8 Colo. Code Regs. § 1403-1-3.131

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 1, January 10, 2025

Section 8 CCR 1403-1-3.131 - SLOT CONTRACTS (COUNTY OPTION)

Slot contracts are used as a method to increase the supply and improve the quality of child care for county-identified target populations and areas through collaborative partnerships that meet family and community needs. Slot contracts should also support continuity of care for households, funding stability for licensed child care providers, and expenditure predictability for counties.

A. Counties may choose to enter into a slot contract with a licensed child care provider not to exceed twelve (12) months or the length of the fiscal agreement in place (if it expires in less than twelve (12) months) to purchase a specified number of slots for children enrolled in CCCAP.

B. When a county chooses the option to use slot contracts with a licensed child care provider, the following steps must be completed a minimum of sixty (60) days prior to the commencement of the slot contract:

1. The county must submit a new county plan in CHATS and include selection of the slot contract option.

2. At the time the county plan is submitted, a slot contract policy based on the Department-developed policy template must be submitted to the Department for approval. The policy must include but not limited to the following:

a. The county identified target populations and areas.

b. How the county will determine the length of the slot contract.

c. How the county will identify the need for the slot contract at a specific licensed child care provider.

d. How the county will ensure a fair and equitable review and selection process when selecting a licensed child care provider in the case of multiple child care programs expressing interest in entering into slot contracts. This must include an overview of the evaluation process used to identify licensed child care providers that are aligned with the county-determined criteria.

e. How the county will determine the number of slots they contract for with a licensed child care provider.

f. How the county will collaborate with the licensed child care provider to identify children to fill the vacant slots

g. How the county will continuously monitor the success of a slot contract during the contract period to include but not limited to:

1) What the measure of success is for the slot contract and how it is determined.

2) Frequency of monitoring the success of the slot contract, which must be at least twice per year but no more often than quarterly.

3) Cumulative attendance expectations and the period over which attendance expectations must be defined. Cumulative attendance expectations must not be set higher than the following:

a) Seventy five percent (75%) for infants;

b) Eighty percent (80%) for toddlers; and

c) Eighty five percent (85%) for preschoolers.

d) The time over which cumulative attendance must be met must be no less than quarterly and no more than six (6) months.

e) A plan for how the county will coordinate with the licensed child care provider to take intermediate steps or interventions if progress monitoring shows that attendance or other expectations are not being met.

f) Contract renegotiation for not reaching the set measure of success for the slot contract including under-utilization of paid slots during the designated monitoring period.

h. How the county will determine the need for a slot contract renewal.

C. Licensed child care providers that are fiscally managed by a county may not enter into a slot contract with the county that fiscally manages them.

D. Counties must submit the state developed monitoring tool in accordance with the county's monitoring schedule as specified in the county policy, within thirty-one (31) days of the end of the monitoring period.

E. Target population and areas may include but are not limited to:

1. Infants and toddlers;

2. Children with additional care needs;

3. Children needing care during nontraditional hours (i.e., evening, overnight and weekend care);

4. Children in underserved areas due to inadequate child care services and/or resources;

5. Areas where quality rated programs are in short supply for children enrolled in CCCAP; or

6. Any other county-identified target population or areas.

F. Criteria for assessing the need for slot contracts may include but is not limited to:

1. Counties must demonstrate the rationale for identifying specific CCCAP populations or underserved areas in their county;

2. The demographic data source(s) for all CCCAP households that supports the need to expand quality programs for specific CCCAP target populations and/or justifies needs based on underserved areas (demographic data may be based on zip codes or other geographic areas as determined by the county) must be identified;

3. Counties are strongly encouraged to work with Early Childhood Councils, resource and referral agencies, and other community-based organizations to identify the need for contracts with specific populations or in specific areas of the county.

G. Licensed child care programs who enter into slot contract agreements with counties must agree to be engaged in quality building at a minimum of a level two (2) quality rating through the Department's quality rating and improvement system.

H. The Department will maintain a slot contract template that meets the requirements of this rule and all state and federal contracting requirements.

1. Counties must utilize the state-developed slot contract template in CHATS which must include any county-specific target populations and areas.

2. The Department will assess and approve within thirty (30) days of receipt:

a. The updated county plan; and

b. The county submitted slot contract policy.

3. The Department will review the monitoring conducted by the county based on the county monitoring schedule.

8 CCR 1403-1-3.131

46 CR 21, November 10, 2023, effective 10/1/2023, exp. 1/27/2024 (Emergency)

46 CR 22, November 25, 2023, effective 12/15/2023

47 CR 13, July 10, 2024, effective 7/30/2024