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: The 2024 Market Rate Survey included questions related to subsidy acceptance and barriers to acceptance. The vast majority of providers accept subsidy families into care. In the survey, 99.7 percent of Licensed Centers, 70.9 percent of Licensed Commercial Preschools, 98.0 percent of Licensed Family Child Care Providers and 92.6 percent of Residential Certificate providers accept subsidy families. The share of providers that accept DWS subsidy families is above 90 percent for all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan statistical areas in Utah among Center Licensed, Family Licensed, and Residential Certificate providers. Few providers reported experiencing any barriers or limitations to subsidy acceptance in the market rate study. Only 3.3 percent of all providers (weighted by slot) reported a barrier. Among those that did report a barrier or limitation, the most commonly cited reasons were because the program was at full capacity with private pay families, or because there was no demand for care from subsidy families in their area. Each of these barriers was reported by less than 1.5 percent of providers. Among the remaining limitations cited, less than one percent reported that subsidy reimbursement rates are not sufficient, that there is too much administrative work involved, or that their program does not qualify for subsidy acceptance. 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? [ ] Yes. [x] 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 Lead Agency does not issue ￿child care certificates,￿ as the term is generally understood. Rather, when a parent applies for child care, they are provided with customer education that covers the eligibility requirements for the program, information about the review process, the changes that must be reported, and instructed to select an approved provider of their choice. A link to https://careaboutchildcare.utah.gov is included on the application along with information about selecting a family, friend or neighbor (FFN) provider, in case they have not yet identified a provider. A consumer education statement is also included. e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: The following information is included in the consumer statement on the child care application: Selecting a Child Care Provider: - The child care assistance program supports families to have equal access to child care. You have the right to select the type of child care provider which best meets your family needs. The provider you have selected must comply with certain health and safety requirements to be eligible. - Care About Childcare at https://jobs.utah.gov/occ/cac.html provides information to parents about how to identify a quality child care setting and maintains a searchable child care provider database to find a provider in your area. There are tutorial videos in both English and Spanish to help you search for a provider at https://jobs.utah.gov/occ/cachelp/cactuto.html. - To find out more information on the provider you have chosen, search for your provider at https://jobs.utah.gov/jsp/cac/search. Once you click on your provider's name, you will see a link to their Department of Health Child Care Licensing record to find information about their health and safety requirements including regulatory requirements. Their licensing record will show the date the provider was last inspected and any history of violations of these requirements. You will also be able to view their quality rating. You may find more information about quality ratings by clicking on "Quality Rating" under the program name and at https://jobs.utah.gov/occ/cachelp/onepager.pdf. -You may call your local Care About Childcare agency if you need assistance in locating an approved provider or have questions about the provider you have selected. Contact information for each Care About Childcare agency can be found at https://jobs.utah.gov/occ/provider/cacmap.pdf - To file a complaint on a provider, you may submit a complaint form online at https://childcarelicensing.utah.gov or call Child Care Licensing at 801-707-4188. - Report your selection of a child care provider if you have already met with the provider, have negotiated a start date and provider charge. There may be a delay in processing your application if you have not selected a child care provider at the time you apply. - If you have not selected a child care provider, changes may be reported on https://jobs.utah.gov/mycase or by contacting the Eligibility Service Center, 801-526- 0950 or 866-435-7414.