RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN, SERVICES
Impact
The bill requires a collaborative approach among multiple departments—namely, the Department of Human Services, Department of Children, Youth and Families, Department of Health, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education—to consistently apply the quality rating system. By establishing transparent methodologies for rating, the legislation aims to make the assessment of early childhood education services more accessible and comprehensible to parents and providers. The provisions in the bill will foster a public-private partnership to promote higher standards in early care and education.
Summary
House Bill 7908 aims to enhance the quality of early care and education programs in Rhode Island through a structured voluntary quality rating system. Specifically, the bill mandates that BrightStars Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) ratings for licensed child care facilities be calculated based on the average of all applicable standards. This initiative seeks to encourage continuous quality improvement among child care providers and ensure that families have access to reliable information regarding the quality of available services.
Contention
One of the notable aspects of HB 7908 is its retention of automatic five-star ratings for child care facilities that achieve national accreditation status. This clause may provide a point of contention, as it raises questions regarding how these accredited programs will be supported relative to their non-accredited peers. There may also be discussions surrounding the balance of state versus local control in the implementation of these standards and how they affect providers with varying resources and capacities.
Directs the departments of human services and education to work together to sustain and strengthen existing workforce development and compensation programs for educators working in licensed child care and early learning programs statewide.
Requires the department of human services to provide childcare assistance to families, including those served through DCYF, who meet the requirements of a protective services category as defined in CFR 98.20 (a)(3)(ii).
Removes the requirement that families consent to, and cooperate with the department of human services in establishing paternity and enforcing child and medical support orders as a condition of eligibility for child care assistance.
Removes the requirement that families consent to, and cooperate with the department of human services in establishing paternity and enforcing child and medical support orders as a condition of eligibility for child care assistance.
Creates the Rhode Island Childcare Assistance Program that governs both family eligibility for the state’s childcare subsidy program and expands eligibility for the program to meet the federal eligibility benchmark.
Creates the Rhode Island Childcare Assistance Program that governs both family eligibility for the state’s childcare subsidy program and expands eligibility for the program to meet the federal eligibility benchmark.
Provides that the early intervention program for developmentally disabled infants be under the jurisdiction of the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS).
Provides that the early intervention program for developmentally disabled infants be under the jurisdiction of the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS).
Requires the secretary of the executive office of health and human services to monitor and mandate changes to the price-setting practices of pharmacy benefit managers to prohibit the spread pricing payment model.