2012 Maine Revised Statutes
TITLE 22: HEALTH AND WELFARE
Chapter 1052-A: CHILD CARE SERVICES
22 §3737. Payments to providers

Subtitle 3: INCOME SUPPLEMENTATION HEADING: PL 1973, C. 790, §1 (AMD)

Part 3: CHILDREN

§3737. Payments to providers

1. No payments to recipients. The department may not make cash payments to recipients for child care services provided under this chapter, except when those payments represent reimbursement for services already provided to the recipient.

[ 1993, c. 158, §2 (NEW) .]

2. Maintenance of existing options. The department shall ensure that child care funds are distributed through a range of mechanisms, including, but not limited to, vouchers to recipients and contracts to providers.

[ 1993, c. 158, §2 (NEW) .]

3. Quality differential. To the extent permitted by federal law, the department shall pay a differential rate for child care services that meet or that make substantial progress toward meeting nationally recognized quality standards, such as those standards required by the Head Start program or required for accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and shall do so from the Child Care Development Fund 25% Quality Set-aside funds or by other acceptable federal practices. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined by Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A. The rules must limit payment of the differential for substantial progress to a period of one year. The rules must provide differential rates for substantial progress and must define substantial progress as:

A. Having submitted program descriptions and awaiting a scheduled visit from an accrediting body approved by the department; or [2001, c. 394, §1 (NEW).]

B. For family child care, having submitted a portfolio for a child development associate and awaiting a scheduled observation. [2001, c. 394, §1 (NEW).]

[ 2001, c. 394, §1 (AMD) .]

SECTION HISTORY

1993, c. 158, §2 (NEW). 2001, c. 394, §1 (AMD).