§ 98.14 - Plan process.

§ 98.14 Plan process.

In the development of each Plan, as required pursuant to § 98.17, the Lead Agency shall:

(a)

(1) Coordinate the provision of child care services funded under this part with other Federal, State, and local child care and early childhood development programs (including such programs for the benefit of Indian children, infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care) to expand accessibility and continuity of care as well as full-day services. The Lead Agency shall also coordinate the provision of services with the State, and if applicable, tribal agencies responsible for:

(i) Public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations;

(ii) Employment services/workforce development;

(iii) Public education (including agencies responsible for prekindergarten services, if applicable, and early intervention and preschool services provided under Part B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400));

(iv) Providing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families;

(v) Child care licensing;

(vi) Head Start collaboration, as authorized by the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.);

(vii) State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (designated or established pursuant to the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.)) or similar coordinating body;

(viii) Statewide after-school network or other coordinating entity for out-of-school time care (if applicable);

(ix) Emergency management and response;

(x) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) authorized by the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766) and other relevant nutrition programs;

(xi) Services for children experiencing homelessness, including State Coordinators of Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY State Coordinators) and, to the extent practicable, local liaisons designated by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in the State as required by the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11432) and Continuum of Care grantees;

(xii) Medicaid and the State children's health insurance programs (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.);

(xiii) Mental health services; and

(xiv) Child care resources and referral agencies, child care consumer education organizations, and providers of early childhood education training and professional development.

(2) Provide a description of the results of the coordination with each of these agencies in the CCDF Plan.

(3) If the Lead Agency elects to combine funding for CCDF services with any other early childhood program, provide a description in the CCDF Plan of how the Lead Agency will combine and use the funding.

(4) Demonstrate in the CCDF Plan how the State, Territory, or Tribe encourages partnerships among its agencies, other public agencies, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, and private entities, including faith-based and community-based organizations, to leverage existing service delivery systems for child care and development services and to increase the supply and quality of child care and development services and to increase the supply and quality of child care services for children who are less than 13 years of age, such as by implementing voluntary shared service alliance models.

(b) Consult with appropriate representatives of local governments;

(c)

(1) Hold at least one hearing in the State, after at least 20 days of statewide public notice, to provide to the public an opportunity to comment on the provision of child care services under the Plan.

(2) The hearing required by paragraph (c)(1) shall be held before the Plan is submitted to ACF, but no earlier than nine months before the Plan becomes effective.

(3) In advance of the hearing required by this section, the Lead Agency shall make available to the public the content of the Plan as described in § 98.16 that it proposes to submit to the Secretary, which shall include posting the Plan content on a Web site.

(d) Make the submitted and final Plan, any Plan amendments, and any approved requests for temporary relief (in accordance with § 98.19) publicly available on a Web site.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67574, Sept. 30, 2016]