The mission of the new Office of Child Care Services (OCCS) is to invest in children and the well being of families by creating an integrated, high quality system of child care. This mission is achieved by licensing and monitoring child care facilities; ensuring high quality child care services for low-income working families, eligible recipients of Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC), and families with social service needs; offering training for child care staff; and providing information and referral services for parents seeking child care. The Office also oversees a new program of Newborn Home Visiting for all mothers who are 19 years of age, or younger. In Fiscal Year 1999, the Office will provide child care services for approximately 50,000 children, and license 16,000 child care facilities.

The Office was established in Fiscal Year 1998 by combining the Office for Children with the child care programs formerly administered by the Departments of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and Social Services (DSS). The Office has successfully integrated the DSS and DTA child care staffs within OCCS; assumed responsibility for over 800 provider contracts previously administered by DSS and DTA; and established a Procurement Management Team to purchase all child care services in a coordinated and efficient manner.

Objectives

In Fiscal Year 1999, OCCS will pursue the following objectives:

• provide child care for an additional 3,200 children from low-income working families currently on waiting lists;
• offer child care services to an additional 3,000 former TAFDC recipients who have found work;
• provide child care to an additional 3,600 TAFDC recipients involved in state sponsored work or training programs;
• offer over 4,000 home visits to mothers who are 19 years of age, or younger; and
• collaborate with the Department of Education to coordinate spending on quality enhancement, capacity building, and access to child care.

Budget Recommendations

The Fiscal Year 1999 budget recommendation for the Office of Child Care Services is $296.85 million, a $40 million increase over Fiscal Year 1998 spending. This increase includes $2 million for the Newborn Home Visiting program (4130-1000); $1 million for regional child care resource and referral services (4130-3100); and $10 million for low-income families on waiting lists.

In Fiscal Year 1999, the Office of Child Care Services' state appropriations will be funded in part with federal funds: $77.34 million from the Child Care Development block grant and $121.67 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. These block grant funds will be deposited into the Child Care Fund and the TANF Minor Fund.

Budgetary Direct Appropriations

OFFICE OF CHILD CARE SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
4130-0001	For the operation of the office of child care services	284,814

CHILDREN`S TRUST FUND ADMINISTRATION
4130-0002	For the operation of the Children`s Trust Fund	827,044

FIELD OPERATIONS AND LICENSING
4130-0005	For field operations and licensing of child care providers	6,428,476

NEONATAL/POSTNATAL HOME VISITING PROGRAM
4130-1000	For statewide parenting education and home visiting programs for at-risk newborns to be administered by the Children`s Trust Fund; provided, that such services shall be made available statewide to all mothers under the age of 20 years, to the extent possible within the amount appropriated herein	7,000,000

ADMINISTRATION OF CHILD CARE PROGRAMS
4130-3000	For the operation of child care programs; provided, that the office shall maintain and update a waiting list of those families awaiting income-eligible child care services; and provided further, that said waiting list shall be made available to the department of education	1,860,928

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF CHILD CARE PROGRAMS
4130-3100	For the regional operation of child care programs and related child care activities, including provider training and child care resource and referral; provided, that not more than $7,363,644 shall be expended for the operating expenses of the voucher management system	9,683,858
	Child Care Fund 68.88% General Fund 31.12%

CHILD CARE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PARTICIPANTS
4130-3200	For the employment services voucher and contracted child care program; provided, that child care under said program shall be available to recipients of benefits provided under the program of transitional aid to families with dependent children and the absent parents of said recipients; provided further, that child care shall be available to participants in the employment services program, and to former participants for up to one year after termination of their transitional aid to families with dependent children benefits due to employment; provided further, that all child care providers which are part of a public school system shall be required to accept child care vouchers funded by this item; provided further, that the office of child care services is hereby authorized to provide child care benefits to parents who are under the age of 18 years, who are currently enrolled in a job training program, and who would qualify for benefits under the provisions of chapter 118 of the General Laws but for the deeming of the grandparents` income; and provided further, that with respect to eligibility for child care funded by this item, the office of child care services shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated herein	89,285,693
	Child Care Fund 47.39% Transitional Aid to Needy Families Fund 29.85% General Fund 22.76%

CHILD CARE FOR LOW-INCOME WORKING FAMILIES
4130-3300	For the provision of income-eligible child care programs; provided, that child care for children participating in the transitional aid to families with dependent children program who are in the custody and care of their grandparents due to the incapacity or absence of their parents may be funded by this item; and provided further, that with respect to eligibility for child care funded by this item, the office of child care services shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated herein	116,604,413
	Child Care Fund 68.19% General Fund 31.81%

CHILD CARE FOR CHILDREN OF TEEN PARENTS
4130-3400	For the provision of child care services to the children of teen parents; provided, that with respect to eligibility for child care funded by this item, the office of child care services shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated herein	9,223,604

TRIAL COURT CHILD CARE
4130-3500	For the provision of trial court child care services; provided, that funds appropriated herein shall be expended solely for contracted services for the operation of programs to provide such services; and provided further, that with respect to eligibility for child care funded by this item, the office of child care services shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated herein	628,722

SUPPORTIVE CHILD CARE
4130-3600	For supportive child care associated with the family stabilization program of the department of social services; provided, that with respect to eligibility for child care funded by this item, the office of child care services shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated herein	40,090,927
	Child Care Fund 90.02% General Fund 7.48% Social Services Fund 2.50%

INFORMAL CHILD CARE
4130-3700	For the provision and management of the informal child care program; provided, that not more than $2 per child per hour shall be paid for such services; and provided further, that with respect to eligibility for child care funded by this item, the office of child care services shall take into account the amount available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated herein	14,929,028
	General Fund 47.88% Child Care Fund 31.07% Transitional Aid to Needy Families Fund 21.05%

Federal Grant Spending

PROJECT CHILD CARE 2000
4130-2000	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Project Child Care 2000	136,897

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES
4130-9002	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Child Abuse Prevention Activities	399,000

Trust and Other Spending

4130-0009

CHILDREN`S TRUST FUND

180,000