New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 10 - HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 15 - CHILD CARE SERVICES
Subchapter 2 - ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 10:15-2.4 - Responsibilities and obligations of the CCR AND R

1. Inform parent/applicants requesting child care benefits of their rights and responsibilities, as delineated at N.J.A.C. 10:15-2.7;

2. Respond to all requests for child care services within the period of time specified in the provider contract with the DHS;

3. Assist the parent/applicant to explore the types of child care arrangements authorized for payment through the child care service programs (that is, licensed child care centers, registered family child care homes, in-home care, approved homes, school-age child care programs and summer camps) and provide the caretaker relative the opportunity to choose his or her child care arrangement from those available options;

4. Ensure that providers of care permit parental access to children in care during the normal hours of a provider's operation, or whenever such children are in the care of the provider;

5. Ensure that each of its staff members working with these child care service programs be thoroughly familiar with this chapter and apply the requirements of this chapter consistently;

6. Maintain up-to-date policy and procedural material for staff use;

7. Maintain a record of substantiated parental complaints and make information regarding such complaints available to the public on request, except that any records concerning child abuse/neglect shall not be made available to the public;

8. Make available to parents and the general public consumer education information on child care service concerns including, but not limited to, State/local licensing requirements and complaint procedures;

9. Maintain a waiting list of families requesting child care subsidies through the child care service programs, if applicable;

10. Conduct home evaluations of providers of home based care who are not registered pursuant to the Family Day Care Provider Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-16 et seq., and N.J.A.C. 3A:54) using the "Self-Arranged Care Inspection and Interview Checklist" provided by the Division, and, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:5B-32, request a child abuse record information background check for each prospective approved home provider and all household members of the home 14 years of age and older, conducted by the Department of Children and Families (see N.J.A.C. 10:15-10.2(b)1). This Checklist requires information concerning: provider and participant identification; a home inspection checklist, including aspects of the physical environment, fire safety, general health, safety and sanitation, the program, rest and sleep, and food and nutrition; interview specifics concerning home residents; and observations of the evaluator;

11. Verify through the appropriate regulatory agency that child care providers participating in DHS administered child care service programs comply with applicable State or local health and safety requirements;

12. Determine and/or verify eligibility of families and the availability of child care service funds for all DHS administered child care service programs;

13. Coordinate and verify WFNJ, TCC and State Only Food Stamp child care services with the appropriate case manager;

14. Maintain ongoing communication with the CWA to ensure the participant's continued eligibility for the provision of child care services;

15. Provide child care counseling and available options to parents/applicants;

16. Issue forms and materials to eligible parents/applicants for receipt of provider services;

17. Maintain records on agency contracted services, as required by the individual contract;

18. Provide for due process for parent/applicant complaints and provider concerns regarding DHS administered child care service programs. Issues not resolved at the local level shall be taken to the Divisional level for a case/administrative review;

19. Establish written agreements for services between the CCR & R, the parent/applicant, and the provider regarding agreed-upon child care arrangements, co-payment responsibilities, if applicable, and the submission of vouchers for payment of service, as required by N.J.A.C. 10:15-9;

20. Determine payment to provider(s) from the program and the amount of the co-payment paid by the parent/applicant, if applicable;

21. Establish an affiliation agreement with the CP & P Area Office and/or the ARC for children under the protective service supervision of the CP & P;

22. Conduct re-determinations of eligibility for the ARCC and CCDBG programs at the beginning of each new service eligibility period as defined by the DHS, or when reported changes necessitate such a re-determination (N.J.A.C. 10:15-5.2 and 5.3);

23. Ensure continued eligibility for TCC participants (N.J.A.C. 10:15-4.2);

24. Ensure that recorded changes affecting eligibility are addressed for the DHS subsidized child care programs;

25. Maintain and update the client data base and case files in accordance with State and Federal standards and requirements;

26. Review the attendance forms (vouchers) and certify them for payment, for children in the care of providers participating in the child care service programs;

27. Provide information on all the DHS subsidized child care programs to parents/applicants and the community;

28. Maintain an audit trail of all financial and accounting reports and transactions associated with the child care service programs;

29. Account for all funds, administrative, operational and direct subsidies to providers of child care service;

30. Provide for the timely processing of payments to eligible providers in accordance with State requirements contained in individual contracts;

31. Provide technical assistance to providers as needed, requested, or required;

32. Submit monthly and quarterly reports as defined and required in the DHS operational and fiscal procedures contained in the individual contracts;

33. Maintain a cost allocation plan for the distribution of all administrative costs in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, the individual contract, and 45 C.F.R. § 98.13;

34. Provide notices to participants and providers when changes in circumstances may affect child care service benefits;

35. Provide information and data to verify and ensure that no conflict of interest occurs;

36. Administer all child care subsidy programs as required by the DHS adhering to established eligibility criteria, as specified in this chapter;

37. Create and actively participate in an early childhood committee or consortium in each ECPA district to encourage cooperation and collaboration among the early childhood delivery programs in each district to avoid duplication of effort among public schools and other preschools in the community; and

38. Submit contracts as required by the DHS in its contract with the CCR & R, as authorized by 45 CFR 98.11.