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: Our current eligibility, payment system and practices are antiquated which can create barriers. The department surveyed providers in 2023 to garner feedback on its pilot initiatives using COVID-19 funding which included increased payment rates and payments based on enrollment. Feedback from providers indicated that the department’s current payment practices requiring paper attendance tracking and invoicing and physical submissions deterred providers from participating in the CCDF subsidy program. The department currently pays at the 50th percentile of its 2022 Market Rate Survey, which is not sufficient to meet all statewide provider private pay rates. The modernization of our systems and processes should help resolve these challenges as it will allow for electronic submission of invoices and attendance records and allow for faster payments to providers. 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 parent(s) are informed of their care options via the following methods: Consumer education materials are provided on choosing child care; Referrals provided to child care resource and referral; Verbal communication at the time of the application, Wyoming Child Care Marketplace, Community outreach, workshops, or other in-person activities. e. Describe what information is included on the child care certificate: The child care certificate is issued to parents once the case has been processed and provider has been selected. The child care certificate contains the name of the facility, facility type, case number, child’s number, child’s name, time and dates authorized, state payment rate and parental co-pay.