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: Prior to the completion of the FY 2025-2027 CCDF Plan, the BCDHSC connected via email with the NH Municipal Association, which is a longstanding non-profit, non-partisan membership association funded and governed by members that works to strengthen New Hampshire cities and towns and enhance their ability to serve the public. The correspondence directed members to the DHHS website, to view the draft plan and access the Public Hearing (live or recorded), as well as public comments summary. It also invited members to participate in a webinar/listening session and/or provide written input on the plan. a. Describe how the Lead Agency consulted with the State Advisory Council or similar coordinating body: NH Council for Thriving Children: On January 23, 2020, Governor Christopher Sununu issued an executive order establishing the Council for Thriving Children to serve as the governor’s advisory council on early childhood care and education and carry out the functions and obligations under the Federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Head Start Act of 2007. The BCDHSC Bureau Chief serves on the Council, participating in quarterly meetings and providing information on child care and Head Start to the Council as relevant. DHHS Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilley co-leads the Council with Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Christine Brennan and shares data and information from BCDHSC with the Council during each meeting. At the June 2024 special meeting, Council members had the opportunity to provide input to DHHS on re-imagining child care following the pandemic, including how it should look, how DHHS, in partnership with others, could strengthen the system and expand child care options such that supply better meets demand; and what are the priorities for investing in/testing new models that account for the needs of families, programs (particularly staffing), businesses and the general community. Additionally, CCDF dollars support a contract with NH Family Voices to lead the B-8 Early Childhood Care and Education Advisors, one of four quadrants in the Council’s governance structure, along with the DHHS Early Childhood Integration Team, the Department of Education Early Childhood Integration Team, and the Early Childhood Care and Education Experts, led by the University of NH Center for Excellence. The B-8 Advisors will inform the Council of emerging trends for children, families, workforce, businesses and communities, and promote learning and capacity building across the ECCE system. Council recommendations were considered and incorporated in the CCDF Plan based on feasibility, federal rules and sustainability. NH Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC): In June 2024, the BCDHSC Bureau Chief formally presented to the CCAC on CCDF Plan timelines and opportunities to provide input, including participating in webinars/listening sessions and providing written input. Feedback from CCAC members was noted and incorporated into the CCDF Plan as appropriate and feasible. In addition, the Bureau Chief attends monthly meetings with the CCAC leadership to discuss on-going needs and challenges as well as attends 6 CCAC meetings per year to provide updates and receive feedback on BCDHSC activities and functions. This includes input on child care provider needs, workforce initiatives, families access to affordable care, QRIS design and implementation and supply building. This input was used to inform the development of the plan. b. Describe, if applicable, how the Lead Agency consulted with Indian Tribes(s) or Tribal organizations(s) within the State: The state of New Hampshire does not have any federally recognized Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations. 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: BCDHSC staff actively consulted with multiple internal and external entities, agencies and organizations over the past six months through meetings, email, surveys, phone calls and face-to-face-discussions on issues related to NH’s CCDF Plan. Included were: NH DHHS: DHHS Associate Commissioner, Division of Economic and Housing Stability (DEHS) Director; DEHS Bureaus of Housing Supports; Family Assistance; Child Support Services; Employment Supports; Children’s Behavioral Health; Other DHHS Divisions, Bureaus and Units: Child Care Licensing Unit; Finance; Legal; Contracts; Information Technology (Bridges and New Heights, NHCIS systems); Child Care Audit Unit; Division for Children, Youth and Families; Family, Community and Children Supports; Special Medical Services; Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program; Public Health; Quality Assurance and Improvement; Bureau for Family Centered Services; and the Bureau of Improvement and Integrity - Child Care Audit Unit. DHHS Early Childhood Integration Team (ECIT) as a group in addition to their individual bureaus and units listed above. The DHHS ECIT is one of four quadrants in the Council for Thriving Children’s infrastructure. For purposes of the NH CCDF Plan, the goal of the DHHS internal coordination is to create the capacity for effective integrated services for children from birth through age 13 and their families, including policy, practice, data, funding and infrastructure. NH Department of Education (DOE): The DOE’s Early Childhood Integration Team is one of four quadrants in the Council for Thriving Children’s infrastructure. In addition to separate DHHS and DOE ECITs, a cross agency ECIT was convened on which BCDHSC staff participates. NH State Police: The DHHS Child Care Licensing Unit has worked with the NH State Police regarding online access to the background check process, including scheduling fingerprinting appointments online and State Police sharing results with CCLU to help expedite the time it takes for current and prospective child care/early childhood program providers to complete their checks and receive approval to work with children. Contractors and Vendors: Conversations were held with representatives of organizations under contract with DHHS to implement CCDF responsibilities, including Southern NH Services/Child Care Aware of NH, SERESC/Preschool Technical Assistance Network Child Care Inclusion Project (PTAN) and TA and Training to School Age Child Care Providers,(ACROSSNH) Granite State College, ProSolutions (online professional development), MTX (NH Connections Information System developer), and Salesforce (NH CIS platform). National and Regional Consultants: BCDHSC also consulted with numerous national and regional consultants on CCDF Plan-related activities, including the following: Sue Foley, OCC Region 1 State Systems Specialist, for technical assistance on multiple aspects of CCDF; Rob Corso, national Pyramid Model Consortium Executive Director, on Pyramid Model state system development and implementation. Head Start Directors, on early childhood integration. Philanthropic Community: NH’s philanthropic community plays a critical role in supporting CCDF-related activities, including the United Way and NH Charitable Foundation. Meetings were held with representatives of these organizations to discuss further collaborative efforts (including leveraging funding) over the next three years, such as early childhood workforce shortage, program quality enhancement, and strengthening business practices. 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: 6/27/2024 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: 6/7/2024 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 noticeThe notice of the public hearing was posted on the following websites directly by the BCDHSC and DHHS staff. https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/news/public-notices/public-hearings and https://www.nh-connections.org/resources/ The 2025-2027 CCDF Plan Draft is posted on In addition, a link to this new page will be posted on our consumer education website at (Resources - NH Connections (nh-connections.org) All updates will be done on the DHHS website and only links updated on the NH Connections website. In addition, notification was included in a BCDHSC email to over 750 licensed and license exempt providers and approximately 75 non-provider stakeholders. The non-provider stakeholders were asked to share the information with their constituency groups through website postings or email, as appropriate. v. Describe how the approach to the public hearing was inclusive of all geographic regions of the State or Territory: The 2025-2027 CCDF Plan Draft was posted on our consumer education website at (Resources - NH Connections (nh- connections.org) with an option for online/virtual comments. A link to the plan was posted on the DHHS website. 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 2025-2027 CCDF Plan was made available to the public 20 days in advance of the Public Hearing on the DHHS website and the NHConnections website with an option for online/virtual comments. vii. Describe how the information provided by the public was taken into consideration regarding the provision of child care services under this Plan: All comments from public, via in-person comment at public hearing or through virtual comment link, were organized by section and reviewed for consideration by the CCDF administrator and staff. 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. https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt476/files/documents/2021-11/ccdf-state- plan-2022-2024.pdf NH does not have a running list of amendments. NH updates the DHHS website with a link to the current amended plan. 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: Various advisory committees are informed about the Plan and Plan amendments as follows: DHHS and/or BCDHSC staff attend quarterly meetings of the NH Council for Thriving Children (CTC); bi- monthly meetings of the Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC); and monthly meetings of the NH Head Start Directors Association (NHHSDA). Staff also shares information during bi-monthly meetings of the Early Learning NH and Advocates Network by attending bimonthly meetings or submitting written information to the leaders. In turn, committee members inform their constituents and stakeholders of pertinent information via their email list serves and/or websites. Following are links to websites for the CTC and ELNH. NH HSDA do not have their own websites: (https://councilforthrivingchildren.org/) Council for Thriving Children; (https://earlylearningnh.org/) Early Learning NH, (https://nhccac.org/) Child Care Advisory Council. ii. [x] Working with child care resource and referral agencies. Describe: New Hampshire Children's Trust, NHCT, administers the BCDHSC's consumer information website: NH Connections (https://www.nh-connections.org/) Home - NH Connections (nh-connections.org), where the CCDF Plan and Plan Amendments are shared with families, providers, other stakeholders and the general public. The website link is publicized via a weekly electronic newsletter and a Facebook page. CCAC of NH staff also regularly update the statewide target audience on the status of CCDF activities. This includes making stakeholders aware of the Plan status, potential changes in the form of waivers, amendments, new laws/rules, etc. that will impact the workforce and the cost, quality, and availability of child care in NH. iii. [x] Providing translation in other languages. Describe: DHHS contracts with The Language Bank for translation services and has instructions and a link on the website on how to access these services. Should translation services be requested regarding the Plan, DHHS will contact the Language Bank for assistance. In addition, a number of the stakeholder groups offer access to translation services for written and verbal communications. Upon request the Department can further assist with simultaneous interpretation services as well. The Language Bank website can be accessed at: https://www.thelanguagebank.org iv. [x] Sharing through social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, email). Describe: The following organizations have shared, and will continue to share, information on the Plan and Plan-related activities through social media networks and e-mail lists, and Facebook: Child Care Aware of NH, Council for Thriving Children, NHAN, ACROSS NH, Early Learning New Hampshire, New Futures, Preschool Technical Assistance Network (PTAN), NHAEYC, Moms Rising NH, Save the Children, Family Support NH, and others. Social media communications are constantly evolving more regularly accessing the DHHS Facebook page for updates to the public. v. [x] Providing notification to key constituents (e.g., parent and family groups, provider groups, advocacy groups, foundations, and businesses). Describe: BCDHSC will continue to notify stakeholders regarding changes/updates to the plan via NH Connections (consumer education website) as the primary communication vehicle, but also through the DHHS and partners' social media as described previously in this section. Additionally, changes/updates to the plan will be shared ongoing through in person or web-based (e.g., Zoom, Go to Meeting, MS TEAMS) meetings, newsletters, and Listening Sessions scheduled throughout the state. vi. [x] Working with Statewide afterschool networks or similar coordinating entities for out-of-school time. Describe: A member of the BCDHSC staff participates on the NH Afterschool Network (NHAN) HOME | Nhan (nhafterschool.org) steering committee and workgroup. The Bureau also contracts with the Boys and Girls Club of Central NH -ACROSS NH which supports services to strengthen and expand out of school time childcare providers quality, capacity and workforce through varies activities such as technical assistance, capacity building, presenting trainings and conferences at low to no cost to the Out of School Time field. vii. [ ] Direct communication with the child care workforce. Describe: viii. [x] Other. Describe: BCDHSC will continue to inform various other groups about the Plan during regularly scheduled meetings, including, but not limited to, Higher Education Round, Pyramid Model State Leadership Team, Whole Families Approach to Jobs, PDG leadership groups, DHHS Legislative Oversight Committee, Cliff Effect Working Group, and others. All licensed and license-exempt providers will continue to receive notifications through the BCDHSC regular email updates. 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.