(a) Upon the approval of the department, funds appropriated for the purposes of this chapter may be used for alternative payment programs to allow for maximum parental choice. Various methods of reimbursement for parental costs for child care may be utilized. All payment arrangements shall conform to the eligibility criteria and the parent fee schedule established pursuant to Sections 10271 and 10280.
(b) To provide for maximum parental choice, alternative payment programs may include the following:
(1) A subsidy that follows the family from one provider to another within a given alternative payment program.
(2) Choices, whenever possible, among hours of service including before and after school, evenings, weekends, and split shifts.
(3) Child care and development services according to parental choice, including use of family child care homes, general center based programs, and other state-funded programs to the extent that those programs exist in the general service area and are in conformity with the purposes and applicable laws for which those programs were established, but excluding state preschool programs.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 116, Sec. 260. (AB 131) Effective July 23, 2021.)