§ 390-N — Child care support center; operating certificate required

* § 390-n. Child care support center; operating certificate required.\n1. For purposes of this section, "child care support center" shall mean\nan entity operating as a child care resource and referral program as\ndefined in title five-B of this article that is certified by the office\nof children and family services to place individuals as substitute\ncaregivers at child day care centers, group family day care homes,\nfamily day care homes, or school age child care programs as defined in\nsection three hundred ninety of this title for the purpose of providing\nchild day care.\n 2. The office of children and family services shall be authorized to\ncertify child care support centers and may, at its discretion, limit the\nnumber of operating certificates issued. The office of children and\nfamily services shall regulate and monitor child care support centers.\n 3. No entity may place substitute caregivers at child day care\ncenters, group family day care homes, family day care homes, or school\nage child care programs unless it possesses a valid operating\ncertificate issued by the office of children and family services.\n 4. Prior to placing an individual as a substitute caregiver at a child\nday care center, group family day care home, family day care home, or\nschool age child care program as defined in section three hundred ninety\nof this title for the purpose of providing child day care, a child care\nsupport center shall verify that the substitute caregiver has met the:\n (a) standards and training requirements set forth in section three\nhundred ninety-a of this title for child day care program employees;\n (b) criminal history review and background clearance requirements of\nsection three hundred ninety-b of this title for prospective employees\nof a child day care program; and\n (c) any other requirements established by the regulations of the\noffice of children and family services.\n 5. Any child day care program licensed or registered by the office of\nchildren and family services shall be authorized to request placement of\na substitute caregiver by a child care support center in accordance with\nprocedures established by the child care support center.\n 6. Operating certificates issued under this section shall remain valid\nunless surrendered by the child care support center or revoked by the\noffice of children and family services. The office of children and\nfamily services may revoke an operating certificate at any time upon a\ndetermination that the child care support center has not operated in\naccordance with applicable state or federal law.\n 7. The office of children and family services shall deny an\napplication for certification of a child care support center if the\napplicant had an operating certificate revoked within the two years\nprior to the date of application.\n * NB Effective May 9, 2026\n