Approved child care providers

(a) To be approved to receive payment under the WCCC program, licensed providers must comply with the requirements of this chapter, chapter 43.216 RCW, and chapters 110-06 , 110-300, 110-300E, and 110-301 WAC.

(b) Providers who care for children who are Washington residents in states that border Washington must:

(i) Be licensed to provide care in the bordering state;

(ii) Comply with the bordering state's licensing and background check regulations as required under 45 C.F.R. 98.42 and 45 C.F.R. 98.43;

(A) DCYF must be able to verify that the licensing state's background check requirements are comparable to Washington state; or

(B) Receive the background check results, including child abuse and neglect histories, for all individuals who have, or may have, unsupervised access to children in care.

(iii) Comply with the electronic attendance requirements contained in WAC 110-15-0126 .

(c) Providers in states that border Washington who care for children who are Washington residents will be paid WCCC subsidy rates listed in WAC 110-15-0200 or 110-15-0205 for the DCYF regions in which the children reside.

(d) Licensed providers in states that border Washington that receives WCCC subsidy payment to care for children who are Washington residents are not required or eligible to participate in the early achievers program or to receive quality improvement awards, tiered reimbursements, or other awards and incentives associated with the early achievers program.

(3) Certified providers. To be approved to receive payment under the WCCC program, certified providers must comply with the certification requirements contained in this chapter, chapter 43.216 RCW, and chapters 110-06 , 110-300, 110-300E, and 110-301 WAC. Certified providers include:

(a) Tribal child care facilities that meet the requirements of tribal law;

(b) Child care facilities on a military installation;

(c) Child care facilities operated on public school property by a school district;

(d) Seasonal day camps that contract with DCYF to provide subsidized child care; and

(e) Outdoor nature-based programs.

(4) Early achievers program requirements for licensed and certified child care providers that receive their first WCCC payment on or after July 1, 2016:

(a) Licensed or certified child care providers that first receive WCCC subsidy payments on or after July 1, 2016, for providing nonschool age child care must complete the following activities to be eligible to receive additional WCCC payments:

(i) Enroll in the early achievers program within 30 days of receiving the first WCCC subsidy payment. Licensed or certified providers that fail to meet this requirement will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care;

(ii) Complete level 2 activities in the early achievers program within 12 months of enrollment. Licensed or certified providers that fail to meet this requirement will lose DCYF approval to receive DCYF subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care;

(iii) Rate at a level 3 or higher in the early achievers program within 30 months of enrollment. Licensed or certified providers that fail to meet this requirement within 30 months of enrollment in the early achievers program must complete remedial activities with DCYF and rate at a level 3 or higher within six months of beginning remedial activities. Licensed or certified providers that fail to rate at a level 3 or higher within six months of beginning remedial activities will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care; and

(iv) Renew their facility rating every three years and maintain a rating level 3 or higher. If licensed or certified providers fail to renew their facility ratings or maintain a rating level 3 or higher, the licensed or certified providers will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care.

(b) Licensed and certified providers must comply with the provisions for participation as outlined in the early achievers operating guidelines. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in a licensed or certified provider's loss of DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care.

(5) Early achievers program requirements for licensed and certified child care providers that received a WCCC payment on or between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016:

(a) Licensed or certified child care providers that received WCCC subsidy payments on or between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016, for providing nonschool age child care, must complete the following activities to be eligible to receive additional WCCC subsidy payments:

(i) Enroll in the early achievers program by August 1, 2016. Licensed or certified providers that fail to meet this requirement will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care;

(ii) Complete level 2 activities in the early achievers program by August 1, 2017. Providers who failed to meet this requirement will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for nonschool age child care; and

(iii) Rate at a level 3 or higher in the early achievers program by December 31, 2019. Licensed or certified providers that fail to meet this requirement by December 31, 2019, must complete remedial activities with DCYF and rate at a level 3 or higher by June 30, 2020. Licensed or certified providers that fail to receive a rating by December 31, 2019, or fails to rate at a level 3 or higher by June 30, 2020, after completing remedial activities will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care.

(b) Licensed and certified providers must renew their facility rating every three years and maintain a rating level 3 or higher. If licensed or certified providers fail to renew their facility rating or maintain a rating level 3 or higher, licensed or certified providers will lose DCYF approval to receive WCCC subsidy payments for providing nonschool age child care.

(6) If licensed or certified child care providers receiving WCCC subsidy payment for providing nonschool age has successfully completed all level 2 activities and is waiting to be rated, they may continue to receive WCCC subsidy payments pending the successful completion of the level 3 rating activity.

(7) DCYF-contracted seasonal day camps have a contract with DCYF to provide subsidized child care.