equal-access-affordability

Reason(s) for non-compliance: • The Lead Agency does not provide data on the extent to which CCDF providers charge families additional amounts above the required co-payment (including data on the size and frequency of such amounts), as required by 98.45(b)(5). (Plan Question 3.1.2eii) Overall Target Completion Date: 04/30/2026 Action Step Number Action Step Description Target Completion Date 1 In order to streamline data integrity of the CCDF provider rates and determine additional amounts, the CCR&Rs are required to enter Provider Rate information collected annually on the Child Care Providers Program Profile Form into New Jersey Child Care Information System (NJCCIS), NJ’s statewide integrated provider management system, https://njccis.com All CCDF provider rate information entered into NJCCIS flows directly to our child care eligibility determination system, Child Care Automated Resource and Eligibility System (CARES). Thereby, when child care agreements between parents and providers are established and the required co-payments are calculated based on rates recorded in NJCCIS. 09/30/2025 2 Beginning with the 2026 Market Rate Study, New Jersey will collect and analyze provider rate data to isolate providers who 1) Accept Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) participants; and 2) Charge rates higher than the state reimbursement rate. New Jersey will design survey questions specifically targeted to those providers to determine the extent to which they collect the difference between their provider rate and the state reimbursement rate from CCAP participants and/or whether other special consideration is made for those affected parents. 04/30/2026 3 DHS/DFD will analyze the gathered data to identify trends and patterns in additional charges. It will also pinpoint any missing or inconsistent information and take measures to resolve any gaps. It is important to note that multiple data collection sources and manual tracking/analysis pose data quality and consistency challenges, 04/30/2026 thus, detailed summaries will be provided regarding the volume and frequency of these additional charges. 4 DHS/DFD will leverage the data to guide policy decisions, evaluating whether additional charges pose obstacles for low-income families. If needed, policies or agreements with providers will be revised to address excessive or unjust charges. The findings will be shared with stakeholders to foster trust and ensure transparency in compliance. 04/30/2026