4.5 Supply Building

Building a supply of high-quality child care that meets the needs and preferences of parents participating in CCDF is necessary to meet CCDF’s core purposes. Lead Agencies must support parent choice by providing some portion of direct services via grants or contracts, including at a minimum for children in underserved geographic areas, infants and toddlers, and children with disabilities. 4.5.1 Child care services available through grants or contracts Does the Lead Agency provide direct child care services through grants or contracts for child care slots? [ ] Yes, statewide. Describe how the Lead Agency ensures that parents who enroll with a provider who has a grant or contract have choices when selecting a provider: [ ] Yes, in some jurisdictions, but not statewide. Describe how many jurisdictions use grants or contracts for child care slots and how the Lead Agency ensures that parents who enroll with a provider who has a grant or contract have choices when selecting a provider: [x] No. If no, describe any Lead Agency plans to provide direct child care services through grants and contracts for child care slots: The Lead Agency plans to build a fiscal plan to incorporate direct child care services through grants and contracts for child care slots by FFY 2026. If no, skip to question 4.5.2. i. If yes, identify the populations of children served through grants or contracts for child care slots (check all that apply). For each population selected, identify the number of slots allocated through grants or contracts for direct service of children receiving CCDF. [ ] Children with disabilities. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Infants and toddlers. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children in underserved geographic areas. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children needing non-traditional hour care. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] School-age children. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children experiencing homelessness. Number of slots allocated through grants or contracts: [ ] Children in urban areas. Percent of CCDF children served in an average month: [ ] Children in rural areas. Percent of CCDF children served in an average month: [ ] Other populations. If checked, describe: ii. If yes, how are rates for slots funded by grants and contracts determined by the Lead Agency? 4.5.2 Care in the child’s home (in-home care) The Lead Agency must allow for in-home care (i.e., care provided in the child’s own home) but may limit its use. Will the Lead Agency limit the use of in-home care in any way? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If yes, what limits will the Lead Agency set on the use of in-home care? Check all that apply. i. [ ] Restricted based on the minimum number of children in the care of the in- home provider to meet the Fair Labor Standards Act (minimum wage) requirements. Describe: ii. [x] Restricted based on the in-home provider meeting a minimum age requirement. Describe: In-home provider must be 18. iii. [x] Restricted based on the hours of care (i.e., certain number of hours, non- traditional work hours). Describe: Max of 50 hours in care and must meet Maine's minimum wage. iv. [ ] Restricted to care by relatives. (A relative provider must be at least 18 years of age based on the definition of eligible child care provider.) Describe: v. [ ] Restricted to care for children with special needs or a medical condition. Describe: vi. [ ] Restricted to in-home providers that meet additional health and safety requirements beyond those required by CCDF. Describe: vii. [ ] Other. Describe: 4.5.3 Shortages in the supply of child care Lead Agencies must identify shortages in the supply of child care providers that meet parents’ needs and preferences. What child care shortages has the Lead Agency identified in the State or Territory, and what is the plan to address the child care shortages? a. In infant and toddler programs: i. Data sources used to identify shortages: The Lead Agency in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) completed a child care gap analysis in early 2023. The Lead Agency launched a monthly enrollment data collection program in May of the same year. ii. Method of tracking progress: The Lead Agency continues to analyze the data of the enrollment against the capacity of the program to identify percentage of programs infant and toddler total enrollment. iii. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using family child care homes The Lead Agency has the Child Care Infrastructure Grants (CCIG) utilizing funding through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) that includes priority points for programs caring for infants and toddlers and CCAP. The program is scheduled to end December 2024. Since the start in July of 2022 nearly 200 awards have been made with more than 3,100 slots created. The Lead Agency’s goal is to incorporate the cost modeling analysis data along with the enrollment data to create additional efforts to incentivize providers to care for infants and toddlers statewide and increase the total number of infants and toddlers served on the CCAP by FFY2026. iv. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using child care centers? The Lead Agency has the Child Care Infrastructure Grants (CCIG) utilizing funding through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) that includes priority points for programs caring for infants and toddlers and CCAP. The program is scheduled to end December 2024. Since the start in July of 2022 nearly 200 awards have been made with more than 3,100 slots created. The Lead Agency’s goal is to incorporate the cost modeling analysis data along with the enrollment data to create additional efforts to incentivize providers to care for infants and toddlers statewide and increase the total number of infants and toddlers served on the CCAP by FFY2026. b. In different regions of the State or Territory: i. Data sources used to identify shortages: The Lead Agency in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) completed a child care gap analysis in 2019 and 2022, with some updated data analyzed in early 2023. https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/inline-files/Maine-Child- Care-Gaps-January2023.pdf ii. Method of tracking progress: Our gap analysis work with BPC has shown that our largest gap by number of children is in Aroostook County, followed by Penobscot County, York County, Waldo County, Oxford County, Hancock County, and Washington County. Using a distanced-based methodology our largest gap is in York County, followed by Androscoggin, Penobscot, Aroostook, Oxford, Somerset, Hancock, and Waldo counties. 115 of Maine's Child Care Infrastructure Grant awards, over 57% of the awards, have gone to these counties, to help address child care shortages. iii. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using family child care homes? The Lead Agency has the Child Care Infrastructure Grants (CCIG) utilizing funding through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) that includes priority points for programs in areas identified as having the highest gaps. The funding ends December 2024. Since the start in July of 2022 over 200 awards have been made with over 5,000 anticipated slots. Over 90 of the Child Care Infrastructure Grant awards have gone to family child care start ups and family child care expansions, with about 945 anticipated new slots in family child care homes. The Lead Agency has partnered with CEI on this grant program. CEI continues to run a Child Care Business Lab in Maine that is helping to start new child care programs with a focus on small facilities and family child care programs. The Lead Agency plans to utilize the gap analysis, updated with enrollment data, along with CELFE’s cost modeling analysis to ensure an increase in access. iv. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using child care centers? The Lead Agency has the Child Care Infrastructure Grants (CCIG) utilizing funding through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) that includes priority points for programs in areas identified as having the highest gaps. The funding ends December 2024. Since the start in July of 2022 over 200 awards have been made with over 5,000 anticipated slots. 118 Child Care Infrastructure Grant awards have gone to child care facility start ups and child care facility expansions, with 4,126 anticipated new slots in child care centers. The Lead Agency has partnered with CEI on this grant program. CEI continues to run a Child Care Business Lab in Maine that is helping to create new child care programs, with a focus on small facilities, including child care centers. The Lead Agency plans to utilize the gap analysis, updated with enrollment data, along with CELFE’s cost modeling analysis to ensure an increase in access. c. In care for special populations: i. Data sources used to identify shortages: The CCDF Administrator receives a monthly report from MACWIS that tracks identified special populations that include children with a special needs or experiencing homelessness. ii. Method of tracking progress: Maine is seeing a steady increase in the number of children with special needs served in child care programs, from an average of 140 a few years ago, to 230 in recent months. This past year the Child Care Affordability Program served anywhere from 13 to 21 families each month who were experiencing homelessness. iii. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using family child care homes? The Lead Agency has ongoing efforts of offering support to family child care programs through technical assistance on caring for children in special populations. This includes the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership (ECCP) program, MRTQ PDN’s technical assistance system, and support from the Child Care Affordability Program team. The Lead Agency is working with Maine DOE staff and Maine Children's Cabinet staff to look at how to grow access to child care family child care programs and publicly funded preschool for children with special needs. We are partnering on mixed delivery preschool strategies and initiatives as Maine transitions the Free and Appropriate Public Education responsibility from a quasi-governmental agency to local school districts. iv. What is the plan to address the child care shortages using child care centers? The Lead Agency has ongoing efforts of offering support to child care centers through technical assistance on caring for children in special populations. This includes the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership (ECCP) program, MRTQ PDN’s technical assistance system, and support from the Child Care Affordability Program team. The Lead Agency is working with Maine DOE staff and Maine Children's Cabinet staff to look at how to grow access to child care centers and publicly funded preschool for children with special needs. We are partnering on mixed delivery preschool strategies and initiatives as Maine transitions the Free and Appropriate Public Education responsibility from a quasi-governmental agency to local school districts. 4.5.4 Strategies to increase the supply of and improve quality of child care Lead Agencies must develop and implement strategies to increase the supply of and improve the quality of child care services. These strategies must address child care in underserved geographic areas; infants and toddlers; children with disabilities, as defined by the Lead Agency; and children who receive care during non-traditional hours. How does the Lead Agency identify any gaps in the supply and quality of child care services and what strategies are used to address those gaps for: a. Underserved geographic areas. Describe: Our gap analysis work with BPC has shown that our largest gap by number of children is in Aroostook County, followed by Penobscot County, York County, Waldo County, Oxford County, Hancock County, and Washington County. Using a distanced-based methodology our largest gap is in York County, followed by Androscoggin, Penobscot, Aroostook, Oxford, Somerset, Hancock, and Waldo counties. 115 of Maine's Child Care Infrastructure Grant awards, over 57% of the awards, have gone to these counties, to help address child care shortages. In looking at Maine's Rising Stars for ME data, we have opportunities to grow quality in several regions of the state where there are less programs with Star 3, Star 4, and/or Star 5 quality ratings. We will focus efforts in serval counties, including Aroostook, Hancock, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Waldo and York counties. Some of these counties overlap with those identified above in regions with higher needs for increased child care supply. Overall quality updates: The Lead Agency revised the state’s quality rating and improvement system in the spring of 2023 called Rising Stars for ME (RSM). RSM’s system changes included nonrelative license-exempt providers to the star rating as a Star 1 and encumbering QRIS rules. Through PDG B-5 funds, MRTQ PDN has Quality Awards for providers moving up Star ratings. In addition, Maine has the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement System that provides salary supplements to direct child care staff based on a tiered system for higher levels on the MRTQ Registry. b. Infants and toddlers. Describe: In Maine's Child Care Affordability program, from July 2023-June 2024, 4-5% of children served each month were infants. 21-23% were toddlers, 29-36% were preschoolers, and 38-45% were school age. Over the past year, the Office of Child and Family Services has been collecting enrollment data and has found that of children enrolled in licensed child care in Maine approximately 8% are infants, 23% are toddlers, 40% are preschoolers, and 29% are school age. Maine is working to increase the supply of infant and toddler early care and education. The Lead Agency has an infant and toddler initiative through the Child Care Affordability Program with early childhood bumps for increased reimbursement to honor the higher costs of serving infants and toddlers. In addition, there is a weekly stipend of up to $100 per infant to all licensed providers participating in the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), who are in compliance with health and safety requirements and are providing full- or part-time care through the Child Care Affordability Program. This infant and toddler initiative has supported between 800 and 1,000 infants and toddlers per month, with 992 infants and toddlers in CCAP in June 2024 whose providers were receiving these additional funds. Overall quality updates: The Lead Agency revised the state’s quality rating and improvement system in the spring of 2023 called Rising Stars for ME (RSM). RSM’s system changes included nonrelative license-exempt providers to the star rating as a Star 1 and encumbering QRIS rules. Through PDG B-5 funds, MRTQ PDN has Quality Awards for providers moving up Star ratings. In addition, Maine has the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement System that provides salary supplements to direct child care staff based on a tiered system for higher levels on the MRTQ Registry. c. Children with disabilities. Describe: Maine provides services for both Early Intervention (birth through 2 years, sometimes referred to as Part C services) and Appropriate Public Education (for ages 3￿5 years, sometimes referred to as Part B/Section 619 services) through Child Development Services (CDS), a separate intermediate unit under the supervision of the Maine Department of Education. CDS consists of nine regional sites and a state office. The state CDS office maintains a central data management system and systemwide policies and procedures, and provides centralized fiscal services for regional CDS sites. Through the regional sites, CDS conducts Child Find to identify children eligible for services, addresses referrals, conducts evaluations to determine diagnoses, and provides services for eligible children. In FY2237 (the most recently available summary data), of the individual 8,979 children receiving direct services through CDS, 29% were in the 0￿2 age group receiving early intervention for developmental delays. The total represents about a 6% increase in children served over the previous year. In the same time period, 3,716 children entered the CDS system (about 40% of the total are ages 0￿2) and 3,240 exited the system. The most frequent primary disability for children ages 3￿5 was speech or language impairment (46%) followed by autism (24%). About half of children served had Maine Care coverage for all or part of services. CDS services for young children are provided directly by CDS staff, through contracted providers, and in a small number of preschool programs operated at regional CDS sites. Increasingly, 4-year-old children with special needs are served in public pre-K programs provided by school districts. Through a relatively recent initiative, CDS has established nine preschools in Southern Maine designed to provide an inclusive education (with others under exploration) and has been working with SAUs to provide services to children in public pre-K through a growing number of contracted arrangements, now partnering with over one third of Maine’s SAUs. CDS reports that staffing these sites and encouraging participation from nondisabled peers remains challenging. Staff from Maine DHHS and DOE have been focused on developing strategies for increase the supply and improve the quality of early care and education for children with disabilities. The following inclusion and special education needs of children, their families, and early educators were identified in our Preschool-Development Grant needs assessment, developed from 2023-2024. - While efforts have been made on several fronts to expand early screening, Maine still has a relatively low rate of early identification compared to other states. - Parents of children with delays and disabilities find systems of support difficult to access and navigate, facing long wait times at each stage of the process as well as frustrations associated with inaccurate diagnoses, and lack of service access and availability. - Transitions can be especially difficult for children with special needs and their families (from Part C to Part B; preschool to K) because of gaps in receiving services. - New American families in Maine with children with delays and disabilities have unique needs. - All teachers need training in working with children with special needs and understanding appropriate behavioral expectations. - Shortages of staff with special needs preparation and certification is at the root of capacity to serve students adequately, in part the result of low compensation and underfunding. Through our Preschool Develop Grant (PDG) work, we are increasing inclusion training in Maine for staff working in child care, including a free on demand inclusion training and increased support for cohorts of early childhood educators to earn their Inclusions Credential. The Lead Agency is working with Maine DOE staff and Maine Children's Cabinet staff to look at how to grow access to child care family child care programs and publicly funded preschool for children with special needs. We are partnering on mixed delivery preschool strategies and initiatives as Maine transitions the Free and Appropriate Public Education responsibility from a quasi-governmental agency to local school districts. d. Children who receive care during non-traditional hours. Describe: Staff from Maine DHHS and DOE have been focused on developing strategies for increasing the supply and improving the quality of early care and education for children and families in Maine. The following key takeaway in regard to meeting the early care and education needs of children and families came from Maine's Preschool-Development Grant needs assessment, developed from 2023-2024. - While there has been progress in reducing the overall gap between demand and supply of early care and education slots, more options are needed for rural areas, care outside traditional daytime hours, and students with special needs. Maine data on non-traditional hours offered within the Child Care Affordability Program are as follows: In FFY 2024, 6284 children were served by 1268 CCAP providers across the state for off-hours care for a total of 26170.4 hours. This total off-hours care paid for by CCAP in FFY24 has a cost of $38,095.99. In 2024, year to date, Maine had 893 child care providers providing care during non- traditional hours through the Child Care Affordability Program, 78% of providers in the program. The Lead Agency tracks every month the providers and children served through off-hours care in CCAP. We includes additional payments to support non-traditional hours and are working to expand access. The Lead Agency will be analyzing the availability of non-traditional hours by region and by quality level to help focus targeted outreach and support to specific areas of the state. e. Other. Specify what population is being focused on to increase supply or improve quality. Describe: N/A 4.5.5 Prioritization of investments in areas of concentrated poverty and unemployment Lead Agencies must prioritize investments for increasing access to high-quality child care and development services for children of families in areas that have significant concentrations of poverty and unemployment and do not currently have sufficient numbers of such programs. Describe how the Lead Agency prioritizes increasing access to high-quality child care and development services for children of families in areas that have significant concentrations of poverty and unemployment and that do not have access to high-quality programs. The Lead Agency has the Child Care Infrastructure Grants (CCIG) utilizing funding through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) that includes priority points for programs in areas identified as having the highest gaps and identified as areas of concentration of poverty. Since the start in July of 2022 nearly 200 awards have been made with more than 3,100 slots created. Data is then compared to other known sources like MACWIS, Maine’s Children’s Alliance Annual Report, and the Child Care Enrollment Data Project. 5 Health and Safety of Child Care Settings Child care health and safety standards and enforcement practices are essential to protect the health and safety of children while out of their parents’ care. CCDF provides a minimum threshold for child care health and safety policies and practices but leaves authority to Lead Agencies to design standards that appropriately protect children’s safety and promote nurturing environments that support their healthy growth and development. Lead Agencies should set standards for ratios, group size limits, and provider qualifications that help ensure that the child care environment is conducive to safety and learning and enable caregivers to promote all domains of children’s development. CCDF health and safety standards help set clear expectations for CCDF providers, form the foundation for health and safety training for child care workers, and establish the baseline for monitoring to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. These health and safety requirements apply to all providers serving children receiving CCDF services – whether the providers are licensed or license-exempt, must be appropriate to the provider setting and age of the children served, must include specific topics and training on those topics, and are subject to monitoring and enforcement procedures by the Lead Agency. CCDF-required annual monitoring and enforcement actions help ensure that CCDF providers are adopting and implementing health and safety requirements. Through child care licensing, Lead Agencies set minimum requirements, including health and safety requirements, that child care providers must meet to legally operate in that State or Territory. In some cases, CCDF health and safety requirements may be integrated within the licensing system for licensed providers and may be separate for CCDF providers who are license- exempt. This section addresses CCDF health and safety requirements, Lead Agency licensing requirements and exemptions, and comprehensive background checks. When responding to questions in this section, OCC recognizes that each Lead Agency identifies and defines its own categories of care. OCC does not expect Lead Agencies to change their definitions to fit the CCDF-defined categories of care. For these questions, provide responses that best match the CCDF categories of care.