FAMILY CHILD CARE NETWORKS ACT H.B. 5043 (H-1):
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 5043 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Kelly Breen
House Committee: Families, Children, and Seniors
Senate Committee: Economic and Small Business Development
CONTENT
The bill would enact the "Family Child Care Networks Act" to do the following:
-- Require the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to establish, upon appropriation, the family child care networks to support home-based child care providers.
-- Require the MDE to convene stakeholders to develop a framework for family child care networks based on the needs of providers.
-- Require the MDE to offer or connect providers to certain services, such as coaching and training services.
-- Require the MDE to submit an annual report on the activities and outcomes of each family child care network by region and the changes in the number of home based providers in the State to the House and Senate appropriations committees on the MDE budget and to the State Budget Office.
Specifically, upon appropriation, the MDE would have to establish the family child care networks to support home-based child care providers and funding would have to be dispersed equitably in a manner determined by the MDE with family child care networks in every region of the State. "Region" would mean one of at least four areas of the State as determined by the MDE to provide technical assistance to child care providers. "Provider" would mean a home-based group child care home or family child care home licensed under the child care licensing Act.
(The child care licensing Act defines "family child care home" as a private home in which one but fewer than seven minor children are received for care and supervision for compensation for periods of less than 24 hours a day, attended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to the adult member of the household by blood, marriage, or adoption. "Group child care home" means a private home in which more than six but not more than 12 minor children are given care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours a day unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the household by blood, marriage, or adoption.)
The MDE would have to convene stakeholders to develop a framework for family child care networks based on the needs of providers. The framework would have to include at least the following:
-- Business supports.
-- Connections to peers.
-- Operational supports.
-- Program quality supports.
-- Training and technical assistance.
-- Engaging new providers.
The proposed Act would require a family child care network to offer or connect providers to services including all the following:
-- Individual coaching.
-- Training and professional development, including supporting developmental screenings, health and nutrition, program quality, and early childhood mental health consultation.
-- Connection to peers.
-- Operational supports, including assistance with licensing, subsidy billing, and recruiting families.
-- Business services, including tax preparation, policies and procedures, and human resources support.
Under the Act, the MDE would have to do all the following, at a minimum:
-- Upon appropriation, establish a family child care network in every region of the State.
-- Require all networks to participate in a statewide community of practice, professional development for network staff, and data collection and evaluation to measure success and improve the networks' responsiveness to providers.
-- Require networks to be connected to the State's existing child care infrastructure, including at least the State's quality and licensing system.
The Act also would require the MDE to submit an annual report on the activities and outcomes of each family child care network by region and the changes in the number of home based providers in the State to the House and Senate appropriations committees on the MDE budget and to the State Budget Office.
Legislative Analyst: Tyler P. VanHuyse
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a negative fiscal impact on the State and no fiscal impact on local units of government. The fiscal impact would be limited to the amount of direct appropriation made by the State to operate a family child care network. To fully operate the network, the State would need to appropriate between $2.0 million and $5.0 million annually, depending on the number of providers who participated in the network.
Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Raczkowski
Cory Savino, PhD
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.