Child Care Resource and Referral and Voucher

Management

Board of Early Education and CareOctober 13, 2009

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Child Care Resource and Referral and Voucher Management Key Components

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Information and Resources for families about choosing early education and care and out-of-school time programs, finding parenting and other resources in their community and applying for child care financial assistance.

Child Care Subsidies play a key role in EEC’s mission of providing the foundation to support all children in their development as lifelong learners and contributing members of the community, and supporting families in their essential work as parents and caregivers.

Voucher Management Services/Functions Provided by

CCR&Rs

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Eligibility Determinations Eligibility re-evaluation Determinations Change of Status Determinations

Waitlist Management

Information and Referral

Recoupment

Management of Provider Data Base for Slots

Monitoring of Voucher Providers

Billing

●29,444 families, with 37,021 children, received services from their local CCR&Rs in 2008●This is for Information and Referral

Services only.

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Massachusetts CCR&R Network 2008 Data Report (Self-reported Data from

CCR&R Network)

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2008 MA Data Report (cont.)

Of those requesting care, the Network reports the following:

Ages of Children for Care Requested

55% of care requested was for infants and toddlers24% of care requested was for preschool age children21% of care requested was for school-age children

Type of Care Requested by all Families

44% of care requested was for centers42% of care requested was for family child care

12% of care requested was for school-age programs

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2008 MA Data Report (cont.)

The Network reports a 27% increase in I & R services from 2005-2008 and a 13% increase in voucher children served from 2005-2008.

Note: Between FY06-FY08, EEC saw a 16% increase in voucher children.

Caseload varies greatly across CCR&Rs:

Individual Voucher:Smallest: 1,065Largest:12,143Average: 4,503

Authorization (including initial determinations, re-evaluations and change of status authorizations) caseloads: Smallest: 1,289Largest:12,867Average: 4,530

Licensed or Licensed Exempt Sites which accept vouchers in catchment area:Smallest: 2,064Largest:19,877Average: 7,000

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Current Voucher Management in Massachusetts (FY09)

Information and Referral by Telephone

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EEC supports information referral through a 1-800 number that allows families to access the local Resource and Referral Centers by phone. The contract expires June 2010.

Summary of 1-800 number usage in FY09

22,292 callers in total accessed the 1-800 information service.

4,114 callers entered their zip codes to request additional

information

Less than 590 callers were

transferred to the CCRR for

additional services.

Note: There was not widespread internet access in the last procurement in 1998.

3,959 were in English /155 were in Spanish

Voucher Management in Massachusetts (cont.)

FY2010, CCR&Rs expect to receive approximately $9,000,000 for the provision of voucher management services

The amount of funding each CCR&R receives is based on an allocation formula from the current procurement of voucher management services, which was conducted in 1998

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12 CCR&Rs hold 14 contracts for voucher

management throughout the state two agencies hold contracts in more

than one region

1 additional CCR&R receives funding for information

and referral services, but does not manage vouchers in their region

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Voucher Management in Massachusetts (cont.)

FY10 Voucher Management Financial Allocations

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FY10 Voucher Management Staffing Patterns

Smallest: 5.76 FTE (Full Time Equivalency)Largest:33.59 FTE (Full Time Equivalency)Average: 13 FTE (Full Time Equivalency)

Values

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)’s Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan are built on the recognition that families are essential partners in our work.

The foundation for managing vouchers should be a strengths-based approach that recognizes families as their child’s first teacher and acknowledges them as experts on their own child.

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Value: Strengths-Based Approach

Principles:

a partnership approach to service provision

a family-centered, family-driven agenda an individualized response to family

needs and capacities a broad-based, comprehensive view of

family development an assessment of outcomes based on

family functioning and the quality of life of family members

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Values/Program Parameters

The following Values and Design Recommendations reflect findings from a growing body of research, including:

●Gina Adams and the team at the Urban Institute● Valora Washington●Standards from the NACCRA quality assurance process ● Previous work by Gail DeRiggi

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Value: Support all families in accessing information, referral and quality child

and out of school time care.

Ensure appropriate customer service policies are in place to ensure high quality consumer education and referral services

Ensure staff possess appropriate skills and knowledge to perform their job duties

Ensure agency has a plan for continuous quality assessment and improvement, including a yearly satisfaction survey

Identify each family’s needs for early care and education and out of school time and make appropriate referrals

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Value: Support families who may qualify for financial assistance

Simplify policies regarding the application and determination process for vouchers

Address the unique needs of working parents by ensuring the least amount of disruption to work possible

Support families through life changes when possible

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Value: Increase parent choice and flexibility to address the needs of their children and the entire family

Provide parents assistance in finding quality programs that accept vouchers and that meet the needs of each individual family

Value: Improve the quality of care for Children in Massachusetts

Through parameters and quality benchmarks for programs that provide voucher care

Ensure effective policies regarding inclusion for programs accepting vouchers

Ensure programs accepting vouchers are healthy business models

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Design: Decisions to be Made

● Consider a centralized call center and centralized waitlist to manage phone based information and referral services to ensure access to specialized information, including such services as translation, children with special needs and disabilities, etc.

● Review the funding formula elements for allocation formula

● Determine the number of entities to deliver quality services effectively and provide access for families.

MA Executive Office of Health & Human Six Services Regions

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Design: Decisions to be Made (cont.)

Select a state network model for managing resource and referral services and/or voucher management in Massachusetts

Types of Statewide Child Care Resource and Referral Networks

Coordinating NetworksManaging Networks Single Statewide EntitiesVoluntary State Networks

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Coordinating Networks

Develop local CCR&R best practices and standards

Provide training and support for partner CCR&R staff

Offer statewide child care consumer education and referrals for families

Collect, analyze, and report data from local CCR&Rs and other sources

Build child care supply and quality Manage special project grants

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Managing Networks offer the same services as Coordinating Networks, and:

Manage and distribute CCR&R funding for State Child Care Administrators

Determine the range of services local CCR&Rs should provide

Develop and carry out contracts Track CCR&Rs' performance through

evaluation and quality assurance activities

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Single Statewide Entities

Usually serve states with small geographic areas or populations

Provide CCR&R services to entire state through one or two agencies

May have multiple satellite offices located across the state

Function somewhat like Managing State Network for satellite offices and for data collection and reporting purposes

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Voluntary State Networks

Generally receive no state funding to support their work

Depend on local CCR&R directors and staff to volunteer time to coordinate and lead the state's CCR&R system

Are unable to provide the same level of service as funded State Networks

Massachusetts has a Voluntary State Network

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Feedback from Advisory and Board’s Program and Policy

Committee

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•EEC should conduct Focus Groups participation to gain input.

•What has worked / not worked in the past?

•Will parents be involved in the discussion?

•Examine the amount of administration and set a reasonable limit.

•Which administration model provides the highest quality for the funding?

•Balance expectations with funding.

•What is the best practice in a State Network (gold standard)?

•Should EEC forego a network and do the work in-house or with other

local partners?

•The voucher management system must be more efficient in the future.•EEC must remember the intent of the services is to support children and families, not keep agencies in business.

Next Steps

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EEC will conduct 6 focus groups statewide with partners in the field:

●3 focus groups of parents of children who have vouchers; and

●3 focus groups of educators/programs who accept vouchers.