Provider Payment:
– Pay the current rates as soon as effective across the board. Problem: Currently, when the providers submit contract changes and that all depends on the agencies’ policies and procedures, which is usually once a year. For example, when the rate changes in January, I don’t get the pay increase until I can submit again in May, so I’m losing out on 5 months of that raise. (Lorena, San Jose).
o Recommendation: Ideally, rates need to be increased automatically for providers as soon as the rate increase goes into effect and should not be dependent on a provider’s rates for non-subsidized families. If not, we need to be able to submit for a rate adjustment more than once per year, such as 30 days prior to rate ceiling changes going to effect.
– Standardize payment dates. Problem: Currently payment dates vary depending on agency and other factors, and are sometimes lengthy. For instance:
? Right now, in some places, you have until the 5th to submit materials for payment, then wait 21 days which means payment happens on the 25th. That’s late. Elsewhere, you turn in materials during the first few days of the month, and you are paid by the 10th
– Problem: Waiting 21 days is a lot; that means sometimes we are working almost 2 months before we get paid for that work. Private paying families usually pay us the same week we are providing care, not after the fact.
o Recommendation: Every agency/Network and every child care program (e.g., Stages 1,2,3,and AP vouchers) should have the same dates that they pay, required by CDE. For example, if we submit by the 5th then we are paid the 15th.
o Clarification: We are talking about the payment dates, not the contract dates (which of course vary).
Transparency in payment:
– Problem: It is very challenging to understand the payment that we receive—we practically need to be able to be an accountant to understand.
o Recommendation: we should require that agencies provide a training on how to read the paychecks. And require agencies send a written explanation of the amount we receive: rate applied, reason, hours, and any other factors impact amount.
Factors to consider in setting subsidy rates:
Variable Schedules:
– Problem: Our experience is that it seems like we lose out on pay when families have variable rate schedules. It seems essentially an additional type of overtime but we aren’t paid for that time. If they get additional work hours, then we should get additional paid hours for caring for their family. It is difficult for providers to plan, and many costs are fixed. Don’t get best interest days paid if families are authorized for variable rate schedule.
– We need to change this, and can. For instance, one provider has even told agency that there is going to come to a time where providers will reject Stage 1 variable schedules, which is true and scared the agency staff person. This will impact those families.
– Solution: It needs to be eliminated or better regulated, and be the rate of last resort. Some said: We should go back to FT / PT and NOT Variable
– Overtime
o Problem: our current pay does not account for overtime or child absences. Pretty much all of us are working 10+ hours per day—unlike the standard work day that is 8 hours.
o Solution: pay provider full rate if children are present 85% or more of scheduled time.
– Minimum Wage
– Our current pay does not account for the increases in minimum wage. We have to hire quality assistants. We cannot do that if we can’t pay. If we can’t pay at least $15/hr, we can’t have QUALITY.
– Rate needs to be the equivalent of us earning $15/hr as well.
– Some networks’ rates are too low. Needs to at least be as high as voucher care.
Communication between provider, parent, and/or agency:
– Problem: There is little accountability in the Appeals Process.
o Recommendation: We need an independent third party to do it.
– Problem: It often seems like providers cannot access timely information from agencies. For example, sometimes we don’t find out families are ineligible for care until after we have provided care. How can we stay on top of things; it gets complicated? Or if a parent doesn’t pay the fee, we have no way of knowing. We could take care of a child and never get paid for that work.
o Recommendation: Parents and providers should be given the info at the same time. Example: At CCRC they have a form you can sign to get parents’ info where you get access to each other’s updates. The Letter is called Authorization for Release of Information, and you can ask every parent you work with to sign it. This should be standard.
– Problem: When our contract is terminated, they are supposed to give two weeks’ notice, which is short. Sometimes they give you no notice.
o Recommendation: It should be regulated that they need to give us at least 2 weeks’ notice.
Licensing-related issues:
– Background checks should be transferable. If they have clearance already, it shouldn’t be tied to one provider only. It should be useable as long as it’s valid. Problem: When it’s a transfer of a background check, we never receive confirmation. Currently they are supposed to give you a CRN number.
– Recommendation: Need confirmation of background check approvals or a centralized place to check on this.
– Problem: We can care for more children than we are licensed for
– Recommendation: We should expand license for 14+2 for a total of 16 if you don’t have infants. Many of us have 12 kids it would help if we have the income from those two extra kids to pay for the assistant. 14 kids for two people is manageable, especially with no infants.
Quality topics:
– So many providers who have gone back to school would love to see a career ladder. We know that those programs will not be the same if we could do that; it will change the whole look. AND compensate providers accordingly. You might stay in this field. Everybody gets better the longer they done it. Make sure the base is fair to start with.
– Recommendation: More access for funds to increase quality. And compensation for achieving education benchmarks.
Other topics:
– Recommendation: It’d be helpful if state gave us permission to work across the turfs of the agencies. Right now, you are only allowed to use the agency in your area. For instance, the food program you can live anywhere and apply anywhere.
