Legislation Document

WHEREAS, the Purchase of Care (POC) Program in Delaware is a subsidy that provides support for early childhood and after-school education for children from birth through age 12 living within 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit; and

WHEREAS, funding for POC comes from federal and state sources, which help low-income families pay for their child care so that parents or guardians can work or receive workforce training; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Division of Social Services (DSS) is responsible for setting the standards and

distributing this benefit to Delawareans; and

WHEREAS, having accurate data is integral to determining appropriate funding for the POC program as well assisting in formulating policy to smartly build and expand the program.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 151 ^st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services is directed to provide a report on or before September 15, 2021, on the Delaware Purchase of Care (POC) that details the number of individual children served each month in Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, the total spent on POC in Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, and what portion of the funds came from State, federal, or one-time stimulus sources, such as the CARES Act or ARPA. The report must include the following information, if available:

1. The number of active participants broken down by the number in POC versus POC Plus, by age, by county, and by provider type which includes center, family, large family, or school program.

2. The demographics of the children and their families served in the same period by the POC program, including race, Individual Education Plan/Individual Family Service Plan (IEP/IFSP), household income range, and whether the child or family is homeless or the child is in foster care.

3. A report from Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) on families’ ability to access care in the same period and any specific needs of families that are not being met by POC, including areas that have been identified as shortages, such as infant and toddler care, dual language learner care, and off-hours care.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that every 60 days beginning September 15, 2021, and ending September 15, 2022, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services is directed to provide a report which must include the following:

1. The number of individual children served in the 60-day period preceding the first day of the month that the report is submitted, including the number of eligible children approved compared to the number of active participants. The number of active participants is to be broken down further by the number in POC versus POC Plus, by age, by county, and by provider type which includes center, family, large family, or school program.

4. The total spent on POC in the same period, including what portion of the funds came from State, federal, or one-time stimulus sources, such as the CARES Act or ARPA.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any report discussed herein must be submitted to the Controller General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Co-Chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, and the Delaware Early Childhood Council.