§ 50-11.1-11.1 — Resource and referral services - Authority of department to make grants - Federal funds - Components

North Dakota § 50-11.1-11.1

• Jurisdiction: North Dakota
• Title 50: Public Welfare
• Ch. 50-11.1: Early Childhood Services

Text

- Federal funds - Components.
1. The department may make grants to public and private nonprofit entities for the
planning, establishment, expansion, improvement, or operation of early childhood
services. Public or private nonprofit entities may apply to the department for funding.
Applicants shall apply for grants on forms provided by the department. Applications for
grants using funds received by the state under subsection 2 must include assurances
that federal requirements have been met.
2. The department shall submit an application annually to the United States secretary of
health and human services for the purpose of obtaining the state's allotment of funds
authorized under chapter 8 of title VI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1981 [42 U.S.C. 9871-9877] or under any subsequent federal law providing funding for
child care and development programs.
3. Each public or private nonprofit entity or the department providing early childhood
resource and referral services shall identify all existing related early childhood services
through information provided by all relevant public and private nonprofit entities in the
areas of service and must develop a resource file of these services which must be
maintained and updated at least quarterly. The services must include early childhood
services as identified in section 50-11.1-02.
4. Each public or private nonprofit entity or the department providing early childhood
resource and referral services shall establish a referral process that responds to
parental needs for information, fully ensures the confidentiality of records and
information as required under subsection 4 of section 50-11.1-07, affords parents
maximum access to all referral information, and includes telephone referral available
for no less than twenty hours per week and access via the internet. Each public or
private nonprofit entity or the department shall publicize its services through popular
media sources, agencies, employers, and other appropriate methods.

5. All early childhood services resource and referral public and private nonprofit entities
or the department shall maintain documentation of the number of calls and contacts
received and information required or requested by the department.
6. Each early childhood services resource and referral public or private nonprofit entity or
the department shall have available, as an educational aid to parents, information on
available parent, early childhood, and family education programs in the community and
information on aspects of evaluating the quality and suitability of early childhood
services, including licensing regulation, financial assistance availability, child abuse
reporting procedures, and appropriate child development information.
7. A child care resource and referral public or private nonprofit entity or the department
shall provide technical assistance to existing and potential providers of all types of
early childhood services and to employers.
8. Services prescribed by this section must be designed to maximize parental choice in
the selection of early childhood services and to facilitate the maintenance and
development of such services and resources.