groups, foundations, and businesses). Describe: Information on the 2025-2027 Draft CCDF State plan, notice of public hearing and information to provide oral/written testimony will be shared on the Governor’s social media pages. An informational flyer on the 2025-2027 CCDF State Plan will also be shared with partner agencies. vi. [x] Working with Statewide afterschool networks or similar coordinating entities for out-of-school time. Describe: Information on the 2025-2027 Draft CCDF State plan, notice of public hearing and information to provide oral/written testimony will be distributed via email to the Hawaii Afterschool Alliance. vii. [x] Direct communication with the child care workforce. Describe: Information is shared at the child care advisory committee meeting where there is representation of licensed child care center providers. viii. [ ] Other. Describe: 2 Child and Family Eligibility and Enrollment and Continuity of Care Stable and reliable child care arrangements facilitate job stability for parents and healthy development of children. CCDF eligibility and enrollment policies can contribute to these goals. Policies and procedures that create barriers to families accessing CCDF, like inaccessible subsidy applications and onerous reporting requirements, interrupt a parent’s ability to work and may deter eligible families from participating in CCDF. To address these concerns, Lead Agencies must provide children with a minimum of 12 months between eligibility determinations, limit reporting requirements during the 12-month period, and ensure eligibility determination and redetermination processes do not interrupt a parent’s work or school. In this section, Lead Agencies will identify how they define eligible children and families and how the Lead Agency’s eligibility and enrollment policies support access for eligible children and families.