Agenda - 01-18-1994-IX-C - Laserfiche WebLink

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ATTACHMENT I 4 Orange County Child tare Subside flan introduction Oran,,c County has struggled with tic issue of child care subsidy for a number of years. The DC-partment of Social Services has historically maintained a Ion(, waiting list of families needing subsidy. Many more families in the community need assistance with child care subsidy but do not mgt the limited income eligibility guidelines that are required for this type of assistance. The high cost of child care in this community forces many families to have to choose between work and public assistance and between quality, stable child care and care that is uneven and unstable at best. In addition to the child care subsidy program within the Department of Social Services, Day Care Services Association (DCSA) has provided child care subsidy for low income working or student families since 1975. However, because of limited funding, often families receiving subsidy through this program look very much like the working families receiving subsidy through the Orange County Department of Social Services. The Board of the Orange County Partnership for Young Children has unanimously approved the initial expenditure of$350,000 to address these problems, with the possibility of another$100,000 to be used, if needed. Strategy The Orange County Department of Social Services and Day Care Services Association have developed a collaborative strategy to improve the availability of and access to funds to subsidize cluld care costs for families in Orange County. This strategy mandates close collaboration between the two agencies, the cooperation of the child care community, an innovative application process for families, and a reimbursement system that serves as an incentive for programs to improve the quality of the child care they provide to children and families. Families who are eligible under current state day care program guidelines will be funded through the Orange County Department of Social Services. Families whose income exceeds those guidelines but is less than S25,000 a year will receive subsidy through Day Care Services Association. Families who are eligible for assistance through DCSA will be expected to pay 8-10% of their income for child care, depending on the size of their fam0 . Funding under this program will be limited to families who need child care to work or to attend school. Because Orange County is a university community, many student families need child care assistance. However, no more than '5% of the available funds will be used for student families. Additional limitations on funding student families will apply. Subsidy through DCSA will be awarded on a need basis, not a first come-first served basis. Applications will be screened monthly, with subsidy being awarded to families on the basis on their income (need) and the availability of funds. Lower income families will be given priority. Applications for child care subsidy will be available in any regulated day care center or family day care home that is willing to participate in the program. Providers must be willing to accept the reimbursement rates paid by both agencies and sign a simple agreement form. The application form will include a Ietter to parents telling them that they may be eligible for child care subsidy through either DSS or DCSA, depending on their income. Child care providers will collect applications and verification of income from their parents, review those applications for completeness, and then forward them to DCSA. There they will be screened. Parents may be contacted about information on the application. If it appears that the family falls within the DSS guidelines, then those applications will be sent to DSS, with a copy being maintained at DCSA. There a day care social worker will contact the family, determine eligibility, send them the state application voucher, and authorize payment, if funds are available. If funds are not available, DCSA will be notified and the family will placed on DCSA's list to receive funds through their community scholarship program. Monthly meetings will be held between DSS and DCSA staff to review applications and to insure