Iowa Providers Unite!

[nanglgrl]

The internet phone doesn't have a "line" as far as I know. It's just your voice is converted into a packet of internet data and carried thru the internet.

The confusion over this has been raging for many years in all of Iowa. I just chirped in because I wanted you to know that the regs have been the same for longer than I've been in business. Often the DHS makes regulations that are up to interpretation. They have the right to decide the definition of telephone. They are the ones charged with interpreting the Iowa Code when it comes to child care. The code says telephone and they get to decide what that is.

The only way to change it is to have it go thru the appeal process. They redid their regs not too long ago and really only do that every four/five years... sometimes more. It will be a long while before they redo regs.

In order to do the appeal I think you would have to have them pull your registration. There has to be an actual ACTION for it to be heard.. not just a citation. The action would be revocation of the registration. Also, they can drag out the appeal as long as they darn well please. They have certain time frames that it must be heard BUT there is no one overseeing them and enforcing time frames so be prepared to have it go on for a bit. I would also GET IN WRITING that you can remain registered during the appeal process. The phone is a core safety regulation and they may pull your registration completely. Remember too that this will go on your permanent record which may be available online. It may comes up only as a revocation without explanation.

It's risky.

Thanks. Yes, that's what I'm doing right now. I will loose my registration on November 5th and then I will appeal it. If I loose I'm fine with that. I would only have to let go of one child to meet the requirements for an unregistered provider and I have one child that uses CCA so I'm fine with the outcome. It's kind of a bummer because I will not be Childnet Registered, QRS certified anymore and I was just looking into the TEACH program to finish my BA but I don't have a copper landline coming into my house anymore.
The internet doesn't have a copper line but it does use fiber optic line which in my area is much more reliable than copper. Actually, most copper line meets fiber optic cable at some point, usually not far from the house. I will let everyone know how it goes!

[nannyde]

Thanks. Yes, that's what I'm doing right now. I will loose my registration on November 5th and then I will appeal it. If I loose I'm fine with that. I would only have to let go of one child to meet the requirements for an unregistered provider and I have one child that uses CCA so I'm fine with the outcome. It's kind of a bummer because I will not be Childnet Registered, QRS certified anymore and I was just looking into the TEACH program to finish my BA but I don't have a copper landline coming into my house anymore.
The internet doesn't have a copper line but it does use fiber optic line which in my area is much more reliable than copper. Actually, most copper line meets fiber optic cable at some point, usually not far from the house. I will let everyone know how it goes!

2013 July 1st is to be the last day a provider can be unregistered in iowa so you don't have the option to drop to unregistered for too many more months.

If you are on the food program you have to be registered.

Also, they could report this to the Child protective if they want to get froggy. You need to understand that the regulations for unregistered are IDENTICAL to registered. There's no difference between the two with the exception of capacity (max of five with three being under two) and whether there is a signed agreement for unnanounced entry by inspector workers. If you take state kids you sign that agreement ... registered or not.

If you are unregistered the worksheet they use for inspection is IDENTICAL. The reg for the telephone is identical. It will not matter to them whether you are registered or not. They could shut you down because your are breaking the same rule as an unregistered... see????

So you really SHOULD consider whether you want the risk of this or not. They MAY not realize what they CAN do... depends on if they want to shut this down or not. Once they go up the chain of inspectors and supervisors they may realize they can actually stop your business. It's risky.

And... the biggie would be what they put on your file on the internet. They do not have to explain why they revoked you. That will be on there for eternity so consider that too.

[nanglgrl]

2013 July 1st is to be the last day a provider can be unregistered in iowa so you don't have the option to drop to unregistered for too many more months.

If you are on the food program you have to be registered.

Also, they could report this to the Child protective if they want to get froggy. You need to understand that the regulations for unregistered are IDENTICAL to registered. There's no difference between the two with the exception of capacity (max of five with three being under two) and whether there is a signed agreement for unnannounced entry by inspector workers. If you take state kids you sign that agreement ... registered or not.

If you are unregistered the worksheet they use for inspection is IDENTICAL. The reg for the telephone is identical. It will not matter to them whether you are registered or not. They could shut you down because your are breaking the same rule as an unregistered... see????

So you really SHOULD consider whether you want the risk of this or not. They MAY not realize what they CAN do... depends on if they want to shut this down or not. Once they go up the chain of inspectors and supervisors they may realize they can actually stop your business. It's risky.

And... the biggie would be what they put on your file on the internet. They do not have to explain why they revoked you. That will be on there for eternity so consider that too.

I was told just yesterday by the DHS that although they did want to make all providers registered it didn't get Legislative approval so I wasn't worried about that. Has something else happened in regards to this?
I don't mind loosing the food program. I'm on the lower tier so it's not much and all of my parents have said they will provide snacks. If I were not registered I would not take CCA kids, it wouldn't be worth my time.
As far as the rules being the same, there are actually a lot of things that registered providers have to do that unregistered don't but you are correct about the phone line. I was just informed that unregistered providers are required to have a non-pay working phone that is not a cell phone although I can't find it anywhere in the code. Seems like there are a few things we are being made to do that are not in the code.
If child protective services got involved I would laugh as I have nothing to hide. If it goes on my permanent record I'm fine with that. I already planned on making my record available on my webpage along with a description of any infractions and what happened. If a parent turned me down after seeing it they wouldn't be the right fit for me anyway.

I'm going to keep fighting and chugging along as I am not one to just sit idly by. I love the USA, I love that we have laws and that we have a voice. I am a rule follower but I will not do something that makes no sense and is not a rule without speaking up and seeking change just because somebody with a suit says so. In this country we take things to vote, and so far it looks like this issue was just something someone decided.
On the other hand if this was a rule I would follow it but I would still be fighting for change.
I read about problems with California regulation interpretation on here all of the time. I would go crazy if I lived there. I like to know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing so there are no surprises. This was a surprise to CCRR, myself, local DHS and AFSCME. If I get my license revoked for speaking up so be it, if I am unable to do childcare I will find another path. I have four children and like most of you I have helped teach and raise hundreds more. I'm their example, I want them to speak up and to try and right wrongs. I don't want them to follow I want them to lead.

[nanglgrl]

http://www.change.org/petitions/jeff-danielson-kim-anderson-chad-dahm-micki-robinson-amend-iowa-administrative-code-110-5-1#

Please sign, this is not a stupid problem for us. I urge you to help us fight this being required because it is not part of the code we are guided by. If they do this and providers just bow down and do what they are told whats going to stop them next time they want us to do something that hasn't been voted on? No going on field trips? No transporting children? Only being able to have non-cordless phones? Leaving our doors unlocked for surprise visits? I could go on and on. My biggest problem is that this is not code and yet they are revoking and denying registration because of it.

If you have any problems with the link please let me know!

[nanglgrl]

You know you hang out with kids too much when you have an accomplishment and the first thing that comes to mind is the Dora The Explorer theme song. We did it, we did it, we did it hooray!

This is not just a win for providers in Iowa but for all of us. It shows that if we stand together and throw a big fit about an injustice we can change things!

Nannyde pointed the problem out to a friend who used to work for AFSCME. Her friend contacted me and had me send her the letter DHS sent me. She passed it along to the Iowa Childcare Advisory Council at their meeting yesterday and the rest is history.

They noticed my letter from DHS wasn't even signed. I guess no one was willing to take responsibility for telling me to do something that was not part of Iowa code.