N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 18 § 415.7

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 45, November 2, 2024

Section 415.7 - Additional requirements for the New York State Child Care Block Grant Program

(a) For child care services provided under the New York State Child Care Block Grant Program. State reimbursement to a social services district will be available, up to the social services district's annual block grant allocation for 75 percent of allowable costs for child care services provided to families in receipt of public assistance and for 100 percent of allowable costs for child care services provided to all other eligible families. Allowable program costs include the following costs of providing child care services:

(1) eligibility determinations and re-determinations;

(2) participation in adjudicatory and judicial hearings;

(3) child care placements including transportation to such placements;

(4) inspection, review and supervision of child care providers, including monitoring compliance with any additional local child care requirements imposed pursuant to section 415.4 of this Part;

(5) training of social services district staff; and

(6) the establishment of computerized child care information systems.

(b) A social services district must expend its allocation from the New York State Child Care Block Grant in a manner that provides for equitable access to child care services funds to eligible families.

(c) A social services district may spend no more than five percent of its annual block grant allocation for administrative activities. The term administrative activities does not include the costs of providing child care services set forth in subdivision (a) of this section. Administrative activities include, but are not limited to the following:

(1) providing local officials and the public with information about the program;

(2) conducting public hearings;

(3) monitoring program activities for compliance with program requirements;

(4) maintaining substantiated complaint files;

(5) coordinating the resolution of audit and monitoring findings;

(6) evaluating program results;

(7) managing or supervising persons with responsibilities set forth in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this subdivision;

(8) travel costs incurred for official business in carrying out the program; and

(9) other costs for goods and services required for the administration of the program including rental or purchase of equipment, utilities, and office supplies.

(d) Any claims for child care services made by a social services district for expenditures during a particular Federal fiscal year, other than claims made under title XX of the Federal Social Security Act, will be counted against the social services district's New York State Child Care Block Grant for that Federal fiscal year. A social services district's New York State Child Care Block Grant allocation for a particular Federal fiscal year is available only for child care services expenditures made during that Federal fiscal year that are claimed in the form and manner and at such times required by the office. Any portion of a social services district's New York State Child Care Block Grant allocation for a particular Federal fiscal year that is not claimed by the time required by the office will be available to the district for New York State Child Care Block Grant expenditures for the next Federal fiscal year.

(e) Each social services district must maintain the amount of local funds spent for child care assistance under the New York State Child Care Block Grant Program at a level equal to or greater than the amount the district spent for child care assistance during Federal fiscal year 1995 under title IV-A of the Federal Social Security Act, the Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Program and the State Low Income Child Care Program. Each social services district's claims submitted under the New York State Child Care Block Grant will be processed in a manner that maximizes the availability of Federal funds and ensures that the district meets its maintenance of effort requirement in each applicable Federal fiscal year.

(f) When offering child care services under the New York State Child Care Block Grant Program to a family eligible to receive such services, a participating social services district must offer the child's caretaker the choice either:

(1) to enroll the child with an eligible child day care provider which has a contract with the social services district for the provision of such services; or

(2) to receive a child care certificate, as defined in section 415.1(n) of this Part, which permits the child's caretaker to arrange child care services with any eligible provider.

(g) When a child's caretaker elects to use a child day care provider which has a contract with the social services district for the provision of child care services, the child must be enrolled with the provider selected by such caretaker to the maximum extent practical.

(h) When a child's caretaker elects to use a child care certificate to arrange child care services, the social services district must issue such certificate directly to the caretaker.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 18 § 415.7

Amended, New York State Register March 1, 2017/Volume XXXIX, Issue 09, eff.3/1/2017

Amended New York State Register June 3, 2020/Volume XLII, Issue 22, eff. 6/3/2020