4.1 Access to Full Range of Provider Options

Lead Agencies must provide parents a choice of providers and offer assistance with child care services through a child care certificate (or voucher) or with a child care provider that has a grant or contract for the provision of child care services. Lead Agencies are reminded that policies and procedures should not restrict parental access to any type or category of care or provider (e.g., center care, home care, in-home care, for-profit provider, non-profit provider, or faith-based provider, etc.). 4.1.1 Parent choice a. Identify any barriers to provider participation, including barriers related to payment rates and practices, (including for family child care and in-home providers), based on provider feedback, public comment, and reports to the Lead Agency: Barriers to provider participation related to payment rates and practices are being collected through the 2024 New Mexico Cost of Care and Rate Survey. ECECD asks child care centers, family child care homes, and group home providers if they participate in the Child Care Assistance Program. If not, the survey asks what the barriers or challenges are, if any, to participating in the Child Care Assistance Program. The survey will be completed in the summer of 2024 and the results will be published in the updated cost estimation model report. b. Does the Lead Agency offer child care assistance through vouchers or certificates? [x] Yes. [ ] No. c. Does the Lead Agency offer child care assistance through grants or contracts? [x] Yes. [ ] No. d. Describe how the parent is informed that the child care certificate allows the option to choose from a variety of child care categories, such as private, not-for-profit, faith-based providers; centers; family child care homes; or in-home providers: The parent is informed of the option to choose from a variety of child care categories primary at the time of application. ECECD also includes a consumer education statement in the family’s rights and responsibilities section of their placement agreement. The consumer education informs the family of their right to select a provider of their choice and provides the link to the New Mexico Child Care Finder, phone number to New Mexico Resource and Referral for assistance with finding a provider. The New Mexico Child Care Finder at https://childcare.ececd.nm.gov/search, is an easy to search tool designed to help families choose the most compatible child care provider for their children. Parents can search over 1,000 child care providers available across the state, using filters like ZIP code, age, tuition, days of operation and language support. e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: ECECD has a Child Care Placement Agreement with the parent or guardian and the child care provider. Information included in the agreement includes parent’s or guardian’s demographic information, the effective dates of the agreement, the determined child care priority type, the number of approved care hours and service units, and the parent’s or guardian’s copay responsibility. The agreement includes an acknowledgement of terms and conditions, which the parent or guardian and the provider must sign. The agreement is issued to the parent or guardian after they have selected a child care provider. The parent or guardian of each eligible child has the option to select a child care provider of their choice, as outlined in the consumer education statement in the family’s rights and responsibilities section. The consumer education statement also included information about how to view the health and safety requirements child care providers must follow, their compliance history, and how to report concerns related to the child care provider.