HomeMy WebLinkAbout20033165.tiff CORRESPONDENCE SPONSE r(>3
DEPARTMENT OF ---91- - '
* * * PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN THREE DAYS.* * *
IF RESPONSE WILL BE DELAYED,
PLEASE NOTIFY "CTB GROUP" BY E-MAIL '
OF EXPECTED DATE FOR RESPONSE.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
i
Narrative: T11 e' /1.1(:( ti t , 0,� , el I , 1/i4 IS', IUp [ ( i O �!1-1
J-)l )CI I(- L,� nR (flit (_ C�( ta' 7Ltf C� o Tr- )7L1---) .'-L.1lii (-
(.� ,1 _ /U �L.a�r ) L L:) ( -r-. (i ( t���,I . ����L
L/1 ‘ 0 .4., ) ) t(' L )") t. Ha. / , (I(ti-;J L 7 1.(, 76-1)(, /, ((--, l �i CC�tL ��
,
(Al , ��r( 1t�(.1. , (,,L_ ei,, (b. (.1 u t cce-Iuti
METHOD OF RESPONSE:
_ Board Action
Work Session
>; Letter (Attached)
- Telephone Call
- No Response (explain)
1
4.01 CI (' (-I G
( \ Depa ent Head Signature
1
BOARD ACTION: (Initial by Approval) RM BJ p DL GV
P )
Agree with Recommedation tC ------/
Worksession U --` - J
2003-3165
4/— /7—es (?l; -
Leh
October 29, 2003
Ms. Becky Schwartz, Director
Forever Young
4051 County Line Road
Erie, Colorado 80516
Re: Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)
Dear Ms. Schwarz,
Thank you for your letter dated October 16, 2003. Commissioner Mayer asked me to
respond to your concerns. CCCAP is administered within the Assistance Payment
Division at Boulder County Department of Social Services (BCDSS). I am the manager
of the division.
BCDSS receives an annual allocation from the State Department of Human Services to
fund CCCAP. The allocation for SFY 2003/2004 is $2,951,206. We anticipate spending
approximately $3,800,000 to continue services for the approximately 775—800 children
served on an ongoing monthly basis. Due to limited dollars, we are able to provide
payment for only those days that a child received services. I understand that this is
contrary to your policies for non-CCCAP children and makes it difficult for you to plan
your income. However, dollars for the program continue to be limited, so it is not
possible to pay for care when the child was not in attendance.
Many child care providers in Boulder County share your concerns regarding the
challenges experienced when serving CCCAP children. The Early Care and Education
Council is addressing this concern county-wide. I would urge you to contact Nancy
Leahy at 303.441.1913 to discuss possible supports that could be provided to you and
your staff.
Page Two
October 29, 2003
I've included a copy of the Child Care Services Fiscal Agreement that you signed on
September 18, 2001. Point #15 on the first page clarifies that CCCAP can only pay for
care that was actually provided. I would also refer you to Point #1 under "Provider
Rights". If you would like to request an informal conference regarding payment, please
send your written request to me at BCDSS, 3460 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80304.
Determination of eligibility for CCCAP is very complex. I've included a copy of the
state rules and would refer you specifically to 3.904.1. If at anytime you feel that a
family is ineligible for CCCAP, please feel free to call the BCDSS Investigations and
Recovery unit at 303.678.6000 to report your concerns. An investigation will be
conducted by BCDSS staff to determine whether or not the family is eligible. If the
family is not eligible, the family will be required to repay any benefits received while
ineligible.
We very much appreciate your commitment to serve low-income families in Boulder
County.
Sincerely,
Paula McKey, Division Manager
Boulder County Department of Social Services
cc: Commissioner Tom Mayer
Marsa Williams, Work Options Group, Inc.
DRAFT
November 3, 2003
Ms. Becky Schwartz, Director
Forever Young
4051 County Line Rd.
Erie, Colorado 80516
Dear Ms. Schwartz,
I am writing in response to your letter of October 16, 2003, addressed to the Board of
Weld County Commissioners.
The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) is a public assistance program.
Individuals who apply for assistance through CCCAP must meet eligibility guidelines
that are established by Federal, State, and local regulations. Income eligibility guidelines
are established based on the availability of funding. Funding in the last several years has
not kept up pace with the demand for services in this very important program. Counties,
state wide, were required to review eligibility guidelines and revise them according to
their specific CCCAP allocations. Although Weld County lowered eligibility from
185% of poverty to 150% of poverty, our goal continues to be to provide the best service
possible to those who are eligible.
One of the problems mentioned in your letter is that"there have been instances when we
have had a child for weeks and we bill for this child, only to find out, for whatever
reason, that this child was not eligible." Eligibility for the CCCAP Program is based on
information that the parent or applicant is required to provide to the Department of Social
Services. Eligibility cannot be determined nor approved without parental cooperation
and submission of required verifications. If information is not provided to the
Department by the parent and the case is denied. The parent is then responsible for any
costs incurred for childcare.
You stated your "biggest problem" is that the amount paid by the Department is seldom
the amount billed for. If you fail to receive the full amount of payment that you believe
you are entitled to, please contact the Department of Social Services immediately for
clarification. I refer you to Item 15 on your childcare services Fiscal Agreement, "bill
the Department monthly for child care services authorized and actually provided in the
previous calendar month on the state prescribed billing form". In summary, CCCAP
may operate differently then a private childcare business. It needs to be understood
however that CCCAP payments can only be authorized for the period of time the children
are in care and the parent is in an allowable activity such as work,job search or
education.
I am very concerned about your comments relating to race being an eligibility factor.
Please be advised that the Department of Social Services determines eligibility based on
Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. We serve everyone on an equal basis
according to his or her individual situation, income, and household composition. If you
believe the Department of Social Services is discriminating in our practices, I encourage
you to please refer your concerns immediately to the Colorado Division of Civil Rights.
The can be contacted at:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Civil Rights
Federal Office Building
1961 Stout Street, 14th Floor, Room 1426
Denver, Colorado 80294
I would also like to inform you that we pursue and prosecute fraud in CCCAP Program.
If you know of or suspect fraudulent activity please notify us immediately and we will
investigate.
If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to call either myself at 352-
1551, extension 6300 or Shari Armstrong, CCCAP Program Manager, at extension 6302.
I would strongly encourage you to call Mrs. Armstrong and discuss any regulations,
billing problems/procedures, etc., that may be unclear.
Thank you for your letter of concern. On behalf of the Department of Social Services I
compliment and thank you for servicing those in need of child care services.
Sincerely,
Richard Rowe
Assistance Payments Administrator
CC Judy Griego, Director
Shari Armstrong, CCCAP Manager
1
To Commissioners: ',psi county una aa. 1443414,4 ern
Erie Colorado 805,6 n•
David Long (303)828 3452 Tom &Becky Schwartz
Glenn Vaad
Rob Masden
William Jerke October 16, 2003
Mike Geile — _
Dear Sirs,
I'm writing to you in regards to the current Child Care Assistance Program.
What may have started out as a good program, has become almost impossible to
Partake in.
I am a childcare provider with a center licensed for 85 children. Our center like most,
enrolls children on a contracted pre-paid schedule;tuition is paid for the contracted
amount of care in advance. This enables us to staff accordingly and it gives us a projected
budget to work from. Through the past 9 years we have been accepting CCAP, and it has
never been an easy task, these children often would present a much bigger challenge than
those not on CCAP. We have always done our best in every way to help out these kids
and their families in more ways than you could imagine, going way beyond what is
ordinary or even necessary, because we care. When we enroll children through CCAP we
accept these children on a contracted basis also. If these children are enrolled as full time,
we work on the assumption that we will be paid for a full time slot, we depend on it. Then
more times than not, these children don't show up for days at a time, or less than full time,
which according to our contract should not make a difference in the amount of tuition to
be paid, ( with non CCAP enrollments there is no difference ) . CCAP is paid in the rears
for the month after you've provided care. Then hopefully two to three weeks later
(At this time you have now provided care for about 45 days) you will be paid, or not.
There have been instances when we have had a child for weeks and we bill for this child,
only to find out, for whatever reason, that this child was not eligible.
My biggest problem is that the amount paid is seldom the amount billed for.
We are already, up front accepting less money for these kids to be here, the least that
should be done is for us to get paid fairly. The mere amount of paperwork and time it
takes to enroll , track, and bill for these children should justify being fairly paid. We are
not at full enrollment, and some months we really stretch to make it. We need to be able
to count on a set amount of money to work our budget with. We count on being paid for
slots that are filled. We provide a great service, we shouldn't have to go the lengths we
do to be paid, and be paid less than we deserve, later than we expected. It really makes us
want to reconsider accepting CCAP. We have talked to many other centers that no
longer contract with the state for just these reasons. Look for yourself how many quality
childcare centers do not contract with CCAP, and then ask them why.
Then on the same topic, who and how is it decided who gets help? We see so many single
mothers with very limited income struggling, unable to afford childcare even at a reduced
rate, turned down because they make too much money? $9.00 an hour is too much money
for a single white mother of 2, but $10.50 an hour qualifies a Hispanic mother of 2. We
see single mothers who did not qualify for CCAP, feeding their children out of the
community food pantry, and thanking God such a place is available, while at the same time
another single mother, who owns her own business, her own home in a very nice suburban
neighborhood, and who's only child is dressed in the newest and latest Disney clothes,
NFL sports jerseys, Rebok, Nike...every day he brings in a new toy to share, Oh yeah, did
I mention that his mother qualifies for CCAP? We see these things all the time
We are a good center; we have a great teaching staff and a very good reputation for what
we do. The current CCAP program as it stands is extremely frustrating and unfair to us,
and to a lot of very deserving, hard working people. We hire teachers to accommodate
state regulations, based on the assumed number of children enrolled, and the assumed
amount of money these children generate. When those numbers don't match up, we find
ourselves in a losing situation, cutting jobs, not able to pay our bills, not able to help out
those families who should, but don't qualify for CCAP... Something has got to change.
Sincerely,
Becky Schwartz, Dire tor FYI
Judy Gnego. RE Child care Center- Forever Young Page 1
From: "McKey, Paula" <pmckey@co.boulder.co.us>
To: "RICH Rowe" <ROWEXXRD@co.weld.co.us>
Date: 11/4/03 12:58PM
Subject: RE: Child Care Center- Forever Young
Rich,
Yes, I received the letter, too. I responded last week on behalf of the commissioners. Here's a copy for
you.
Paula
Original Message
From: RICH Rowe [mailto:ROWEXXRD@co.weld.co.us]
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 8:18 AM
To: McKey, Paula
Subject: Child Care Center- Forever Young
Paula,
Hope all is well with you.
Weld Commissioners received a nasty letter from a Child Care Center in Erie called "Forever Young?
The letter basically blasts the CCAP program in general rather than a specific county in my opinion. The
letter is signed by the Director- Becky Schwartz and the letter is dated October 16, 2003.
We were just wondering if Boulder received the same letter. Have you seen it? I would be glad to fax you
a copy if you wish.
Let me know please-
thanks
Rich
Hello