Public Comment Period Opens for Proposed Changes to the Subsidized Child Care Eligibility Regulations

November 17, 2020

Attention Families, Early Childhood Education Providers and Stakeholders: Proposed Changes to Regulations – Subsidized Child Care Eligibility

Public Comment Period Opens for Proposed Changes to the Subsidized Child Care Eligibility Regulations

Changes to the current subsidized child care eligibility regulations are being proposed that may impact families, children, and early childhood education providers, including, but not limited to, the following areas:

Expanded eligibility periods of 12 months;
Expanded eligibility to cover hours the parent or caretaker requires sleep following completion of overnight work shift;
No changes to the amounts of subsidy and co-payment for the duration of the eligibility period, unless to the family’s benefit;
Abolished the requirement for the parent or caretaker to pay an advanced co-payment prior to enrollment;
Children who turn 13 during the eligibility period will continue to receive the subsidy until the eligibility period ends;
Codifying payment practices permitting tiered reimbursement for providers who voluntarily exceed the basic health and safety requirements;
Codifying payment practices based on enrollment and not attendance, to include increasing the number of permitted absences from 25 to 40 per fiscal year;
After five consecutive days absent, the child maintains eligibility, but the enrollment is suspended until the child returns to care; and
Establishment of waiver provisions and periods of presumptive eligibility for particular populations, including victims of domestic violence and families experiencing homelessness.

Proposed changes to the subsidized child care eligibility regulations at 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3041 will be published effective Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, and can be viewed in the PA Bulletin. Please navigate to the issue dated Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020.

You can review the current regulations by clicking here .

Dates to know

Nov. 14, 2020: Public Comment Period Opens
Dec. 14, 2020: Public Comment Period Closes

How to submit your comments

All public comments must be submitted in writing by the closing date of the public comment period on Dec. 14, 2020.

All comments, suggestions or objections should reference the regulation number(s), section(s), and subsection(s), and must be submitted in writing. Please select the one way to submit comments which best fits your situation.

Email submit to: RA-ocdsubchildcare@pa.gov
Fax submit to: 717-214-6575
US mail submit to:

Michael Ordonez

Office of Child Development and Early Learning

333 Market Street, 6th Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17126

If respondents would like a response, they should include their contact information. Click here to view and share the flyer.

Dates to know

How to submit your comments

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