7 Miss. Code. R. 3-17.6 - Eligibility Monitoring and Management (Child Care Program)

1. Sponsor Requirements:

a. Each new sponsor will provide evidence of a successful organizational history which includes administration of Federal and/or State Programs or providing services to children.

b. All sponsors will maintain a continuous log which indicates any change in the days or hours a provider is scheduled to provide care, any days when a substitute caregiver is utilized and the name of the substitute.

c. All changes in information provided to the State Agency on the provider application shall be submitted to the State Agency for approval in advance of the change date.

d. All required sponsor monitoring visits must be conducted during meal service, annually shall cover all approved meal types, i.e., breakfast, a.m. snack, lunch, p.m. snack, supper, and shall be unannounced.

e. Homes caring for children on weekends or on split shifts (breakfast, child leaves for school/center/head start, then returns for snack and supper) shall be monitored a minimum of six times a program year.

f. If a provider is keeping an outside child all day and is not claiming lunch for reimbursement, this provider shall be monitored by the sponsor a minimum of six times a program year.

g. Homes claiming reimbursement for meals served on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day shall be monitored during meal service on each named holiday.

h. Inform providers of their right to request an administrative review of intent to terminate and the procedures to appeal.

2. Provider Requirements

a. The primary or substitute caregiver shall be at least eighteen years of age.

b. A substitute for the primary provider can be utilized only in event of a short-term emergency, and the sponsor must be given advance notice.

c. All changes in information provided to the sponsor on the provider application shall be submitted to the sponsor for approval in advance of the change date.

d. When the state agency audits/reviews a sponsor, a provider is labeled "Seriously Deficient" if the following occurs:

i. Children or provider are not present as scheduled,

ii. Provider has no required records on site,

iii. Provider is serving meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements,

e. A corrective action plan must be implemented. Failure of the provider to permanently correct the problem will result in termination by the sponsor.

i. Breakfast will not be approved for Day Care Home Providers where the enrolled children attend a school, childcare center, or head start that offers the Breakfast Program under another Child Nutrition Program.

ii. Minimum hours of care shall be provided in order to claim reimbursement for a meal type as follows:

2 Hours - One Meal Type

4 Hours - Two Meal Types

6 Hours - Three Meal Type

iii. A minimum of 2 1/2 hours shall lapse between the beginning service time of any meal type and the service of the next meal type.

iv. All providers shall have an operable telephone on site during hours of operation.

3. Service Area Requirements

a. New sponsors will be approved only in a county where inadequate services are available to children.

MDE staff shall have the authority to develop procedures as necessary to implement these requirements.

Notes

7 Miss. Code. R. 3-17.6

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-1-3 (Revised 09/2022)

Adopted 12/30/2015 Amended 1/5/2023