e-Child Care (ECC)Provider Information Session

Department of Human Services Division of Family Development

Agenda

• Introduction• Program purpose – overview• What changes?• What stays the same?• How it works• Provider Web Portal • Questions and answers

Stakeholder Identification

• Providers

• Parents

• New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Family Development (DFD)

• Child Care Resource & Referral Agency (CCR&Rs)

Who is ACS?

• Affiliated Computer Services, A Xerox Company– State & Local Solutions, headquarters in Dallas

• Vendor selected to implement/operate ECC

• Provide proven experience

• Launched e-child care in five other states that are live and in production– Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas

• Five other states preparing to go live by end of 2011– Alabama, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia

Why is New Jersey Implementing ECC?

• To provide accurate and timely tracking

and verification of child care attendance

• To provide better attendance data including real time reporting

• To automate and reduce manual processes

• To pay providers more quickly

What are the Benefits?

• To give parents the responsibility of reporting the actual time their child is in care

• Parent transactions confirm that the care was provided to their child

• To streamline the processing of child care reimbursements for providers – reduction of most paper invoices

More Benefits…

• Payments made electronically, directly to your bank account resulting in quicker payments (you will be paid every two weeks for the care you provided two weeks ago)

• Real-time attendance transactions—attendance transactions are seen as they are actually happening

More Benefits…

• Reduction in timeframe to receive information about agreement and attendance

• Access to attendance and payment records through the provider web portal

• Accessible through the internet from any computer

• Reports on attendance, agreements, payments and other resources

• The portal address is: www.echildcarenj.org

What Stays the Same?

• Authorization policies for the Child Care Subsidy Program

• Record keeping requirements – sign in/out sheets for Licensing and Food and Nutrition Program documents

• State child care licensing rules related to individuals authorized to pick up or drop off children

What Changes?

• Attendance reports will be automated

• Attendance information is available when the transaction is occurring

How ECC Works

• Equipment required for the ECC

Registered Land Line Phone New Jersey ECC Card

Interactive VoiceResponse (IVR)

• In-home providers will use the IVR to complete transactions.

• Parent/designee will use the registered land line at the provider location to report the child’s check-in/check-out.

• Parent must check in and check out every day for the provider to get paid.

What Parents are Being Told About ECC

• Parents receive an early alert letter• The parent automatically will be mailed a card,

card carrier and FAQ sheet• Two designees may be identified and will receive

cards • If parent already has a Families First card, he/she

will be asked to contact their CCR&R to link the card

• Parents cannot select the provider or any one acting on the provider’s behalf as their designee

What Parents are Being Told About ECC

• After getting the card, the parent/designee activates the card and selects a PIN (Personal Identification Number) by calling an toll-free number

• Parents will be connected to the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system

• IVR will prompt them to enter 16 digit number from card

Card Activation

• The IVR will prompt the parent to enter their birth date.

• The IVR will prompt the parent to enter any 4-digit number of their choosing, as their PIN.

• The card is now active and ready for use.

• Encourage parents to activate their cards as soon as they receive them.

How Parents will Report Attendance

• Parent will call 1-800-997-3333 and follow the prompts

• Parent will press 2 for Child Care

• Parent will enter the card number

• Parent will enter their secure PIN #

• Parent will select one of the options given by the IVR:

– Check in/out, previous check in/out, absent day, sick day

• Parent will enter their child’s 2-digit number (01, 02, 03, etc.)

ECC Verification Process

• The IVR transaction is sent for verification:• Is it case eligible?• Is it child eligible?• Is this the correct provider?

• If all the checks are confirmed, the transaction is approved

• If any check fails, the transaction is denied

Forms so you get paid

• Will receive both a banking form and W-9 tax form

• Complete and return within 24 hours of receipt

• ACS will be making the payments to providers

• Remember, parents must call IVR every day for the provider to get paid!

What ifs?

• What if the parent/designee forgets or is not present to record attendance?

• Parent/designee has the ability to perform transactions for previous days, including absences. This is commonly referred to as a “back swipe”.

• Parent/designee has two weeks (today plus the previous 13 days) to enter any missing transactions through the IVR.

• Parent can select two designees, who often pick up or drop off the child, to receive a card.

What ifs?

• What if there is a phone line problem?

The system gives the parent/designee two weeks (today

plus the previous 13 days) to fill in any missing

transactions once the issue is resolved (“back swipe”)

Provider Web Portal – Log In

Provider Profile

Provider Agreements

Case Screen

Agreement Screen

Provider Transactions

1099 Search

Closure Dates

Provider Payment Report

Provider Payment Report- Detail

Child Payment Detail

Child Attendance-Detail

Provider – PaymentAdjustment Detail

Provider UnmatchedCheck-In/Out Report

Provider Unmatched Check-In/Out Report

What Happens Next?

• Informational mailings to all parents

• Parents will receive instructions on how to report their child(ren)’s attendance

• Providers will receive banking and tax forms—return within 24 hours

• Pilot counties are scheduled to go live in September

• Remaining counties will go live in October

How To Get Information or Assistance

• For program information, call your local CCR&R

• For general information log onto the DFD Webpage: www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/programs/child

Questions?