§ 14-4-201 — Quality child care system established

(a) A quality child care system is created for the purpose
of assisting the working families of the state by encouraging
the availability of high quality care for children in licensed
child caring facilities. The system may consist of:
(i) A quality rating system;
(ii) Incentive payments for higher levels of quality
care;
(iii) Grants for professional educational
development;
(iv) Technical assistance, business management
services and family strengthening programs.
(b) The quality child care system shall also provide for a
parental education and public awareness program.
(c) The department of workforce services is authorized to
promulgate rules and regulations for the purpose of implementing
all or any portion of this article. All rules and regulations
shall be promulgated in consultation with the department of
education, the department of family services, the department of
health, University of Wyoming and early childhood specialists
from the private sector.
(d) The state's responsibility for payments under this
article shall be limited to the amount of funding provided for
the quality child care system by the legislature. The
department may receive donations from foundations or other
private sources. Any such funds received shall be deposited
into a separate account and are continuously appropriated to the
department, which may distribute those funds in accordance with
the provisions of this article. Services eligible to be paid
for by another public program shall not be reimbursed under this
article.
(e) Infants and preschool children served under this
article who qualify for disability services shall receive those
services through a regional developmental preschool that is
supported by state funding for this purpose, provided the
parents or caretakers agree to those services. The cost of these
services shall not be reimbursed by payments made to providers
under this article.
(f) In the delivery of services, facilities that receive
funds under this article shall not discriminate against any
individual on the basis of sex, color, race, religion, national
origin, disability or age other than the age of the qualifying
child. Notwithstanding this subsection, facilities shall retain
the ability to refer children with developmental disabilities to
appropriate services.
(g) Upon approval of the application for funds as provided
in this article, the facility shall enter into a contract with
the state, wherein the facility shall agree:
(i) To provide child care services in this state for
a minimum of one (1) year;
(ii) To serve children from families eligible for
support for child care under programs, other than the program
created by this article, managed by the department of family
services;
(iii) To submit the reports required by W.S.
14-4-203(d) and to submit information as required in the
department's rules and regulations; and
(iv) To immediately repay all funds provided to the
facility pursuant to this article, attorney fees and costs
incurred in collection, if the facility breaches the contract
during the one (1) year period.
(h) The department of workforce services shall structure
its contracts with facilities to ensure necessary data is
reported uniformly. The contracts shall specify what services
will be provided under the contract and the outcome measures to
be achieved to allow the department to determine compliance with
contract provisions, the services provided, the outcomes
achieved and to determine the extent of statewide needs based on
the reports received.
(j) Repealed By Laws 2007, Ch. 156, § 3.
(k) The department, in rating facilities for quality and
making payments to facilities pursuant to this article, shall
not discriminate against any facility due to religious
orientation, affiliation or instruction or the lack thereof. No
state funds shall be used for materials for religious
instruction, salaries and benefits for staff primarily engaged
in religious instruction, or for any other incremental cost of
religious instruction or observances. Any facility receiving
state funds shall be prepared to demonstrate, if audited, that
sufficient nongovernmental funds were available to cover all
expenses of religious instruction or observance.
(m) For purposes of this article:
(i) "Department" means the department of workforce
services;
(ii) "Facility" means child caring facility as
defined in W.S. 14-4-101(a)(vi)(D) and (K);
(iii) Repealed By Laws 2007, Ch. 156, § 3.