Requires the office of children and family services to utilize a cost estimation model when determining the actual cost providers incur when providing child care and requires the office to prepare an annual report detailing such.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7773
IN SENATE
February 18, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to implementing a
cost estimation model for child care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivisions 5, 6, 7 and 8 of section 410-x of the social
2 services law are renumbered subdivisions 6, 7, 8 and 9 and a new subdi-
3 vision 5 is added to read as follows:
4 5. (a) For each group for which the office of children and family
5 services determines a separate payment rate pursuant to subdivision four
6 of this section, and at the same frequency, such office shall utilize a
7 cost estimation model to determine the actual cost providers incur when
8 providing child care. The cost estimation model shall identify and take
9 into account cost drivers including but not limited to employee salary
10 and benefits, enrollment levels, facility costs and compliance with
11 statutory and regulatory requirements. Where a quality rating system or
12 any quality indicators are being utilized, the cost estimation model
13 shall also take into account the cost of providing services at each
14 level of quality.
15 (b) In developing such model the office of children and family
16 services shall consult with stakeholders including, but not limited to,
17 representatives of child care resource and referral agencies, child care
18 providers and any state advisory council established pursuant to 42
19 U.S.C.S. § 9831 et. seq., as amended. The cost estimation model shall be
20 statistically valid, using complete and current data and rigorous
21 collection methods.
22 § 2. Section 410-z of the social services law, as added by section 52
23 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as
24 follows:
25 § 410-z. Reporting requirements. 1. Each social services district
26 shall collect and submit to the [department] office of children and
27 family services, in such form and at such times as specified by the
28 [department] office of children and family services, such data and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02784-04-0
S. 7773 2
1 information regarding child care assistance provided under the block
2 grant as the [department] office of children and family services may
3 need to comply with federal reporting requirements.
4 2. The office of children and family services shall prepare a report
5 detailing the actual cost providers incur when providing child care in
6 each setting, as determined by the cost estimation model established in
7 paragraph (a) of subdivision five of section four hundred ten-x of this
8 title. The report shall detail cost data for each setting, age group,
9 care provided to children with special needs, and any other grouping for
10 which a separate cost estimation is conducted. Such data shall include:
11 (a) the level of quality care as determined by a quality rating system
12 or any quality indicators utilized by the state;
13 (b) a description of the major cost drivers for providing care; and
14 (c) a comparison of the costs of child care for each grouping to the
15 market rate determined by the office of children and family services
16 pursuant to subdivision four of section four hundred ten-x of this
17 title.
18 The report shall be submitted to the governor, the speaker of the
19 assembly and the temporary president of the senate by June first, two
20 thousand twenty-two and June first of every other year thereafter. The
21 office of children and family services shall post the information
22 contained in the report on its website.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
