TO:
REGIONAL EXECUTIVE STAFF, CIRCUIT MANAGERS, COUNTY MANAGERS, AND CHILDREN'S DIVISION/FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION STAFF
FROM:
PAULA NEESE, INTERIM DIRECTOR
CHILDREN'S DIVISION
JANEL R. LUCK, DIRECTOR
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
SUBJECT:
CHILD CARE PROVIDER RELATIONS UNIT ROLL OUT PLAN AND RESPONSIBILITIES
REFERENCE:
CHILDREN'S DIVISION & FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of this memorandum is to update Children's Division and Family Support Division staff on the roll out plan for the Child Care Provider Relations Unit (CCPRU). This unit was introduced under its previous title of Provider Relations, Registration, and Payment Unit in memoranda CD06-18/OEC-06-02 dated 02/24/2006 and CD06-38/OEC-06-04 dated 04/04/2006. The name has been changed to Child Care Provider Relations Unit to more adequately describe the unit's functions and because of confusion expressed by field staff about which vendor payments the unit is responsible for. The CCPRU works with child care providers only. All other vendors contracted with the Children's Division continue to conduct their billing transactions through normal Children's Division processes.
This memorandum is the third in a series of memoranda discussing the implementation process for centralizing child care provider registration and payment processes. The implementation plan for Phase One counties, caseload distribution, and specific job functions of the CCPRU are discussed in this memorandum.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND CASELOAD DISTRIBUTION:
Memorandum CD06-38/OEC-06-04 (04/04/06) describes the process that FSD and CCPRU staff are to follow in referring potential new providers for registration packets. That process applies to all child care providers who wish to register with the agency in order to provide child care services to eligible families and is specific to the location at which the provider is providing care. The first phase of implementation is limited to only those counties identified in the previous memo as part of Phase One of the pilot. Please note that the implementation plan does not currently include counties identified as Metro or Sub-metro counties. Those counties include: Buchanan, Boone, Cass, Clay, Christian, Franklin, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lafayette, Newton, Platte, Ray, St. Charles, St. Louis City, and St. Louis County.
Caseload distribution for Phase One is identified in the attachment “IMPLEMENTATION MAP FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDER RELATIONS UNIT” 
. Each caseload is defined by a group of identified counties with the specific worker's name and contact information indicated. Staff may use this information as providers contact their local FSD offices during the transition.
Child care providers are assigned to caseloads by their location, not by the location of the eligible household. If a provider is located in a county not identified in the Phase One implementation, but the eligible household is, the process for that provider's registration and invoice payments remains a function of the FSD office.
Example: Eligible household resides in Moberly (Randolph County); parent works in Columbia and takes her child to child care in Columbia (Boone County). Because the provider is located in Boone County, a non Phase One county, the provider's registration is maintained by Boone County FSD and their invoices are processed for payment by the Randolph County FSD office.
FAMIS system changes to reflect the change in provider processes in Phase One implementation are in place. Effective with all paper invoices generated on April 20, 2006, the return addresses reflect the address of the Early Childhood and Prevention Services section of the Children's Division. In addition, FAMIS generated provider re-registration forms (FA 350, 351, and 352) with an end date of June 30, 2006 or later reflect the new return address. A message is included with the April paper invoices, as well as the Message Center of the Child Care On-Line Invoicing System (CCOIS) informing providers of the changes and contact information for the CCPRU. A generic e-mail address for the CCPRU is also given to providers in this message. Providers may contact the CCPRU using this generic e-mail address, CD.ASKCCPRU@dss.mo.gov , to request a registration packet (for potential providers seeking to become registered) and to contact the unit about payment issues. Please provide this e-mail address as you have contact with registered providers in the identified pilot counties.
CCPRU FUNCTIONS:
The CCPRU will assume all functions related to provider registration, re-registration, invoice processing, and provider payment resolution for the identified Phase One counties effective May 1, 2006. This includes all background screening requirements associated with registered providers (fingerprinting and FCSR processes), tuberculosis testing verification, and all other requirements defined in RSMO 210.025.
Please note that the processes for Child Care Provider Administration Hearings will be changed and instructions for those changes will be forthcoming in a separate memorandum.
INITIAL REGISTRATION PROCESSES:
When a potential child care provider requests registration from CCPRU, they will be asked to identify the family who has requested their services. A cover letter accompanies the registration packet identifying all necessary verification and documents that are needed in order to process the registration. Once the registration information is received, the Child Care Provider Registration Application and Agreement (FA-350) will contain a list of children for whom the provider intends to care. When the registration determination is complete, a notice will be sent to the FSD Eligibility Specialist assigned to the household informing them of the provider's registration status. This notice will be in the form of an e-mail from the CCPRU worker to the FSD Eligibility Specialist. If the provider is approved for registration, the notification will alert the FSD Eligibility Specialist that the eligible children are ready to be authorized to the approved registered provider.
REGISTRATION RENEWAL PROCESSES:
Per memorandum CD06-38 dated 04/04/2006, staff is instructed to process all registration renewals received in their offices where the return address shown on the registration form continues to be the local FSD office.
If a provider submits their registration renewal paperwork to their local FSD office, in the identified Phase One counties, after their registration has expired, forward the registration paperwork to the CCPRU for processing.
As FSD staff process children's authorizations/re-authorizations to providers renewing their registration with the CCPRU, an error message will appear during the re-authorization process in FAMIS alerting the FSD Eligibility Specialist if the provider is not yet registered. The FSD Eligibility Specialist may contact the CCPRU worker to find out the status of the re-registration at that time. Otherwise, the CCPRU worker will notify the FSD Eligibility Specialist, using the family information indicated by the provider on the Child Care Provider Registration Application and Agreement (FA-350) when the registration renewal is complete and in the system.
PROVIDER NOTICES (FA-155)
Provider authorization notices continue to show the return address and worker name of the worker who made child authorization actions, regardless of the provider's location.
Using the earlier example, the provider notice (FA-155)received by the provider located in Boone County will reflect the Randolph County address and the Randolph County Eligibility Specialist's name so that the provider has the appropriate contact information about the child's authorization.
PROVIDER PAYMENTS:
Invoices for April child care services, for those providers located in the Phase One counties, have the following return address on them:
Children's Division/ECPS
P.O. Box 88
Jefferson City, MO 65103-0088
It is important that providers understand the new process for invoicing; therefore, FSD field staff is instructed to forward any invoices received in the local FSD office to the CCPRU as soon as possible and encourage providers to contact their CCPRU worker for any questions they may have about their invoice.
FSD CONTINUED RESPONSIBILITIES:
FSD Eligibility Specialists continue to process Child Care Assistance requests as well as child authorizations. The process for eligibility determination has not changed with the establishment of the CCPRU. All functions associated with a family's eligibility for assistance remains the same, including the administrative hearing process when a family disagrees with action taken on their Child Case Assistance eligibility.
CD PROTECTIVE SERVICES CHILD CARE:
Processing Protective Services Child Care requests through CSIPS is unchanged. Children authorized for Protective Services Child Care, whether in Children's Division custody or in in-tact families, must access care with a licensed child care provider contracted with the Children's Division. Contracting processes for licensed child care providers continues to be facilitated by designated staff in Circuit/County offices. The Central Office Contract Management Unit maintains responsibility for approving and entering child care contracts.
Please note: The use of registered care for Protective Services Child Care is not permitted unless explicitly approved by the Early Childhood and Prevention Services (ECPS) section of the Children's Division. Approval of registered care may only occur when the CD worker provides written documentation to ECPS explaining the reason registered care is requested and the measures taken to secure licensed/contracted care arrangements. If there is adequate licensed/contracted care in the area, registered care will not be approved. Submit requests for registered care through you normal supervisory channels.
Invoicing processes for Protective Services child care remains a function of the Circuit/County Offices. Children's Division staff is instructed to continue submitting CS-65's to the Central Office CSIPS Payment Unit to the attention of Felicia Kliethermes. The CCPRU and CSIPS Payment Unit work closely together by reviewing the CS-65's submitted to determine that the provider is legal and compliant with DSS requirements before the payment is authorized.
CONCLUSION:
As transition progresses to centralize child care provider processes, communication between the CCPRU and local CD/FSD offices is critical. Providers are likely to continue contacting their local offices for information about the new process. The CCPRU is dedicated to providing good customer service on the behalf of child care providers as well as CD/FSD offices within their respective caseloads. CD/FSD offices are encouraged to communicate with the CCPRU as issues arise.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with all Children's Division staff.
- All questions should be cleared through normal supervisory channels and directed to:
PDS CONTACT:
PDS name N/A CCPR Unit
PDS phone number 573-522-1385/573-526-3011
PDS email address N/A
CCPRU e-mail: CD.ASKCCPRU@dss.mo.gov
PROGRAM MANAGER:
Unit Mgr name Becky Houf
Unit Mgr phone number 573-751-6793
Unit Mgr email address becky.l.houf@dss.mo.gov
CHILD WELFARE MANUAL REVISIONS:
N/A.
FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS:
N/A.
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS and RESOURCES:
Memorandum CD06-18/OEC-06-02;
Memorandum CD06-38/OEC-06-04;
IMPLEMENATION MAP FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDER RELATIONS UNIT
RELATED STATUTE:
N/A
ADMINISTRATIVE RULE:
N/A
COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION (COA) STANDARDS:
N/A
PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN (PIP):
N/A
SACWIS REQUIREMENTS:
N/A
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