Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 5 - Division of Early Child Care and Development › Chapter 1 - Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan for Mississippi › Appendix 18-5-1-2 - CCDF PROGRAM ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Current through June 25, 2024
The Lead Agency, named in Part 1 of this Plan, assures
				  (§ 98.15 ) that:
(1) upon approval, it will have in effect a program that
				  complies with the provisions of the Plan printed herein, and is administered in
				  accordance with the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 as
				  amended, Section 418 of the Social Security Act, and all other applicable
				  Federal laws and regulations. (658D(b), 658E(a))
(2) the parent(s) of each eligible child within the State who
				  receives or is offered child care services for which financial assistance is
				  provided is given the option either to enroll such child with a child care
				  provider that has a grant or contract for the provision of the service; or to
				  receive a child care certificate. (658E(c)(2)(A)(i))
(3) in cases in which the parent(s) elects to enroll the
				  child with a provider that has a grant or contract with the Lead Agency, the
				  child will be enrolled with the eligible provider selected by the parent to the
				  maximum extent practicable. (658E(c)(2)(A)(ii))
(4) the child care certificate offered to parents shall be of
				  a value commensurate with the subsidy value of child care services provided
				  under a grant or contract. (658E(c)(2)(A)(iii))
(5) with respect to State and local regulatory requirements,
				  health and safety requirements, payment rates, and registration requirements,
				  State or local rules, procedures or other requirements promulgated for the
				  purpose of the Child Care and Development Fund will not significantly restrict
				  parental choice among categories of care or types of providers. (658E(c)(2)(A),
				  § 98.15(p), § 98.30(g), § 98.40(b)(2), § 98.41(b), §
				  98.43(c), § 98.45(d) )
(6) that children receiving services under the CCDF are
				  age-appropriately immunized, and that the health and safety provisions
				  regarding immunizations incorporate (by reference or otherwise) the latest
				  recommendation for childhood immunizations of the State public health agency.
				  (§ 98.41(a)(1) )
(7) that CCDF Discretionary funds are used to supplement, not
				  supplant, State general revenue funds for child care assistance for low-income
				  families. ( P.L.
				  109-149 )
The Lead Agency also certifies that:
(1) it has procedures in place to ensure that providers of
				  child care services for which assistance is provided under the Child Care and
				  Development Fund afford parents unlimited access to their children and to the
				  providers caring for their children during the normal hours of operations and
				  whenever such children are in the care of such providers.
				  (658E(c)(2)(B))
(2) it maintains a record of substantiated parental
				  complaints and makes information regarding such complaints available to the
				  public on request. (658E(c)(2)(C))
(3) it will collect and disseminate to parents of eligible
				  children and the general public consumer education information that will
				  promote informed child care choices. (658E(c)(2)(D))
(4) it has in effect licensing requirements applicable to
				  child care services provided in the State. (658E(c)(2)(E))
(5) there are in effect within the State (or other area
				  served by the Lead Agency), under State or local law, requirements designed to
				  protect the health and safety of children; these requirements are applicable to
				  child care providers that provide services for which assistance is made
				  available under the Child Care and Development Fund. (658E(c)(2)(E))
(6) procedures are in effect to ensure that child care
				  providers of services for which assistance is provided under the Child Care and
				  Development Fund comply with all applicable State or local health and safety
				  requirements. (658E(c)(2)(G))
(7) payment rates under the Child Care and Development Fund
				  for the provision of child care services are sufficient to ensure equal access
				  for eligible children to comparable child care services in the State or
				  sub-State area that are provided to children whose parents are not eligible to
				  receive assistance under this program or under any other Federal or State child
				  care assistance programs. (658E(c)(4)(A))
CCDF Regulations 45 CFR § 98.13(b)(2)-(6) require the
				  following certifications.
1. Assurance of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights
				  Act of 1964
2. Certification regarding debarment
3. Definitions for use with certification of debarment
4. HHS certification regarding drug-free workplace
				  requirements
5. Certification of Compliance with the Pro-Children Act of
				  1994
6. Certification regarding lobbying
These certifications were obtained in the 1997 Plan and need
				  not be collected again if there has been no change in Lead Agency. If the there
				  has been a change in Lead Agency, these certifications must be completed and
				  submitted with the Plan.