Carol Burnett, Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative’s executive director, today said the organization successfully secured a revision in the state’s policy manual governing child-care regulations.
Specifically, the Mississippi Department of Human Services amended the manual so that “referred clients”, or children eligible for the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Transitional Child Care (TCC), homeless children, children in protective custody and Healthy Homes Mississippi (HHM) parents, will ALL receive 12 months of continuous eligibility, even if their eligibility for TANF or other programs lapses prior to receiving 12 continuous months.
The originally proposed policy manual failed to provide 12 continuous months of assistance to these groups and required them to reapply if their eligibility for their referral program lapsed prior to 12 months, and without a guaranteed slot.
MLICCI also emphasized that the previously written policy would be in conflict with federal regulations, would impose an undue burden on these groups-especially TANF parents-and would be inefficient for the state.
The new policy manual took effect on Oct. 1, 2016.
Burnett called the revisal a “step in the right direction,” adding the improved manual was a great example of seeing MDHS’s process of soliciting feedback work for the benefit of Mississippi’s citizens.
“We’re encouraged to see the MDHS positively take into consideration the feedback it is receiving on its policies and procedures as it relates to this program, and we commend the agency for responding to the concerns we provided from some child care providers and parents,” Burnett said. “While they appear routine, these policy issues are critical because they directly impact the lives of some of our state’s most vulnerable families. These changes will prevent more of these needy families from falling through the cracks due to problems with the rules and regulations.”
In addition to the change in those receiving continuous eligibility, MDHS also reduced the required number of orientation training hours for childcare workers from 15 to 3, said Matt Williams, MLICCI’s research director.
“We provided feedback arguing that costs resulting from this requirement would exceed what providers could afford,” Williams said. “We’re encouraged to see the required hours reduced to a more reasonable amount, but we urge MDHS to engage providers about their experience with this requirement to ensure it does not become a burden that causes centers not to participate in the certificate program.”
MLICCI had solicited reaction to MDHS’s proposed updates to its policy manual on August 20 during a statewide meeting it hosted in Jackson with childcare providers and parents to educate them on the planned changes.
As a result of the feedback from the meeting, MLICCI presented MDHS with some recommended changes to the proposed policy updates, Williams said.
A copy of the updated policy manual can be found online at http://www.sos.ms.gov/ ACProposed/00022224b.pdf
To see MLICCI’s complete recommendations, click here.
For more information about MLICCI, contact Pamela Berry-Johnson, MLICCI director of communications, at johnsonp@mschildcare.org or visit www.mschildcare.org