80R8131 KFF-D

By: Deuell S.B. No. 1141

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a demonstration project to provide consultation services to certain child-care providers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter P to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER P. BABY STEPS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Sec. 531.601. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Association" means the Texas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, a Texas nonprofit organization that provides a statewide network of child-care resources and referrals and that contracts with the office under Section 531.602(c) to assist in coordinating the project implemented under this subchapter.

(2) "Child-care provider" means a child-care facility or family home regulated by the department under Chapter 42, Human Resources Code, that provides care to infants and toddlers.

(3) "Community coordination committee" means a committee established by a regional child-care mentor under Section 531.606(c)(7).

(4) "Department" means the Department of Family and Protective Services.

(5) "Multidisciplinary child-care consultants" means the network of consultants identified by a regional child-care mentor under Section 531.606(c)(8).

(6) "Office" means the Office of Early Childhood Coordination established under Subchapter H.

(7) "Participating provider" means a child-care provider that participates in the project.

(8) "Project" means the baby steps demonstration project implemented under this subchapter.

(9) "Regional child-care mentor" means the person hired by a regional coordinating agency under Section 531.605(b).

(10) "Regional coordinating agency" means the community-based organization selected by the association under Section 531.604(1).

Sec. 531.602. BABY STEPS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. (a) The office, in consultation with the department, the State Center for Early Childhood Development, and other state agencies as the office determines appropriate, shall implement a baby steps demonstration project for a two-year period in at least two but not more than four regions in this state. The demonstration project shall provide a coordinated network of qualified consultants at a community level to assist certain child-care providers to meet the health, safety, and nurturing needs of infants and toddlers in the providers' care. The project is designed to:

(1) increase child-care provider awareness of community resources;

(2) increase utilization of community resources by child-care providers;

(3) expand child-care provider access to multidisciplinary supports;

(4) reduce the number of complaints filed with the department against child-care providers;

(5) reduce the number of licensing violations committed by child-care providers;

(6) educate child-care providers about safe and developmentally appropriate care of infants and toddlers;

(7) reduce the child expulsion rates of child-care providers;

(8) reduce child-care providers' staff turnover rates;

(9) provide stable responsive relationships between caregivers employed by child-care providers and the infants and toddlers for whom they care; and

(10) increase parental satisfaction with the care provided to the parents' infants and toddlers.

(b) A community served by the project must:

(1) have child-care providers within the community with a high need for technical assistance and support, as reflected in reports by the department concerning corrective and adverse actions taken against those providers;

(2) have existing community resources available to support project components; and

(3) support the implementation of the project.

(c) The office shall:

(1) oversee the project;

(2) ensure the coordination and collaboration of services under the project;

(3) work with the department to develop a procedure to identify and contact qualifying child-care providers; and

(4) contract with the association to coordinate the services provided under the project and to provide the other services required under this subchapter.

Sec. 531.603. PARTICIPATION BY CHILD-CARE PROVIDERS. (a) A child-care provider is eligible to volunteer for participation in the project if the provider is regulated by the department, cares for infants and toddlers, and:

(1) has a history of complaints and noncompliance in maintaining child-care licensing standards, as documented by the Department of Family and Protective Services; or

(2) is otherwise approved by the regional child-care mentor, under the guidance of the office and association.

(b) A child-care provider that participates in the project may not be charged for services or resources received under the project.

(c) A child-care provider that participates in the project must enter into an agreement with the regional child-care mentor to actively engage in the project and to complete any evaluation measures requested by the mentor relating to the project.

Sec. 531.604. ASSOCIATION. The association shall:

(1) contract and work with a community-based organization that is to serve as the regional coordinating agency within a region;

(2) collect project data; and

(3) assist regional coordinating agencies in contracting with a person to serve as the regional child-care mentor within a region.

Sec. 531.605. REGIONAL COORDINATING AGENCIES. (a) A community-based organization selected by the association to serve as a regional coordinating agency must have the support of child-care providers and a demonstrated history of:

(1) ongoing relationships with the child-care provider population to be served by the project;

(2) providing training, technical assistance, and other support services to the population being served; and

(3) conducting program assessments, on-site consultations, meetings, training, and quality improvement projects with the population to be served by the project.

(b) Subject to Sections 531.604(3) and 531.606(b), the regional coordinating agency shall hire and supervise the regional child-care mentor.

Sec. 531.606. REGIONAL CHILD-CARE MENTORS. (a) A regional child-care mentor is responsible for creating and coordinating a system of community support for child-care providers within a region to assist those providers in meeting the health, safety, and developmental needs of infants and toddlers in the providers' care. The mentor in each region may develop the system of support according to the needs and resources available in the community.

(b) A person is qualified to serve as a regional child-care mentor if the person holds an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree that relates to early childhood development or education or another credential that qualifies the person to serve as a regional child-care mentor, as determined by the regional coordinating agency under the guidance of the office.

(c) The regional child-care mentor shall:

(1) work with the child-care licensing division of the department in the region to identify child-care providers in the community that meet the requirements of Section 531.603(a)(1);

(2) reach out to child-care providers identified under Subdivision (1) and seek their participation in the project;

(3) provide project services to at least 12 and not more than 15 child-care providers unless the regional child-care mentor determines, under the guidance of the office and the association, that the mentor can provide services to more than 15 providers;

(4) enter into an agreement with each participating provider in accordance with Section 531.603(c);

(5) establish working relationships with participating providers that:

(A) are collaborative, strengths-based in nature, and characterized by open and active communication; and

(B) are based on trust and respect;

(6) provide ongoing consultation services to participating providers, which may be conducted on-site or through telephone call or e-mail, and may include program assessments and the facilitation of monthly meetings with other participating providers to build a community network to offer support and guidance;

(7) establish a community coordination committee composed of representatives from local organizations within a community to assist in providing technical assistance, support services, and expertise to participating providers;

(8) with the assistance of the community coordination committee, identify and establish a network of multidisciplinary child-care consultants within the community, which may include child-care health consultants, infant and toddler specialists, Texas Association of Infant Mental Health credentialed professionals, positive behavioral support consultants, early childhood intervention program staff, and other professionals available through local agencies, to provide group training, technical assistance, and other resources to participating providers, and specialized consultations with those providers as needed; and

(9) collect data necessary to evaluate project outcomes.

Sec. 531.607. COMMUNITY COORDINATION COMMITTEES. A community coordination committee established under Section 531.606(c)(7) is responsible for:

(1) assisting the regional child-care mentor to identify potential multidisciplinary child-care consultants to participate in the project;

(2) promoting the development of consultants in rural areas;

(3) identifying local funding resources and other community resources available to assist participating providers in improving the safety and quality of the care provided to infants and toddlers;

(4) identifying challenges facing participating providers and solutions to address those challenges; and

(5) helping to educate parents about quality infant and toddler care.

Sec. 531.608. MULTIDISCIPLINARY CHILD-CARE CONSULTANTS. (a) Multidisciplinary child-care consultants identified under Section 531.607(1) shall provide services to participating providers as part of their agency's or organization's, if applicable, standard service delivery.

(b) If an appropriate consultant is not available through a participating organization or agency, an independent consultant may be used on a fee-for-service basis and paid for by the project.

Sec. 531.609. FUNDING. The office may use appropriated funds from the state and may accept gifts, donations, and grants of money from the federal government, local governments, private corporations, or other persons to assist in financing the project.

Sec. 531.610. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. Not later than December 1, 2008, the commission shall submit a report to the legislature that:

(1) evaluates the operation of the project; and

(2) makes recommendations regarding the continuation or expansion of the project.

Sec. 531.611. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires November 2, 2009.

SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2007, the Office of Early Childhood Coordination shall implement the demonstration project to provide consultation services to certain child-care providers required under Subchapter P, Chapter 531, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.