THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Department of Early Education and Care
Supportive
Child Care Subsidy
POLICY STATEMENT: SUMMARY OF PROVIDER RESPONSIBILITIES
Number: P-EEC-Supportive – 20
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Delays in Enrollment
Before the child's first day in Supportive Child Care, the DSS social worker will arrange a pre-placement conference meeting with the family and the Supportive Child Care provider. If responsibility for arranging the pre-placement conference is delegated to the provider, the Supportive Child Care provider will:
§ Try to establish, within three days of receiving the referral, a date for a pre-placement conference;
§ contact the DSS social worker within 3 days of receiving the referral, and the DSS area child care coordinator within 7 days of receiving the referral, if the provider’s efforts have not been effective in establishing a date for a pre-placement conference; and
§ document all efforts at contact in a Supportive Child Care Referral Log, listing the date of referral, the name of the social worker, the DSS area child care coordinator, dates of attempted contact, date (s) of contact, and the nature of any delays in the enrollment process.
(See policy P- EEC- Supportive - 07: Enrollment and P-EEC-Supportive -13: Intake).
Pre-Placement Conference
The Supportive Child Care provider will meet with the parent and DSS social worker at a pre-placement conference to:
§ discuss the presenting needs of the family, the program, the provider's policies and procedures, and to gather required intake information;
§ complete an EEC Child Care Application and Fee Agreement;
§ determine whether the child resides with a foster parent and whether the foster parent is working. Foster children may only be enrolled in Supportive Child Care when they require the support of the social services that are provided in Supportive Child Care. Foster families that require child care primarily because of the foster parent’s work or training need, rather than the child’s need for supportive services, should be referred to the appropriate Child Care Resource & Referral Agency to obtain a Foster Child Care Voucher or to be placed on the CCR&R waitlist;[1]
§ explain the benefits to the family of providing documentation of income within 45 days of enrollment;[2] and
§ complete with the family an EEC Supportive Attendance Notification form with an explanation of the parent's responsibility to report absences.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive-13: Intake).
Transportation
If authorized by the DSS social worker, the Supportive Child Care provider will:
§ provide or arrange appropriate transportation for the child between home or school and the child care program daily;
§ ensure that transportation services meet EEC and Registry of Motor Vehicles regulatory requirements;
§ designate specific staff person(s) to be responsible for coordination of and for hearing consumer concerns, complaints or suggestions; and
§ provide a written copy (and explanation) of their transportation policies and procedures to the parent and to the DSS social worker at the pre-placement conference.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive-14: Delivery of Transportation).
Post-Placement Child Care Conference
Within 45 days of enrollment the Supportive Child Care provider will complete an individual child assessment; and develop a child’s individualized plan. The Supportive Child Care provider must:
§ schedule a post-placement conference with the family;
§ inform the DSS social worker of the date of the post-placement conference, discuss the specifics of the family and invite him/her to attend, depending upon the needs of the case, and document in the child’s case record all contact (or attempts at contact) with the DSS social worker;
§ meet with the family to discuss the initial assessment, the child’s individualized plan and goals to be achieved during the next quarter;
§ explain both the income and service need requirements of the Income Eligible Child Care program and other possible options available after Supportive Child Care ends;
§ re-explain the benefits of providing income documentation with the initial 45 day period and attempt to collect documentation if the family has not already provided it;
§ work with the family to assist them in placing the child's name on all appropriate waitlists, including the provider’s own waitlist when applicable; and
§ contact the DSS social worker within 5 days of the meeting to discuss by telephone the outcome of the meeting if the worker did not attend.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive-15: Provider Responsibilities 45 days After Placement, and policy P-EEC-Supportive-17: Transition Planning).
On-going Responsibilities of the Supportive Child Care Provider
The Supportive Child Care provider continually assesses a child’s emotional and developmental needs and provides family supports. The Supportive Child Care provider’s ongoing responsibilities include the following:
§ The provider will develop and maintain family involvement. This includes encouraging the parent(s) to participate in the program, to visit at any time while their child is in attendance, to be involved in the planning and development of their child’s individualized plan, and to evaluate the services.
§ The provider will update the child’s individualized plan quarterly, and schedule conferences with parents at least quarterly to discuss on-going observations and assessments and to review the child’s progress in child care. (Note: For school age children two of the four conferences per year may be by telephone.)
§ The provider will assess risk factors for children in care, and report suspected abuse or neglect to the Protective Unit in the area where the child resides (or the Child At Risk Hotline if after-hours or on weekends), and to the DSS social worker.
§ The provider will monitor attendance and notify appropriate DSS staff (the DSS social worker, supervisor, and/or area child care coordinator) within specified timeframes about: unexplained absences, any absences of concern, sporadic attendance or absences of 10 days or longer.
§ The provider will provide ongoing assessment and referral as needed, and assist the family to access third party or other flexible funding resources that may be available to support the family in obtaining services.
§ The provider will develop and submit written Quarterly Progress Reports (at least quarterly or more frequently upon request of the DSS social worker) to the DSS social worker or the area child care coordinator (depending upon the area Department's preferences) for distribution to the appropriate social worker.
§ The provider will attend, if invited, the portion of the Progress Supervisory Review, or the Foster Care Review that focuses on the child’s progress and the continuation of Supportive Child Care.
§ The provider will obtain a revised DSS Authorization for Supportive Child Care form every six months. The provider will obtain a Supportive Child Care One Year Exception form when services are approved beyond one year, and update an EEC Child Care Application and Fee Agreement with the family.
§ The provider will ensure that staff or family child care system providers have access to either consultants or social workers who are knowledgeable about the needs and behaviors of children involved in DSS services.
§ The provider will meet quarterly with other Supportive Child Care providers and representatives of DSS and EEC to address common concerns and interests upon request.
§ The provider will report on utilization to maximize enrollment of Supportive Child Care by: reporting vacancies, start dates and end dates; reporting lists of children needing re-authorizations for the following month by the 15th of each month (when requested by the area child care coordinator); e-mailing the EEC Policy and Training Advisor weekly on program utilization; and reporting vacancy information to EEC as part of the provider’s monthly billing submissions.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive-16: Ongoing Responsibilities of the Supportive Child Care Provider).
Termination and Transition Planning
At each case review the Supportive Child Care provider, the DSS social worker and the family will:
§ discuss transition plans, options and requirements for continuing child care when Supportive Child Care ends;[3]
§ ensure that the child is on all appropriate waitlists for care;
§ work with the parent and the child’s new program to ensure a smooth transition, if the child will be transitioned to another provider; and
§ obtain and keep a revised DSS Authorization for Supportive Child Care form that specifies the child’s end date.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive-17: Transition Planning).
Billing
The Supportive Child Care provider must submit to EEC monthly all documentation required for reimbursement for services rendered during the previous month.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive -19: Reimbursement).
Performance Measures
Supportive Child Care providers must report compliance with performance measures to EEC periodically, as stipulated in their contracts.
(See policy P-EEC-Supportive-16: Ongoing Responsibilities of the Supportive Child Care Provider).
10/25/02
Rev. 3/4/08 Page 2 of 5 SUPSummaryProviderResponsibilities20040826
[1] In order to maximize revenues, Supportive Child Care providers must identify children enrolled in EEC subsidized child care who are residing with working foster parents.
[2] Documentation of income must be encouraged, but is not a requirement of enrollment in Supportive Child Care. See Supportive EMB FY 2008-01S. Eligible families who meet income requirements at the time of enrollment in Supportive Child Care [below 50% of State Median Income (SMI), or below 85% SMI if the family includes a child with special needs or an incapacitated parent] will be eligible to transfer between child care subsidy programs at a higher income level when Supportive Care ends.
[3] Please note that there are three categories of families who are not placed on the EEC centralized waiting list in order to access EEC financial assistance: families with a DTA authorization for care, families with a DSS referral for care, and families who receive services through Community Partnerships for Children Inclusive Learning Environment (formerly known as Phase I). See EEC Financial Assistance Policy Guide, Chapter 2, Footnote 5. Families with a DSS referral for care who will continue to receive EEC financial assistance once supportive care ends are not placed on the EEC centralized waiting list.