TO:
ALL REGIONAL AND COUNTY FSD/CD OFFICES
FROM:
PAULA NEESE, INTERIM DIRECTOR
CHILDREN'S DIVISION
JANEL R. LUCK, INTERIM DIRECTOR
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
SUBJECT:
CENTRALIZING CHILD CARE PROVIDER REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT PROCESSES AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROVIDER RELATIONS REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT UNIT
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of this memorandum is to inform Children's Division and Family Support Division staff of a change in which child care provider registration and payment processes are handled and to introduce the Provider Relations, Registration and Payment Unit.
Effective April 1, 2006, the Provider Relations Registration and Payment Unit (PRRP) will be responsible for processing child care provider registrations and payments as part of Children's Division Central Office. This includes such provider activities as: processing re-registrations; processing payment invoices; processing corrective payments; determining eligibility for rate enhancements; acting as agency witness in child care provider hearings; processing direct deposit requests, and resolving payment disputes.
Please note that county Children's Division and Family Support Division staff will continue to determine eligibility for child care assistance and authorize children to child care providers.
BACKGROUND:
In the spring of 2005, representatives from Family Support Division field staff and Children's Division Central Office staff convened as part of a child care work group with the task of identifying areas of the Child Care program that could be transferred from the field. The purpose of the group was to develop recommendations that would alleviate some of the activities currently handled by FSD field staff. The recommendation from the group was to centralize child care provider registration and payment processes.
IMPLEMENTATION:
During the month of March, PRRP staff will be hired and trained. The PRRP unit will be located in Jefferson City and will consist of two Senior Office Support Assistants, five Executive I's, and one Executive II.
Rollout, which involves transitioning registration and payment activities from the field to the PRRP, will be completed in three phases. Phase one begins April 1 with the following counties:
Northwest |
Southwest |
|---|---|
Atchison |
Bates |
Holt |
Henry |
Nodaway |
Benton |
Andrew |
Morgan |
Worth |
Moniteau |
Gentry |
Vernon |
DeKalb |
St. Clair |
Clinton |
Hickory |
Harrison |
Camden |
Daviess |
Miller |
Caldwell |
Barton |
Mercer |
Cedar |
Grundy |
Polk |
Livingston |
Dallas |
Carroll |
Laclede |
Putnam |
Lawrence |
Sullivan |
Webster |
Linn |
Wright |
Chariton |
McDonald |
Saline |
Barry |
Howard |
Stone |
Pettis |
Taney |
Cooper |
Douglas |
Ozark |
Phase 2 will begin on May 1 with the following counties:
Northeast |
Southeast |
|---|---|
Schulyler |
Maries |
Scotland |
Pulaski |
Clark |
Phelps |
Adair |
Crawford |
Knox |
Washington |
Lewis |
St. Francois |
Macon |
Ste. Genevieve |
Shelby |
Texas |
Marion |
Dent |
Randolph |
Iron |
Monroe |
Madison |
Ralls |
Bollinger |
Audrain |
Perry |
Pike |
Cape Girardeau |
Warren |
Shannon |
Callaway |
Reynolds |
Montgomery |
Wayne |
Lincoln |
Howell |
Cole |
Oregon |
Osage |
Ripley |
Gasconade |
Carter |
Butler |
|
Stoddard |
|
Scott |
|
Mississippi |
|
New Madrid |
|
Pemiscot |
|
Dunklin |
Once the PRRP Unit is established and the pilot counties are fully implemented, the process to integrate the Metro and Sub-Metro Counties as Phase Three of the roll out process will begin. Those counties include: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles, Franklin, Jefferson, Jackson, Buchanan, Platte, Clay, Ray, Lafayette, Cass, Johnson, Boone, Greene, Jasper, Christian and Newton. Staff from these counties, who work directly with child care registrations and invoices, will be included in any policy and/or process decision making; work groups or quarterly staff meetings held in relation to the PRRP during the initial rollout.
Subsequent details on the specific rollout process and notification to providers will be shared with staff as they occur. Any questions regarding this information should be forwarded to the Early Childhood and Prevention Services Unit at 573-522-1385.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review memorandum with all appropriate staff.