Background
Licensed child care programs were required to be rated through
Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) in order to be eligible to provide Publicly Funded
Child Care (PFCC). House Bill 45 of the 134th Ohio General Assembly added two
new exemptions to the SUTQ participation requirement outlined in paragraph
(A)(3) of rule 5101:2-16-09 of the Ohio Administrative Code. With the
implementation of House Bill 45, certain child care programs were no longer be required to be SUTQ rated
to provide PFCC.
Implementation
Rule 5101:2-16-09 has been revised to correct a punctuation
error and add the two new exemptions to paragraph A:
(g)A licensed child care, ODE licensed pre-school or school-age
program that provides publicly funded child care to less than twenty-five per
cent of the program's license capacity.
(h)A program that
is a type A child-care home or licensed type B family child-care home.
Previously issued Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No.161
provided the below guidance for programs on the new exemptions:
|
Scenario
|
Procedure
|
|
I am a licensed child care provider who currently does
not provide PFCC services. How do I sign up to become a PFCC provider now
that I meet a SUTQ exemption?
| To
provide PFCC services, licensed providers can begin the process in the Ohio
Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS). A desk aid on how to submit a PFCC
Agreement & Financial Information in OCLQS is available here
to assist with this process.
|
|
What is my payment if I choose to no longer be SUTQ
rated?
| Programs that withdraw from SUTQ will receive the lower
payment of either: The rate outlined in appendix A to Rule 5101-2-16-10,
of the OAC, for non-rated programs in the provider's county. The payment
change takes place the Sunday following the day the SUTQ withdraw is
effective. |
|
How do I withdraw my program from SUTQ if I meet one of
the new exemptions?
| A program can withdraw from SUTQ by submitting a JFS 01556 "Request to Withdraw from Step Up To Quality" to
their licensing specialist. The effective withdrawal date is the date requested on
the JFS 01556 or 30 days from the signature date on
the JFS 01556, whichever is later. |
|
What if I withdraw my ODJFS child care center or ODE
preschool and school-age program from SUTQ then later exceed the 25 percent
PFCC service threshold?
|
The program will be notified by ODJFS that they must
submit a SUTQ registration.
|
|
If my program’s SUTQ rating was removed within the last
year due to a serious risk non-compliance (SRNC) or an accumulation of
moderate and SRNC points, can I still provide PFCC?
|
Yes. At the end of the exemption period stated in the
ODJFS notice, the program must submit a SUTQ registration and become rated if
they provide PFCC to 25 percent or more of the program’s license capacity.
|
The most recent version of the ODJFS form referenced in this
procedure letter can be accessed through Forms Central.
Please contact the Child Care Policy Help Desk at
childcarepolicy@jfs.ohio.gov or 1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any
questions.