Bill Text: NJ AR60 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Commissioner of Human Services to establish advisory committee for implementation of e-Child Care automated payment and attendance system and to issue report.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-21 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [AR60 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AR60-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Commissioner of Human Services to establish advisory committee for implementation of e-Child Care automated payment and attendance system and to issue report.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Commissioner of Human Services to establish an advisory committee for the implementation of the e-Child Care automated attendance and payment system.
Whereas, The Department of Human Services (department) launched an automated attendance and payment system for child care, known as e-Child Care, as a pilot program in four counties on September 1, 2011; and
Whereas, Statewide implementation of the program began on January 2, 2012, and it is anticipated that the automated system will provide an improved and more efficient child care assistance system in the future, with projected savings in this fiscal year; however, there are concerns about the recent implementation of e-Child Care; and
Whereas, According to testimony received by the Assembly Human Services Committee on February 2, 2012, there have been numerous technical difficulties with the e-Child Care system so that families receiving child care assistance from the Division of Family Development in the department often wait on long lines to swipe the required electronic cards when they drop off their children at child care centers; and
Whereas, Only those families who receive State child care subsidies use point of service devices in child care centers to swipe their cards and the prominent location of those devices, together with the technical difficulties and long lines, draw attention to those families who receive a State subsidy, leaving their children vulnerable to social stigmatization; and
Whereas, Some families who need to utilize the e-Child Care system in child care centers face language barriers and need to use a system that accommodates a language other than English; and
Whereas, Providers have also reported delays in receipt of payment, excessive time to complete transactions, and an additional administrative burden when attendance records need to be adjusted; and
Whereas, Training has been provided to child care providers, but more technical support and training are needed; responses to technical difficulties must be prompt so that child care centers can focus on providing child care, rather than providing administrative oversight of the new automated system; and
Whereas, A Statewide automated attendance and payment system for child care assistance, such as e-Child Care, is a worthwhile project, but the system must be void of the technical difficulties experienced by providers and parents, avoid drawing attention to those families who receive a State subsidy, accommodate persons who speak a language other than English, and provide additional training and prompt technical support to the users of the automated system; and
Whereas, The establishment of an advisory committee, which would address these issues and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature, would help ensure the smooth implementation of the e-Child Care automated attendance and payment system in the future; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the Commissioner of Human Services to establish an advisory committee to assist the implementation of the e-Child Care automated child care attendance and payment system in the State by:
a. addressing issues concerning the e-Child Care system, including, but not limited to, the technical difficulties experienced by providers and parents utilizing the system, the attention drawn to those families who receive a State child care subsidy, the accommodation of persons who speak a language other than English, and additional training and prompt technical support to the users of the automated system; and
b. reporting its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within four months of the filing of this resolution with the Secretary of State.
2. A duly authenticated copy of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Commissioner of Human Services, the Director and Deputy Director of the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, and the Project Manager of the e-Child Care automated attendance and payment system.
STATEMENT
This Assembly resolution respectfully urges the Commissioner of Human Services to establish an advisory committee to assist the Statewide implementation of the e-Child Care automated child care attendance and payment system.
The resolution provides that the advisory committee would address issues concerning the implementation of the e-Child Care system, including, but not limited to, the technical difficulties experienced by providers and parents utilizing the system, the attention drawn to families who receive a State child care subsidy, the accommodation of persons who speak a language other than English, and additional training and prompt technical support to the users of the system.
Additionally, the resolution provides for the committee to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within four months of the filing of the resolution with the Secretary of State.
E-Child Care was a pilot program that was launched in September 2011 and implemented Statewide on January 2, 2012. At its committee meeting on February 2, 2012, the Assembly Human Services committee received testimony that there have been numerous difficulties with the implementation of the e-Child Care automated attendance and payment system.
