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DECEMBER 14, 2003 NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF CCS PROGRAM MANUAL LETTER # 67-2003 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 392 NAC 6-002 6-002 Start Up/Expansion Child Care Grant: 6-002.01 Purpose: The purpose of the Child Care Grant Fund is to expand the amount of licensed child care that is available to families who are receiving Child Care Subsidy. The following programs are eligible for Start Up/Expansion Child Care Grants: 1. New (not yet licensed) programs; 2. Programs that are expanding (increasing the license capacity); or 3. Programs that are expanding from a Family Child Care Home I to a Family Child Care Home II, or a Family Child Care Home II to a Child Care Center. 6-002.02 Definitions: For use within the administration of Start Up/Expansion Child Care Grants, the following definitions apply. Children with Disabilities: Children who are eligible for special education services according to the Nebraska Department of Education Rule 51 or the definition of “special needs” at 392 NAC 1-003. Community Agency/Representative: Any agency, organization, government office, or individual that offers a service, or has knowledge of services and/or needs related to young children and families. Developmentally Appropriate Program: A program that will meet the individual and age-appropriate needs of each child. Expansion: Increasing the license capacity of an existing child care program. Full Service Resource and Referral: An agency that provides a wide range of services to families including, but not limited to, health, social services, mental health, parent education, and child care resource and referral. Ill Children: Children who are excluded from a regular child care program due to illness or disease, symptoms of illness, or who are recuperating from a serious illness, accident, or surgery requiring exclusion. Market Plan: A well defined approach to informing families that the child care program exists. This may include using local advertising, the Child Care Food Program, resource and referral systems, and local support groups. Minor Building Modifications: Improvements required for licensing by the Nebraska Health and Human Services System and/or other state, county, or city regulatory agency that do not involve the construction or removal of a weight-bearing wall. Minor building modifications also mean any improvements necessary to serve additional infants, children with disabilities, children who may be ill, and/or school-aged children. 6-002.03 Eligibility Requirements 6-002.03A Compliance with Federal Statutes and Rules: Applicants must comply with all federal statutes and rules related to nondiscrimination, prohibitions against lobbying, suspension, and disbarment; the provision of a drug-free workplace; the provision of a smoke-free environment in nonresidential settings; and access for all persons with disabilities.