Ariz. Admin. Code § 6-5-5202

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 25, June 21, 2024

Section R6-5-5202 - Initial Application for Certification

A. To become a certified child care provider, an applicant shall comply with all requirements of this Article and other applicable requirements of federal, state, or local law.

B. An applicant shall be at least age 18.

C. An applicant shall submit a complete, signed application form to the Department.

D. An applicant shall designate one or more backup providers from the following list:

1. An individual who is age 18 or older and who satisfies the requirements for backup providers outlined in this Article;

2. A DHS-licensed child care center;

3. A DHS-certified child care group home; or

4. A DES-certified family child care home.

E. An applicant shall participate in any orientation and training and shall cooperate in conducting any pre-certification interviews and inspections the Department may require.

F. An applicant shall give the Department the names of three references who:

1. Have known the applicant at least one year,

2. Are unrelated by blood or marriage to the applicant, and

3. Can furnish information regarding the applicant's character and ability to care for a child.

G. An applicant and any designated individual backup provider shall furnish a self-statement of physical and mental health on a form provided by the Department.

H. An applicant and each designated individual backup provider shall have the physical, mental, and emotional health necessary to perform the duties and meet the responsibilities established by this Article. If the Department has questions about the applicant's health that the applicant cannot satisfactorily answer or explain, the applicant, upon request by the Department, shall submit to a physical or psychological examination by a licensed physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist, and shall provide the Department with a professional opinion addressing the Department's questions. The applicant shall bear the cost of any professional examinations that the Department needs to determine whether the individual is qualified.

I. The Department may require an applicant to furnish at least the following information about the applicant, the applicant's spouse, members of the applicant's household, children residing outside of the applicant's home, and the individual backup provider:

1. Name;

2. Current address;

3. Telephone number;

4. Date of birth;

5. Social security number;

6. Maiden name, aliases, and nicknames;

7. Relationship to the applicant or backup provider;

8. Marital status and marital history;

9. Educational background;

10. Ethnicity;

11. Gender;

12. Birthplace;

13. Physical characteristics; and

14. Citizenship status.

J. Child care personnel shall submit the notarized criminal history certification form required by A.R.S. § 41-1964, and disclose whether they have committed any acts of child maltreatment or have been the subject of a Child Protective Service investigation.

K. On a Department form, an applicant, all adult household members, and all individual backup providers shall provide employment histories for the five-year period immediately preceding the application date, beginning with the individual's present or most recent job.

L. An applicant shall furnish proof that the applicant, the individual backup provider, and members of the applicant's household who are age 13 or younger are immune from measles, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and any other diseases for which routine immunizations are readily and safely available.

1. The Department may waive the requirements of this subsection for a household member if the applicant will be certified as an in-home provider only and submits an affidavit attesting that household members will not be present when child care services are provided.

2. The Department shall waive the requirements of this subsection if the applicant:

a. Submits an affidavit stating that household members are being raised in a religion whose teachings oppose immunization; and

b. Affirms, in writing, that families will be notified of the religious exemption before child care services are provided.

M. An applicant shall submit evidence of current freedom from pulmonary tuberculosis for the applicant, all household members, and all individual backup providers. If the application is approved, this evidence shall be submitted each succeeding calendar year.

1. Evidence required under this subsection is limited to:

a. A report of a negative Mantoux skin test performed within three months of the date or anniversary date of initial certification.

b. A physician's written statement based on an examination performed within three months of the date or anniversary date of initial certification.

2. The Department shall waive the requirements of this subsection for household members if the applicant will be certified as an in-home provider only and submits an affidavit that household members will not be present when child care services are provided.

N. An applicant shall provide a statement of services on a Department form. The statement shall describe:

1. The home at which services will be provided, location, and hours of operation;

2. The applicant's daily rates and fees;

3. The ages of children the applicant will accept;

4. The equipment, materials, daily activities, and play areas available to children in care;

5. Any special child care skills, knowledge, or training the applicant has; and

6. The behavior, guidance, and discipline methods the applicant uses.

O. During an interview with the child care specialist, an applicant shall complete a Department questionnaire describing:

1. The applicant's child rearing philosophy;

2. The home environment, including intra-family relationships and attitudes toward child care;

3. The parenting and discipline methods employed by the applicant and the applicant's parents; and

4. The applicant's child care training and experience.

P. Upon Department request, an applicant, all members of the applicant's household, and all individual backup providers shall comply with any additional requirements and requests for interviews, inspections, or information necessary to determine the applicant's fitness to serve as a certified child care provider.

Q. A complete application package consists of an applicant's completed application form and evidence that the applicant, all members of the applicant's household, and all individual backup providers have met all requirements and submitted all information and documentation listed in this Section.

R. The Department shall send an applicant a notice of administrative completeness or deficiency, as described in A.R.S. § 41-1074, indicating the additional information, if any, that the applicant must provide for a complete application package. The Department shall send the notice after receiving the application and before expiration of the administrative completeness review time-frame described in R6-5-5205. If the applicant does not supply the missing information listed in the notice, the Department may close the file.

S. An applicant whose file is closed may reapply for certification.

T. After an applicant submits a complete application for initial certification, the Department shall inspect the applicant's home to determine whether the home meets the regulations of this Article.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R6-5-5202

Adopted effective July 6, 1976 (Supp. 76-4). Section repealed, new Section adopted effective May 11, 1994 (Supp. 94-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 5 A.A.R. 1983, effective May 20, 1999 (Supp. 99-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 22 A.A.R. 3185, effective 10/28/2016.