9.3 Increasing Engagement and Access to Information

Lead Agencies must collect and disseminate information about the full range of child care services to promote parental choice to parents of children eligible for CCDF, the general public, and child care providers. 9.3.1 Information about CCDF availability and eligibility Describe how the Lead Agency shares information with eligible parents, the general public, and child care providers about the availability of child care services provided through CCDF and other programs for which the family may be eligible. The description should include, at a minimum, what is provided (e.g., written materials, the website, and direct communications) and what approaches are used to tailor information to parents, the general public, and child care providers. The Lead Agency shares information with eligible parents, the general public, and Child Care Providers about programs and availability on the DHHS website. Links are provided to programs and services. Written materials can be requested from the Lead Agency through the website, telephone, or e-mail. Information is tailored for the audience by linking Providers to Provider specific webpages and linking programs and services tailored specifically for families, children, teens, adults, elders, or health. Help ME Grow (HMG) model as a system for improving access to existing resources and services by linking families those that they need at the community-based level statewide. 9.3.2 Information about child care and other services available for parents Does the Lead Agency certify that it provides information described in 9.3.1 for the following required programs? • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. • Head Start and Early Head Start programs. • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). • Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) program. • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). • Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). • Programs carried out under IDEA Part B, Section 619 and Part C. [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.3 Consumer statement for parents receiving CCDF services Lead Agencies must provide parents receiving CCDF services with a consumer statement in hard copy or electronically that contains general information about the CCDF program and specific information about the child care provider they select. Please certify if the Lead Agency provides parents receiving CCDF services a consumer statement that contains the following 8 requirements: 1. Health and safety requirements met by the provider 2. Licensing or regulatory requirements met by the provider 3. Date the provider was last inspected 4. Any history of violations of these requirements 5. Any voluntary quality standards met by the provider 6. How CCDF subsidies are designed to promote equal access 7. How to submit a complaint through the hotline 8. How to contact a local resource and referral agency or other community-based organization to receive assistance in finding and enrolling in quality child care Does the Lead Agency provide to families, either in hard copy or electronically, a consumer statement that contains the required information about the provider they have selected, including the eight required elements above? [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.4 Informing families about best practices on child development Describe how the Lead Agency makes information available to parents, providers, and the general public on research and best practices concerning children’s development, including physical health and development, and information about successful parent and family engagement. At a minimum, the description should include what information is provided; how the information is provided; any distinct activities for sharing this information with parents, providers, the general public; and any partners in providing this information. The Help Me Grow Maine program’s website provides information and resources through links, contact information, and documents on children’s development. The information provided includes health and safety topics on a variety of subjects. https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/support-for-families/child-development The 2-1-1 Maine website is also included that leads to an array of information and for a variety of audiences. Child Care Choices also has important information for families. https://childcarechoices.me 9.3.5 Unlimited parental access to their children Does the Lead Agency have procedures to ensure that parents have unlimited access to their children whenever their children are in the care of a provider who receives CCDF funds: [x] Yes. [ ] No. If no, describe: 9.3.6 Informing families about best practices in social and emotional health Describe how the Lead Agency shares information with families, providers, and the general public regarding the social-emotional and behavioral and mental health of young children, including positive behavioral intervention and support models based on research and best practices for those from birth to school age: The Help Me Grow Maine program’s website provides information and resources through links, contact information, and documents on children’s development. The information provided includes health and safety topics on a variety of subjects. https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/support-for-families/child-development Maine's ECE Consultation for ME Program is an excellent social emotional and mental health resource for families. https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/support-for-families/child-care/early- childhood-consultation-partnership The 2-1-1 Maine website is also included that leads to an array of information and for a variety of audiences. Child Care Choices also has important information for families. https://childcarechoices.me 9.3.7 Policies on the prevention of the suspension and expulsion of children a. The Lead Agency must have policies to prevent the suspension and expulsion of children from birth to age 5 in child care and other early childhood programs receiving CCDF funds. Describe those policies and how those policies are shared with families, providers, and the general public: The Lead Agency’s policy is to provide information on suspension and expulsion through Help ME Grow, ECE Consultation for ME and MRTQ PDN. The Lead Agency provides the link and contact information to ECE Consultation for ME and MRTQ PDN on both website pages for parents and providers. The CCAP Parent Agreement provides links to developmental screenings. The CCAP Provider Agreement provides a link to MRTQ PDN’s Inclusion Warm Line. Lead Agency staff provide the link and contact information for ECE Consultation for ME and MRTQ PDN when an individual inquires, including a parent reaching out in response to a denial of services. The Lead Agency’s ECE Consultation for ME program is a free statewide infant and early childhood mental health consultation to early care programs in Maine. The MRTQ PDN District Coordinators have been trained in Relationship Based Consultation, Communities of Practice facilitation, Adult Learning Practices, Coaching and Mentoring. They have also been trained on the Rising Stars for ME, Maine Quality Rating and Improvement System. All trainings and TA incorporate the knowledge and application of its early learning and developmental guidelines (where applicable); its health and safety standards and social- emotional/behavioral and early childhood mental health intervention models, which can include positive behavior intervention and support models in the training and professional development framework and are ongoing. The information is shared with families, providers, and the general public in a variety of ways that include through the services of Help Me Grow, the Lead Agency’s website, and through the many partnerships’ media outlets. b. Describe what policies, if any, the Lead Agency has to prevent the suspension and expulsion of school-age children from child or youth care settings receiving CCDF funds: The Lead Agency’s policy is to provide information on suspension and expulsion through Help ME Grow, ECE Consultation for ME and MRTQ PDN. The Lead Agency provides the link and contact information to ECE Consultation for ME and MRTQ PDN on both website pages for parents and providers. The CCAP Parent Agreement provides links to developmental screenings. The CCAP Provider Agreement provides a link to MRTQ PDN’s Inclusion Warm Line. CCAP staff provide the link and contact information for ECE Consultation for ME and MRTQ PDN when an individual inquires.