Child Care Task Force

sliding income scale. She explained the cap amount the state will pay and how parents can increase their amount of subsidy, if needed. The rate is driven by what providers charge and the subsidies often do not satisfy those charges. At this time, parents are not being required to choose licensed providers. She stated that by October, DWS plans to reimburse consumers who use accredited child care centers at a rate higher than the rate provided to consumers who use non-accredited centers.

    Rep. Allen requested that the Department of Workforce Services supply the task force with a simplified version of the restrictions on the use of TANF funds for child care. She asked that DWS report at the September 22, 1998 meeting of the task force.

    Ms. Elyce Mouskondis cautioned the task force about using TANF funds. She stated that the state should not become too dependent on federal money. TANF funds could be used as bonus dollars.
        
        3.    Coordination of Training

    Ms. Julie Baker, State office of Education, reviewed Governor Leavitt's initiative for literacy in Utah and emphasized the need to go forward so issues do not get worse. The two initiatives the governor has endorsed are:

    .     A campaign to get parents to read to their children.
    .     To reach at least 12,000 at-risk youth and improve their reading by the year 2000.

    She stated that every family needs to know what a learning environment is like and that includes quality child care. She recommended that a training vehicle be created for all adults that work with children. Trainers would be trained at universities and then they will train others. Trainers will be used by three different facilitators: the child care provider and parent, Head Start, and the local PTA and Elementary schools.
    
    Sen. Blackham suggested that all students who anticipate becoming parents be required to take child care classes.
        
         4.    Criminal Background Checks

    Mr. Jim Wilson explained the draft legislation titled "Child Care Provider Criminal Background Check Amendments." He reviewed the requirements for FBI fingerprint and national checks and who pays for it. The proposal provides that subsequent national records checks would be unnecessary if a child care provider remained in the state.

    MOTION:     Elyce Mouskondis moved to recommend the draft legislation be approved as a committee bill.

    Mr. Sonnenreich expressed concern that it is too easy for a person who wishes to do ill to children to become licensed as a day-care provider and that the current draft would allow a person to leave the state for three years, become convicted of an offense and even serve time in prison, then come back to Utah and avoid a background check.

    SUBSTITUTE MOTION:    David Sonnenreich moved to amend the draft legislation to require an FBI background check for all persons submitting for initial licenses and for renewals of persons who have been out of the state. The substitute motion passed with Sen. Blackham, Rep. Allen and Elyce Mouskondis voting in opposition.
    
         5.    Regulation of Child Care
    
    Ms. Debra Wynkoop-Green, director, bureau of licensing, Department of Health, and Doug Springmeyer, Department of Health, distributed and reviewed a matrix showing the four categories of child care licenses. They reviewed changes made in the matrix that indicate the differences in residential certificates, licensed family care, child care centers, and hourly-rate child care centers. They reviewed the inspection program and stated that inspectors are quality checked for consistency throughout the system.

    Ms. Iona Thraen, director, Health Systems Improvement, Department of Health, suggested there be a mechanism to reward certificate providers for going beyond what is required, which would act as an incentive for them to continue to improve the quality of child care. She stated that she is forming a subcommittee to study that issue.

6.    Other Business
            
    Sen. Blackham distributed a list of potential objectives and study issues to the task force. He asked them to prioritize them and return them to staff. A discussion of the results will be on the agenda for the next task force meeting.

    Ms. Pat Kreher distributed a summary of the weaknesses and recommendations for child care services identified at the first meeting. She also distributed information regarding the child care challenges in Utah from the Children's Defense Fund.

    Ms. Dee Rowland was introduced as the newest member of the task force. Ms. Rowland is a representative of the religious community.
    
         7.    Adjourn

    MOTION: At 12:00 noon, David Sonnenreich moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.