(A) The department of children and youth is hereby designated as the state agency responsible for administration and coordination of federal and state funding for publicly funded child care in this state. Publicly funded child care shall be provided to the following:
(1) Recipients of transitional child care as provided under section5104.34of the Revised Code;
(2) Participants in the Ohio works first program established under Chapter 5107. of the Revised Code;
(3) Individuals who would be participating in the Ohio works first program if not for a sanction under section5107.16of the Revised Code and who continue to participate in a work activity, developmental activity, or alternative work activity pursuant to an assignment under section5107.42of the Revised Code;
(4) A family receiving publicly funded child care on October 1, 1997, until the family's income reaches one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty line;
(5) Subject to available funds, other individuals determined eligible in accordance with rules adopted under section5104.38of the Revised Code.
The department shall apply to the United States department of health and human services for authority to operate a coordinated program for publicly funded child care, if the director of children and youth determines that the application is necessary. For purposes of this section, the department of children and youth may enter into agreements with other state agencies that are involved in regulation or funding of child care. The department shall consider the special needs of migrant workers when it administers and coordinates publicly funded child care and shall develop appropriate procedures for accommodating the needs of migrant workers for publicly funded child care.
(B) The department of children and youth shall distribute state and federal funds for publicly funded child care, including appropriations of state funds for publicly funded child care and appropriations of federal funds available under the child care block grant act, Title IV-A, and Title XX. The department may use any state funds appropriated for publicly funded child care as the state share required to match any federal funds appropriated for publicly funded child care.
(C) In the use of federal funds available under the child care block grant act, all of the following apply:
(1) The department may use the federal funds to hire staff to prepare any rules required under this chapter and to administer and coordinate federal and state funding for publicly funded child care.
(2) Not more than five per cent of the aggregate amount of the federal funds received for a fiscal year may be expended for administrative costs.
(3) The department shall allocate and use at least four per cent of the federal funds for the following:
(a) Activities designed to provide comprehensive consumer education to parents and the public;
(b) Activities that increase parental choice;
(c) Activities, including child care resource and referral services, designed to improve the quality, and increase the supply, of child care;
(d) Establishing the step up to quality program pursuant to section5104.29of the Revised Code.
(4) The department shall ensure that the federal funds will be used only to supplement, and will not be used to supplant, federal, state, and local funds available on the effective date of the child care block grant act for publicly funded child care and related programs. If authorized by rules adopted by the department pursuant to section5104.42of the Revised Code, county departments of job and family services may purchase child care from funds obtained through any other means.
(D) The department shall encourage the development of suitable child care throughout the state, especially in areas with high concentrations of recipients of public assistance and families with low incomes. The department shall encourage the development of suitable child care designed to accommodate the special needs of migrant workers. On request, the department, through its employees or contracts with state or community child care resource and referral service organizations, shall provide consultation to groups and individuals interested in developing child care. The department of children and youth may enter into interagency agreements with the department of education and workforce, the chancellor of higher education, the department of development, and other state agencies and entities whenever the cooperative efforts of the other state agencies and entities are necessary for the department of children and youth to fulfill its duties and responsibilities under this chapter.
The department shall develop and maintain a registry of persons providing child care. The director shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing procedures and requirements for the registry's administration.
(E)(1) The director shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing both of the following:
(a) Payment rates for providers of publicly funded child care not later than the first day of July in each odd-numbered year;
(b) A procedure for paying providers of publicly funded child care.
(2) In establishing payment rates under division (E)(1)(a) of this section, the director shall do all of the following:
(a) Use the information obtained from the market rate survey developed and conducted in accordance with 45 C.F.R. 98.45;
(b) Establish an enhanced payment rate for providers who enroll children whose caretaker parents work nontraditional hours;
(c) With regard to the step up to quality program established pursuant to section5104.29of the Revised Code, establish enhanced payment rates for child care providers that participate in the program.
(3) In establishing payment rates under division (E)(1)(a) of this section, the director may establish different payment rates based on any of the following:
(a) Geographic location of the provider;
(b) Type of care provided;
(c) Age of the child served;
(d) Special needs of the child served;
(e) Whether the expanded hours of service are provided;
(f) Whether weekend service is provided;
(g) Whether the provider has exceeded the minimum requirements of state statutes and rules governing child care;
(h) Any other factors the director considers appropriate.
Last updated August 8, 2025 at 1:53 PM