Vouchers

[lizzlee]

How do the childcare assistance vouchers work? Do you have to be licensed to accept them?

[LysesKids]

How do the childcare assistance vouchers work? Do you have to be licensed to accept them?

Not here in TN, HOWEVER, you get much less being licensed exempt (TN is years behind upping amounts too); unless you live in one of the 20 higher counties you get the least amount (in Blount & Knox most you can get for an infant is 70 less the copay and they are higher pay counties)... as a license exempt essentially a families first client has to ask you if you will take voucher, then they give their worker all your info , then a house inspection is done ( inc making sure CPR certified/background) then paperwork etc... I now refuse to take subsidy because I had a few moms refusing to pay difference of what I charge & what state pays or they flaked when it came time to do paperwork. not enough of a hassle to warrant waiting a month for the $$ after the start

[lizzlee]

I have three kids from one family in which the dad has walked out and mom has applied for families first and asked about the vouchers. Basically she has to work but by the time she pays for child care she won't have enough to live on. Not really my problem but I'd like to help her out as much as I can and I don't know anything about how the vouchers work, not sure if I could even take them if I wanted to.

[LysesKids]

I have three kids from one family in which the dad has walked out and mom has applied for families first and asked about the vouchers. Basically she has to work but by the time she pays for child care she won't have enough to live on. Not really my problem but I'd like to help her out as much as I can and I don't know anything about how the vouchers work, not sure if I could even take them if I wanted to.

You could but remember being license exempt you can only have 4 kids total... 3 on vouchers means waiting 4-6 weeks for the first payment. She has to work full time in order to receive the families first & vouchers - you could be looking at a few weeks easy just for her to get families first, then you work on the subsidy - like I said, your house has to pass state inspection too. Here's the page with county cap for subsidy rate... you would be an unregulated home which is the lowest tier for your county http://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/hu...ates_bonus.pdf

[lizzlee]

Lysekids-Do you know where I can find the requirements for the state inspection? She does work full time and she said the person she spoke with families first told her she could be reimbursed for what she had paid for chiodcare. I only have this family plus a drop in and a couple of school agers that get here after the first group leaves, I watch my numbers closely so I can stay legal. I've considered starting the licensing process but I only want to have 3-4 kids at a time and I know I would have to invest a lot of money for changes to my home. If I decide do that later I will probably open in a different space and be big enough to hire an assistant.

[LysesKids]

Lysekids-Do you know where I can find the requirements for the state inspection? She does work full time and she said the person she spoke with families first told her she could be reimbursed for what she had paid for chiodcare. I only have this family plus a drop in and a couple of school agers that get here after the first group leaves, I watch my numbers closely so I can stay legal. I've considered starting the licensing process but I only want to have 3-4 kids at a time and I know I would have to invest a lot of money for changes to my home. If I decide do that later I will probably open in a different space and be big enough to hire an assistant.

She will be reimbursed but only the amounts listed on the chart I gave you (TN hasn't updated rates in years)... if you charge more than what state pays she has to pay the difference out of pocket; TN will not pay everything regardless, because more than likely she will have a copay too... that's part of why I stopped taking subsidy - the families aren't told exactly how it works & assume everything is covered, it's not.

If you are only keeping 4 or less, best bet is to stay legally license exempt unless you want to deal with QRIS crap (ask AnneLee - she's near Chattanooga - QRIS is a royal pain and you aren't allowed to NOT DO the requirements if licensed). Here in Blount Co There is only ONE licensed home & I charge the same as what she does & I get it, but I only take 4 kids (I'm infants only so even if I got licensed I'm still limited to 4)... in KNOX there are licensed homes, but many more license exempt - You can find Licensed providers for each Co here http://www.tn.gov/accweb/

Here's licensing regs for the state... http://share.tn.gov/sos/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04.htm

[lizzlee]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I just need to tell her that I'm not approved for the vouchers and let her find someone who is. I really don't want to deal with inspections and such right now for just 3 or 4 kids.

[Annalee]

She will be reimbursed but only the amounts listed on the chart I gave you (TN hasn't updated rates in years)... if you charge more than what state pays she has to pay the difference out of pocket; TN will not pay everything regardless, because more than likely she will have a copay too... that's part of why I stopped taking subsidy - the families aren't told exactly how it works & assume everything is covered, it's not.

If you are only keeping 4 or less, best bet is to stay legally license exempt unless you want to deal with QRIS crap (ask AnneLee - she's near Chattanooga - QRIS is a royal pain and you aren't allowed to NOT DO the requirements if licensed). Here in Blount Co There is only ONE licensed home & I charge the same as what she does & I get it, but I only take 4 kids (I'm infants only so even if I got licensed I'm still limited to 4)... in KNOX there are licensed homes, but many more license exempt - You can find Licensed providers for each Co here http://www.tn.gov/accweb/

Here's licensing regs for the state... http://share.tn.gov/sos/rules/1240/1240-04/1240-04.htm

It is in the works to make all unlicensed homes become licensed if they want to take certificate (vouchers) kids. This will be in effect by 2017. You can remain unlicensed but in 2017 unlicensed will not be allowed to take certificate if they do not have a license.

[LysesKids]

It is in the works to make all unlicensed homes become licensed if they want to take certificate (vouchers) kids. This will be in effect by 2017. You can remain unlicensed but in 2017 unlicensed will not be allowed to take certificate if they do not have a license.

Guess if I ever decide to take vouchers again, I would have to sell this house ; you know why they didn't license me even though the house was brand new . I can live without all the extra crap QRIS would throw on me too. All our voucher people go to centers here, so I'm not worried.

[Annalee]

Guess if I ever decide to take vouchers again, I would have to sell this house ; you know why they didn't license me even though the house was brand new . I can live without all the extra crap QRIS would throw on me too. All our voucher people go to centers here, so I'm not worried.

Majority of vouchers go to center here as well. I haven't had certificate for several years! I make them pay 52 weeks just like all my clients which means money out of their pocket because state doesn't pay for my vacations.