Source: https://development.code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/laws/22-179.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 02:46:42+00:00

Document:
D.C. Law Library - D.C. Law 22-179. Birth-to-Three for All DC Amendment Act of 2018.
D.C. Law 22-179. Birth-to-Three for All DC Amendment Act of 2018.
↪ D.C. Law 22-179. Birth-to-Three for All DC Amendment Act of 2018.
Law 22-179, the “Birth-to-Three for All DC Amendment Act of 2018,” was introduced in the Council and assigned Bill No. 22-203 which was referred to the Committee on Education and Committee on Health. The bill was adopted on first and second readings on Apr. 10, 2018, and June 26, 2018, respectively. After mayoral review, it was assigned Act No. 22-453 on Sept. 5, 2018, and transmitted to Congress for its review. D.C. Law 22-179 became effective Oct. 30, 2018.
To establish a Healthy Steps Pediatric Primary Care Demonstration Program to be administered by the Department of Health to implement an interdisciplinary pediatric primary care program that uses a child development professional to assist families during well-child visits by providing guidance and information to promote healthy early childhood development and lactation support services, to establish a Help Me Grow Program to be administered by the Department of Health to serve as a comprehensive resource and referral system for child development and family support services, to require the Department of Health to conduct a comprehensive assessment of home visiting in the District, to establish a Home Visiting Program to be administered by the Department of Health to support the provision of home visiting services and home visit system activities, to require the Department of Health to issue grants to a nonprofit organization to enable the organization to provide services to homeless families with an infant or toddler residing in the DC General Family Shelter or DC General Family Shelter replacement units, and immigrant families, to establish a Lactation Certification Preparatory Program to be administered by the Department of Health in coordination with an institution of higher education and an existing provider of a lactation consultant preparatory course to provide instruction, assistance, and mentorship to individuals undertaking a career in lactation consulting, to require the Department of Health, in consultation with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, to establish a community resource inventory program, and to require the Department of Health to expand the number of child development centers providing child and family-centered behavioral health care services to families with infants and toddlers or develop and implement another evidence-based program to provide those services in child development centers; to amend the Day Care Policy Act of 1979 to require the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to develop a competitive compensation scale for lead teachers and teaching assistants, and to expand income eligibility for District-subsidized child care services; and to amend the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Amendment Act of 2008 to require the Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and the State Superintendent of Education to each designate at least one employee to serve as an Early Childhood Development Facility Coordinator, and to require the University of the District of Columbia to partner with community-based child development centers to offer classes in the University of the District of Columbia's Early Childhood Infant and Toddler degree program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Birth-to-Three for All DC Amendment Act of 2018".
(1) "Adverse childhood experiences" means stressful or traumatic experiences experienced by infants and toddlers, including housing instability, childhood abuse, family instability, substance abuse, mental illness, and family criminal involvements.
(2) "CFSA" means the Child and Family Services Agency.
(3) "Child development center" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2(2) of the Day Care Policy Act of 1979, effective September 19, 1979 (D.C. Law 3-16; D.C. Official Code § 4-401(2)).
(4) "Community-based social services" means services that address the social determinants of health and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and populations.
(5) "Community health worker" means an individual who provides community navigation services.
(6) "Community navigation services" means the provision of assistance to individuals seeking to access health care services in the home and community by identifying and reducing barriers to obtaining health care services.
(7) "Community resource inventory" means a software platform accessible by health professionals and community-based social services providers, that consists of a web-based tool capable of screening individuals for trauma, developmental health, behavioral health, and social determinants of health needs.
(8) "DBH" means the Department of Behavioral Health.
(9) "DHCF" means the Department of Health Care Finance.
(10) "DHS" means the Department of Human Services.
(11) "DMHHS" means the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.
(12) "DOH" means the Department of Health.
(13) "Early Head Start Home Visiting" or "Early Head Start" means a program established pursuant to section 645a of the Head Start Act Amendments of 1994, approved May 18, 1994 (42 U.S.C. § 9840a).
(14) "Healthy Futures Program" or "Healthy Futures" means the program administered by DBH that uses health professionals to provide child and family-centered behavioral health care services to families with infants and toddlers.
(15) "Healthy Steps" means a nationally recognized evidence-based approach to family-centered supports consisting of an interdisciplinary pediatric primary care program that uses a child development professional to assist families during well-child visits by providing guidance and information to promote healthy early childhood development.
(16) "Health professional" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 101(8) of the District of Columbia Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code § 3-1201.01(8)).
(B) Provides access to health, social, and educational services through weekly or monthly home visits to promote positive child health and development outcomes, including healthy home environments, healthy birth outcomes, and a reduction in adverse childhood experiences.
(18) "Home Visiting Council" means the District of Columbia Home Visiting Council, an entity that includes representatives of District agencies, child advocacy organizations, home visiting providers, early childhood programs, and other stakeholders, that supports the sustainability of home visiting and promotes positive childhood health and development outcomes.
(19) "Home visitor" means a trained individual who, through a home visiting program, provides home visiting services, primarily in families' homes.
(E) Development and implementation of home visiting best practices.
(21) "Infant" means an individual younger than 12 months of age.
(22) "Interagency Coordinating Council" means the entity established pursuant to section 503(b) of the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Amendment Act of 2004, effective April 13, 2005 (D.C. Law 15-353; D.C. Official Code § 7-863.03(b)).
(23) "International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant" means a health professional who provides lactation support services and possesses a current certification as a lactation consultant from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.
(24) "Lactation support services" means evidence-based services, including counseling or consulting services, provided on an out-patient basis by hospitals and birth centers to promote healthy breastfeeding.
(25) "Medicaid" means the medical assistance programs authorized by title XIX of the Social Security Act, approved July 30, 1965 (79 Stat. 343; 42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.), and by section 1 of An Act To enable the District of Columbia to receive Federal financial assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act for a medical assistance program, and for other purposes, approved December 27, 1967 (81 Stat. 744; D.C. Official Code § 1-307.02), and administered by DHCF.
(26) "OSSE" means the Office of the State Superintendent for Education.
(27) "Patient-Centered Medical Home National Committee for Quality Assurance recognition" means the certification provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance to acknowledge health professionals that implement the latest clinical procedures to ensure the delivery of quality comprehensive health care services.
(28) "Primary care provider" means a health professional who provides health care services, addresses a majority of personal health care needs, maintains a sustained partnership with patients, and practices in the context of family and community.
(29) "Quality Improvement Network Interagency Steering Committee" means the entity established to coordinate the provision of resources and comprehensive services to infants and toddlers in Quality Improvement Network programs.
(30) "SECDCC" means the State Early Childhood Development Coordinating Council established pursuant to section 107(a) of the Pre-k Acceleration and Clarification Amendment Act of 2010, effective March 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-285; D.C. Official Code § 38-271.07(a)).
(31) "Social determinants of health" means the conditions in the environment in which people are born, live, work, and age that have a significant impact on health outcomes, including socioeconomic status, education, physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to health care services.
(32) "Strong Start DC Early Intervention Program" or "Strong Start" means a District-wide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary system that provides early intervention therapeutic and other services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays and their families, as required pursuant to Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, approved April 13, 1970 (84 Stat. 175; 20 U.S.C. § 1431).
(33) "Toddler" means an individual older than 12 months but younger than 36 months of age.
Sec. 102. Healthy Steps Pediatric Primary Care Demonstration Program.
(2) Co-located lactation support services within the facilities of primary care providers selected to participate in the Program.
(b) Primary care providers located in Wards 5, 7, or 8 that serve a population of 50% Medicaid-eligible families shall be eligible to participate in the Program.
(15) Other information as may be required by DOH.
(7) Support organizational training, evaluation, and delivery of services.
(e) DOH shall coordinate with other District agencies and primary care providers selected to participate in the Program to identify and provide effective incentives to families to encourage the use of lactation support services and community-based social services.
(f) DOH shall determine the feasibility of co-locating clinics participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, as established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, approved September 26, 1972 (86 Stat. 729; 42 U.S.C. § 1786), with primary care providers selected to participate in the Program.
(5) In Fiscal Year 2023, an amount for at least one additional primary care clinic selected to participate in the Program; provided, that no more than 20% of the grant shall be allocated for an external evaluation conducted pursuant to section 103.
Sec. 103. External evaluation contractor.
(a) By December 1, 2018, DOH shall select an external evaluation contractor to conduct a community-based evaluation of the effectiveness of the Program.
(11) Other qualitative outcome and performance mechanisms chosen by primary care providers selected to participate in the Program to measure healthy early childhood development.
(c) Beginning January 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, DOH, in coordination with primary care providers selected to participate in the Program and an external evaluation contractor selected pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, shall submit a report to the Mayor, Council, Quality Improvement Network Interagency Steering Committee, Interagency Coordinating Council, and OSSE evaluating the information submitted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
Sec. 104. Help Me Grow.
(6) Training for health professionals to promote knowledge of screening for child developmental disorders and of Help Me Grow.
(b) DOH shall coordinate with DMHHS, DHCF, and OSSE to establish a data system to store and share health data pertaining to the screening of infants, toddlers, and children between 3 and 5 years of age for early childhood developmental health issues.
(c) By January 1, 2021, DOH, in collaboration with DHCF, shall develop and implement a plan to track data pertaining to the early childhood development of infants and toddlers by providing a unique child identifier for each live birth which occurs in the District.
(d) Beginning January 1, 2020, and semiannually thereafter, DOH shall submit a report to the Mayor, Council, Interagency Coordinating Council, SECDCC, and the Quality Improvement Network Interagency Steering Committee regarding the implementation of Help Me Grow.
Sec. 105. Home Visiting Program.
(a) There is established a Home Visiting Program ("Program"), which shall be administered by DOH in accordance with this section.
(c) The funds in the Program shall be used to support the provision of home visiting services and home visit system activities.
Sec. 106. Home visiting reports.
(3) An assessment of the capacity of District agencies to support the implementation of additional home visiting services.
(b)(1) By January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, DOH, in coordination with other District agencies as necessary, the Home Visiting Council, and home visiting programs, shall publish a report regarding the funding, scope, placement rate, success rate, and other similar statistics of home visiting services in the District.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2020, the report shall also include any progress toward the provision of home visiting services to families identified pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section.
(5) Challenges to hiring and educating home visitors.
Sec. 107. Early Head Start.
(5) Agree to undergo an annual audit by DOH on its financial health and use of the award.
(3) Agree to undergo an annual audit by DOH on its financial health and use of the award.
Sec. 108. Lactation Certification Preparatory Program.
(a) Beginning October 1, 2019, there is established a Lactation Certification Preparatory Program ("LCPP"), which shall be administered by DOH in coordination with an institution of higher education, as that term is defined in section 201(3) of the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, approved August 4, 1986 (100 Stat. 781; D.C. Official Code § 38-2402.01(3)), and an existing provider of a lactation consultant preparatory course.
(3) Mentorship from International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants to assist in preparation for the International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant exam and a career in lactation consulting.
(c) DOH shall offer a subsidy to individuals participating in the LCPP to offset the cost of participation.
Sec. 109. Community Resource Inventory Program.
(7) Refers residents to appropriate federal, District, and community resources to address their health care needs, including to primary care providers participating in the Healthy Steps Pediatric Primary Care Demonstration Program established pursuant to section 102.
(b) DHCF shall designate a point of contact for the CRIP to coordinate with other District agencies and community partners to leverage existing data assets and establish interoperability with existing information systems.
(c) Within 180 days after the effective date of the Birth-to-Three for All DC Amendment Act of 2018, passed on second reading on June 26, 2018 (Enrolled version of Bill 22-203), DHCF shall submit a report to the Mayor and the Council that describes the implementation of the CRIP and its plan to leverage existing resource data assets and establish interoperability between the community resource inventory and existing information systems.
(d) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2020, DHCF shall develop an online resource inventory and license fee and shall design, implement, and support this screening tool.
(a) Beginning October 1, 2019, and annually thereafter until Fiscal Year 2023, DBH shall expand the number of child development centers participating in either Healthy Futures or another evidence-based program that provides behavioral health care services by 75 child care development centers each year.
(b) By August 1, 2019, DBH shall submit a plan to the Mayor, Council, Interagency Coordinating Council, SECDCC, and the Quality Improvement Network Interagency Steering Committee to expand Healthy Futures or another evidence-based program that provides behavioral health care services to support the mental health of infants, toddlers, and their families.
"(1) The term "child" means an individual between 3 and 15 years of age.".
"(3B) The term "concentrated poverty" means an area in which 40% or more of a census tract population lives below the federal poverty level, as updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act, approved October 27, 1998 (112 Stat. 2729; 42 U.S.C. § 9902(2)).
"(3C) The term "cost modeling analysis" means the methodology for determining the likely cost of delivering services and reimbursement rates to achieve financial solvency at each level of the District's current Quality Rating and Improvement system.
"(3D) The term "cost of care" means the daily per-child dollar amount necessary for a child development facility to deliver services to maintain financial solvency at each level of the District's current Quality Rating and Improvement system.".
"(4A) The term "infant" means an individual younger than 12 months of age.".
(4) Paragraph (5A) is redesignated as paragraph (5C).
"(5A) The term "parity" means compensation for an individual that includes compensation equivalent to the average base salary and fringe benefits of an elementary school teacher employed by District of Columbia Public Schools with the equivalent role, credentials, and experience.
"(5B) The term "Quality Rating Improvement System" or "QRIS" means the method utilized by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to assess the level of quality of child care provided by a child development facility.".
"(7) The term "toddler" means an individual between 12 months of age and 36 months of age.
"(F) A child of a parent receiving vocational rehabilitation services.".
(b) Section 10(a) (D.C. Official Code § 4-409(a)) is amended by striking the phrase "The Department shall" and inserting the phrase "Except as provided in section 11b, the Department shall" in its place.
(c) Section 11(a) (D.C. Official Code § 4-410(a)) is amended by striking the phrase "Payments to child development homes" and inserting the phrase "Except as provided in section 11b, payments to child development homes" in its place.
"Sec. 11a. Studies of child development facilities for infants and toddlers.
"(a) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2019, OSSE shall make public its payment rates for child development facilities by August 1 of each calendar year for the fiscal year immediately following.
"(b)(1) By December 1, 2018, OSSE shall develop a competitive lead teacher and teacher assistant compensation scale ("salary scale") for child development facilities that achieves parity.
"(2) The salary scale developed by OSSE shall be accompanied by a schedule that incorporates a cost modeling analysis to establish a rate of reimbursement for lead teacher and teacher assistant compensation at child development facilities that achieves parity by October 1, 2022.
"(3) A proposal for daily reimbursement rates for child development facilities and the total anticipated cost of payments to child development facilities for the upcoming school year.
"Sec. 11b. Payments to child development facilities for infants and toddlers.
"(5) By October 1, 2024, and on a triennial basis thereafter, OSSE shall revise the payment rates based on the updated cost of care and teacher salary scale developed pursuant to section 11a(b).
"(b) Child development facilities receiving payments under this act shall, at a minimum, compensate teaching assistants and lead teachers according to the salary scale and implementation schedule developed pursuant to section 11a(b).
"Sec. 11c. Subsidized child care services.
"(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a child's eligibility to receive subsidized child care shall be determined by OSSE.
"(D) A third-party with the ability to conduct determinations effectively.
"(B) Be a vulnerable child.
"(c) The District may limit subsidized child care based on available resources or funding.
"(4) A change in residency within the District.
"(f) After receiving a determination that a child is eligible to receive subsidized child care, the child may be redetermined as eligible to receive subsidized child care even if the gross annual family income of the child's parent or parents exceeds the level set forth in subsection (b) of this section, if the gross annual family income does not exceed the maximum federal poverty level by more than 50%, at the time of redetermination; provided, that the child is otherwise eligible to receive subsidized child care.
"(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a private right of action or entitlement to subsidized child care.
"Sec. 15b. Expansion of the Quality Improvement Network.
"(a) OSSE shall lead an initiative to ensure the availability of infant and toddler child care that meets Early Head Start program performance standards in Wards 7 and 8 and dual language learners living in communities with concentrated poverty by 2023 and for all eligible infants and toddlers living in concentrated poverty citywide by 2025.
"(4) Identifying additional resources necessary to ensure that child development facilities possess the resources necessary to provide the services identified in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
"(1) "Dual language learner" means an infant, toddler, or child between the ages of 3 to 5 years learning to speak 2 languages simultaneously or sequentially.
"(2) "Early Head Start" means a program established pursuant to section 645a of the Head Start Act Amendments of 1994, approved May 18, 1994 (42 U.S.C. § 9840a).".
(1) Paragraphs (1) through (1C) are redesignated as paragraphs (1B) through (1E).
"(1) "Child development center" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2(2) of the Day Care Policy Act of 1979, effective September 19, 1979 (D.C. Law 3-16; D.C. Official Code § 4-401(2)).
"(1A) "Child development facility" shall have the same meaning as provided in in section 2(3) of the Child Development Facilities Regulation Act of 1998, effective April 13, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-215; D.C. Official Code § 7-2031(3)).".
"(1F) "DCRA" means the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
"(1G) "Early childhood development provider" means a child development facility or CBO.".
"Sec. 108. Early Childhood Development Facility Coordinators.
"(a)(1) The Director of DCRA and the State Superintendent of Education shall designate at least one employee to serve as an Early Childhood Development Facility Coordinator ("Coordinator") within each respective agency.
"(2) DCRA and OSSE shall conspicuously post the designated Coordinator's name, direct telephone number, and e-mail address on the agency's respective websites.
"(2) Work with each other and their agencies to streamline the licensing and license renewal process for early childhood development provider applicants and licensees.
"(3) Perform other duties the Mayor deems appropriate.
"(4) Perform other duties the Mayor deems appropriate.".
"(f)(1) The University of the District of Columbia ("University") shall select at least 3 community-based child development centers to partner with the University's Early Childhood Infant and Toddler degree program to provide on-site classes for early childhood professionals, with one site offering coursework in a language other than English, sufficient to meet the degree and credential requirements for an Associate's Degree.
"(2) The child development centers selected pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection and the University shall coordinate to determine and make available necessary supports for degree completion, including child care for program participants and additional academic, family and financial supports.".
(a) Sections 102(g)(2), (3), (4), and (5), 104, 106(b)(2), 107, 108, 109(d), 110, 201(d), 201(e), and 202(b), shall apply upon the date of inclusion of their fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.
(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.
Sec. 302. Fiscal impact statement.

References: § 4
 § 9840
 § 3
 § 7
 § 1396
 § 1
 § 38
 § 1431
 § 1786
 § 38
 § 9902
 § 4
 § 4
 § 9840
 § 4
 § 7