S931

An Act concerning licensed child care providers, supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. There is established a business coaching program in the Department of Children and Families. The purpose of the program is to provide technical assistance to support licensed child care providers in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the child care centers operated by such providers. The components of the program shall allow a child care provider to:

(1) meet virtually with a business coach, once or twice a month, at a time, and in a manner, that fits the provider’s schedule;

(2) receive coaching services in English, Spanish, or any other language that the commissioner determines is the first language of a significant number of providers who participate or are likely to participate in the program;.

(3) learn and adopt methods for increasing the enrollment of, and tuition rates charged to the parents of, children at child centers operated by the provider; and

(4) receive information on the rules and regulations governing dispute resolution, reporting procedures, health care benefits, and health and safety conditions at child care centers, and any other matters the Commissioner of Children and Families deems necessary and important.

b. (1) To be eligible to participate in the program, an applicant shall: be a child care provider licensed to operate a child care center in the State; maintain residency during program participation; and satisfy any additional criteria the commissioner may establish.

(2) All applicants shall apply to the program on a form and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.

(3) The commissioner shall select the program participants from among those applicants who meet the eligibility criteria established pursuant to this subsection, and the participation of any licensed child care provider in the program shall be voluntary.

2. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

3. There is appropriated $3,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Children and Families to effectuate the purposes of this act.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a business coaching program in the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The purpose of the program is to provide technical assistance to support licensed child care providers in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the child care centers operated by such providers.

The components of the program are to allow a child care provider to: (1) meet virtually with a business coach, once or twice a month, at a time, and in a manner, that fits the provider’s schedule; (2) receive coaching services in English, Spanish, or any other language that is the first language of a significant number of providers who participate or are likely to participate in the program; (3) learn and adopt methods for increasing the enrollment of, and tuition rates charged to the parents of, children at child centers operated by the provider; and (4) receive information on the rules and regulations governing dispute resolution, reporting procedures, health care benefits, and health and safety conditions at child care centers, and any other matters deemed necessary and important.

Under the bill’s provisions, in order to participate in the program, an applicant is to: be a child care provider licensed to operate a child care center in the State; maintain residency during program participation; and satisfy any additional criteria established by the Commissioner of Children and Families.

All applicants are to apply to the program on a form and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner, and the commissioner is to select the program participants from among those applicants who meet the eligibility criteria established in the bill. The participation of any licensed child care provider in the program is to be voluntary.

The bill makes an appropriation of $3 million to the DCF to fund the program.