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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Visionaries:
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Last Friday, we
had a report in the Joint Finance Committee from Russ Barron, Division
Administrator for the Division of Welfare.</FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>He reported upon a series of changes proposed to the Idaho Child Care
Program.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This program is designed
to help the working poor by providing a subsidy for child care expenses.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Last year, this program paid a portion
of child care expenses for 9.100 children every month.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This program is funded primarily with
capped federal dollars and we are currently at the maximum federal
match.</FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The Department proposes a “cost neutral” approach to make two
changes:</FONT></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
size=3>1.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3>Update the eligibility limit from 150% of 1998
federal poverty rates to 150% of 2005 federal poverty rates.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(This will make more people
eligible.)</FONT></FONT></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT
size=3>2.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3>Update the market rates for reimbursing Child Care
providers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Many providers will not
accept ICCP customers because of low reimbursement rates.</FONT></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The Department proposes to compensate for these two
changes by making two eligibility
modifications:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .75in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT size=3>1.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>Reduce
the length of time post-secondary students can receive child care assistance
from four years to two years.<o:p></o:p></FONT></B></FONT></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .75in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT size=3>2.</FONT><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>Require
post-secondary students to work a ten hour per week minimum as a condition
for eligibility.<o:p></o:p></FONT></B></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>This poses a thorny situation for a student who needs childcare to attend
classes and has this support taken away after the first two years of
post-secondary education.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I just
learned today that this is to be presented as a rule change in Health and
Welfare.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> (Rule changes are decided in
committee, and don't go to the full House and Senate for consideration.)
</SPAN>Apparently the Senate Committee postponed a decision on the rule and may
take it up Thursday, January 25.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>There are options being considered to retain the childcare support for
the final two post-secondary years.</FONT></P>
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