State Survey Analysis Report
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I. INTRODUCTION
In response to the Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA) of 2002 and guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Child Care Bureau (CCB) launched the project: Measuring Improper Payments in the Child Care Program. The purpose of this project is to: (1) identify and describe methods that could help States identify, measure, and prevent errors in the administration of the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF); (2) develop and pilot a methodology to estimate an annual rate of improper payments; (3) develop and pilot an instrument to conduct a self-assessment of internal controls; and (4) provide recommendations for documented “best practices” and other technical assistance (TA) materials, data and reporting protocols for improved monitoring and administration of the CCDF.
The CCDF is a block grant that made available over 5 billion dollars to States, Territories and Tribes to support child care subsidies for low-income working families during Fiscal Year (FY) 2006.[4] The CCDF block grant allows maximum flexibility for States to set critical policies such as establish eligibility criteria, define administrative structures that allow maximum choice for parents, and establish fiscal management approaches. Because of the discretion given to States, eligibility criteria, rates, regulation of child care providers, and payment mechanisms vary widely among jurisdictions. This flexibility makes it difficult to develop common approaches for identifying and measuring improper payments.
This report highlights practices, legal authority, organizational arrangements, and other attributes that States use to identify, measure, and prevent improper payments. In this report, States provide examples of best practices and techniques that may prove to be instructive for other States. After review and discussion, the final State Survey Analysis Report will be posted on the CCB Web site and made available for all States to assist in effectively managing improper payments.
[4] Child Care Development Fund Fact Sheet (October 2006) available on the Child Care Bureau website: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ccdf/factsheet.htm.
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