Child Care Bureau: Laws, Policies, Program Instructions, and Allocations

Quality Expansion Activities

Related Items: FY 2001 CCDF Final Allocations and Earmarks

Additional Funds for Resource and Referral, and Activites for Children

FACT SHEET: P.L. 105-73

ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR RESOURCE AND REFERRAL, SCHOOL-AGE ACTIVITIES AND ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF QUALITY CARE FOR INFANTS & TODDLERS

BACKGROUND: AMOUNTS

Column 1 of the table "FY 1998 CCDF Discretionary Allocation Table" shows the revised amount of the Discretionary Funds -- including the additional funds appropriated by P.L. 105-78 -- available to each State and territory. In addition to appropriating these additional funds Congress earmarked specific amounts for specific activities shown under the column headed "Earmarks".

Lead Agencies must spend at least the amount shown in column 2 of the allocation table on activities to increase the supply of quality child care for infants and toddlers. Lead Agencies must spend at least the amount in column 3 on planning, establishing, operating, expanding, developing, and improving resource and referral activities and child care services for school-age children. In the last FY Congress also mandated the expenditure of funds for resource and referral and school-age child care activities. However, the earmark for activities to increase the supply of quality child care for infants and toddlers are new this FY.

The amount of the additional appropriated funds is less than the amounts Congress earmarked (i.e., requires) to be spent on the specified activities. The earmarked amounts, however, apply against the total of the Discretionary fund, not just the additionally appropriated amount. Therefore, it may be necessary to reassess the funding of current activities in order to meet the required level of spending for the specified activities.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES: INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF QUALITY INFANT/TODDLER CARE

Because activities to increase the supply of quality child care for infant and toddlers are required for the first time this FY, we have included two attachments which list suggested activities. The first list represents suggestions from representatives of CCDF Lead Agencies for possible activities. The second list summarizes some innovative programs already underway. Lead Agencies have the flexibility to undertake other activities to increase the supply of quality care for infant and toddlers and are not limited to the activities suggested on either list.

ACCESSING THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS

There is no separate "application" for the additional funds. These funds are now included in the Discretionary Fund of your CCDF allotment for FY `98. To immediately access these funds submit an ACF 696 marked "REVISED", enter 4/1/98 as the quarter beginning date and complete only block (c) of line 8, "Estimates for Next Quarter" to indicate how much of the additional funds you want in the 3rd quarter. Revised ACF-696s for the 3rd quarter must be received by May 30, 1998.

The regular 4th quarter submission of the ACF-696 should reflect the balance of these funds in the amount requested in the "Estimates for Next Quarter" line. (Requests for the new funds can be filed at any time during FY 98 and will be processed timely.)

APPLICABLE RULES

All existing statutory and regulatory provisions apply to the total of FY `98 Discretionary funding, including the new additional funds. For example, all funding is included in the amounts against which the "not less than 4% quality" requirement and 5% administrative caps apply. Expenditures for the earmark to increase the supply of quality child care for infants and toddlers are in addition to any expenditures to meet the "not less than 4%" quality requirement.

AMENDING THE CCDF PLAN

The Lead Agency must amend Part 5 of the State CCDF Plan to reflect the activities it will undertake to increase the supply of quality infant and toddler care in accordance with PL 105-78. It may also be necessary to amend Part 5 to describe the resource and referral and school-age activities required if the Plan does not currently reflect them. The public hearing requirement does not apply to the amendment(s).

The amended Part 5 is to submitted to the ACF Regional Administrator using the "Amendments log" as described in Program instruction ACYF-PI-CC-97-02. A copy of amended Part 5 also should be submitted to:

Child Care Bureau,
HHH Building - Room 320F
200 Independence Ave, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

The amended Part 5 must be received and approved by the ACF Regional Office by May 30, 1998 in order to ensure that the additional funds will be available in the 4th quarter.

NON SUPPLANTATION

Acceptance of funding indicates the Lead Agency's agreement that expenditures for the two earmarks will not supplant current funding dedicated to resource and referral activities, school-age activities or activities to increase the supply of child care for infants and toddlers provided by the CCDF. Further, such acceptance indicates that expenditures for the earmark to increase the supply of quality child care for infants and toddlers are in addition to any expenditures to meet the "not less than 4%" quality requirement.

REPORTING EXPENDITURES TO MEET THE EARMARK REQUIREMENT

In order to ascertain that Lead Agencies have complied with the statutory requirement to expend the earmarked amounts on the specified activities, it will be necessary for Lead Agencies to separately report amounts expended on resource and referral, school-age child care activities and activities to increase the supply of quality infant and toddler child care.

Amounts will be reported on the ACF 696 submitted for the last quarter of each FY, beginning with the ACF 696 due no later than October 31, 1998 for the 4th quarter of FY `98. Additional information on how to report these expenditures will be contained in the "Terms and Conditions" issued for these funds.

QUESTIONS

Any questions should be directed to your ACF Regional Office.

Related Items: FY 2001 CCDF Final Allocations and Earmarks