BILL REQ. #:  H-1847.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/17/11.   

     AN ACT Relating to clarifying the department of early learning's authority with respect to licensed child care facilities; and amending RCW 43.215.545.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 43.215.545 and 2006 c 265 s 204 are each amended to read as follows:
     The department of early learning shall:
     (1) Work in conjunction with the statewide child care resource and referral network as well as local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community child care advocates to create local child care resource and referral organizations. These organizations may carry out needs assessments, resource development, provider training, technical assistance, and parent information and training;
     (2) Actively seek public and private money for distribution as grants to the statewide child care resource and referral network and to existing or potential local child care resource and referral organizations;
     (3) Adopt rules regarding the application for and distribution of grants to local child care resource and referral organizations. The rules shall, at a minimum, require an applicant to submit a plan for achieving the following objectives:
     (a) Provide parents with information about child care resources, including location of services and subsidies;
     (b) Carry out child care provider recruitment and training programs, including training under RCW 74.25.040;
     (c) Offer support services, such as parent and provider seminars, toy-lending libraries, and substitute banks;
     (d) Provide information for businesses regarding child care supply and demand;
     (e) Advocate for increased public and private sector resources devoted to child care;
     (f) Provide technical assistance to employers regarding employee child care services; and
     (g) Serve recipients of temporary assistance for needy families and working parents with incomes at or below household incomes of one hundred seventy-five percent of the federal poverty line;
     (4) Provide staff support and technical assistance to the statewide child care resource and referral network and local child care resource and referral organizations;
     (5) Maintain a statewide child care licensing data bank and work with department licensors to provide information to local child care resource and referral organizations about licensed child care providers in the state;
     (6) Through the statewide child care resource and referral network and local resource and referral organizations, compile data about local child care needs and availability for future planning and development;
     (7) Coordinate with the statewide child care resource and referral network and local child care resource and referral organizations for the provision of training and technical assistance to child care providers. Such training and technical assistance must include a quality improvement consultation program which supports child care centers in their efforts to improve quality and address problems as identified by the child care provider;
     (a) The quality improvement consultation program must be a separate process from the facility licensing and compliance agreement process and must be offered to child care centers on a voluntary basis;
     (b) As part of the quality improvement consultation program, the department may, within available funding, and at the request of the child care center, conduct on-site visits and telephone consultations;
     (c) Any records or information gained as a result of a child care center's work under the quality improvement consultation program may not be disclosed to or shared with nonmanagerial department licensing or complaint investigation staff, unless necessary to carry out duties described under chapter 26.44 RCW. The emphasis should be on problem prevention. Nothing in this subsection limits or interferes with the consultant's mandated reporting duties under chapter 26.44 RCW; and
     (8) Collect and assemble information regarding the availability of insurance and of federal and other child care funding to assist state and local agencies, businesses, and other child care providers in offering child care services.