Background:
The Office of Family Assistance has completed a thorough review and restructuring of all child care licensing rules. All licensing rules have been reviewed to ensure that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is mandating only essential health, safety and administration requirements and not requirements that could inhibit small business in Ohio. Additionally, the rules for all settings have been aligned, renumbered and updated to require the use of the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS) currently in development. Both, Type A and Type B Homes will be monitored by the local county agency.
Temporary Process:
Chapter 5101:2-13 rules and forms are effective December 31, 2016, however, OCLQS will not be available for use at that time. The requirements listed below in this procedure letter will be effective beginning December 31, 2016 until OCLQS is operating.
Pre-licensing Training
Applicants need to complete a pre-licensing training prior to submitting an application. The pre-licensing training is currently being offered in person monthly until the online training is available via the Ohio Professional Registry (OPR). The trainings will take place in each ODJFS regional office. Applicants may register via the OPR.
Application Process
All applications and payments will be submitted in OCLQS. Until the system is live, a paper application may be used to begin the licensing process and will be accepted without payment. To obtain a fillable paper application, the applicant shall call the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4. The applicant will then return just the completed application (no attachments or supporting documentation) to CentralOffice_CCPackets@jfs.ohio.gov. The appropriate county agency will be notified of the applicant's paper application submission and can begin the licensing process. Once OCLQS is operating, any applicant who submitted a paper application shall submit a new application and payment in the system within thirty days of the go-live date.
Licensing Amendments
Licensed Type A Home providers will continue to submit amendments in the Central Office License Tracking System - System for Online License Applications and Renewals (COLTS - SOLAR) system.
Type B Home providers will continue to notify the county agency if there is a needed amendment.
Serious Incidents
If a serious incident occurs, family child care providers will call the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4, to report the incident.
Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
Family child care providers will submit the CAP to the specialist at the county agency. Family child care providers will not be required to enter a CAP into OCLQS for inspections completed prior to OCLQS going live, but may receive a system generated notification due to data entry and conversion. County agency staff will enter all CAPs submitted between December 31, 2016 and go-live.
ODJFS Prescribed Child Abuse Overview
Until the training is available in the OPR, the one-hour child abuse overview training will be temporarily available on the ODJFS website at https://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/Licensing_Training.stm. Completion of the training should be documented in the "Child Abuse Prevention" section on the JFS 01276 "Health Training Documentation for Child Care." Please note in the "Other Hours" section of the JFS 01276 that the one-hour child abuse overview training was completed. The provider shall sign the "trainer section" to attest that the child care staff member completed the training.
New Staff Orientation
Until the training is available in the OPR, the staff orientation will be temporarily available on the ODJFS website at https://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/Licensing_Training.stm beginning January 13, 2017. Completion of the training should be documented on the JFS 01307 "Professional Development Documentation for Child Care." The provider shall sign at the bottom of the JFS 01307 to attest that the child care staff member completed the training. Any child care staff member hired between December 31, 2016 and January 13, 2017 will have until February 13, 2017 to complete the training.
Please contact the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any questions.