Child Care Facts
Extension of ARPA Survey and AB 179 Stipend Deadlines

Dear California Child Care and Development Programs and Partners:

The purpose of this message is to communicate the following extensions to previously established deadlines for provider completion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) survey, as well as distribution of Assembly Bill (AB) 179 Stipends.

ARPA Survey

The deadline for providers to complete the ARPA survey has been extended from June 1, 2023, to August 15, 2023.  For more information about the ARPA survey, please refer to Child Care Bulletin (CCB) No. 21-19E, or visit our ARPA survey webpage.

AB 179 Stipends

The deadline for contractors to distribute AB 179 $1,442 per-child stipends to eligible providers has been extended from June 30, 2023, to September 30, 2023.

As a reminder, contractors must make every effort to distribute stipends to providers within 45 days of confirming that the ARPA survey has been completed by the provider.  For more information about the AB 179 stipends, please refer to CCB No. 23-08 or visit our Stipend webpage.

If you have questions about the information in this message, please contact the Child Care Policy and Development Bureau at (916) 657-2144, or CCPB@dss.ca.gov.

 
Child Care & Development Division Website

Question: What is the status of the $1,442 per child one-time stipends approved in 2022?

Answer: The funds have been released to the community based Alternative Payment Programs (APPs) by mid-May. The APPs are in process of getting the $1,442 stipends out to those providers that have completed the ARPA survey. Click here to read more on the stipends and the ARPA survey.

Question: How do I know if I have received or will receive any of the ARPA investment Funds?

Answer: If you received ANY of the below previous stipends in the last 36 months, then you are a recipient ARPA investment funds. If you expect to receive the AB 179 one-time flat-rate $1442 stipend because you provided care in April 2022 and are currently providing care to a family enrolled in an early care and development program, then you will be a recipient of the ARPA investment funds.

  • Spring/Summer 2021 Stipend ($525 per child)
  • Summer 2021 Stipend ($600 per child)
  • Licensed Provider Stipend ($3,500 to $6,500 based on licensed capacity)
  • Secondary provider payments when a family’s primary provider was paid for nonoperational days due to COVID-19 related reasons.
  • Reimbursement Based on Certified Hours of Care Rather than Attendance
  • Licensed Provider Incentive ($500 when a family child care home license has been obtained and maintained for 12 consecutive months)
  • Supplemental Rate Payments $1,442 per child stipend (AB 179)

Question: What if I do not have a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)?

Answer:Only licensed day care homes and centers have a Federal Employer Identification Number. If you are child care provider who a family, friend or neighbor, you do not have a FEIN.

Question: What do I enter for the provider name, location address, location phone number and email address?

Answer:

If you are licensed day care home or center, please enter the business name, business address, business phone number and business email address.

If you are a child care provider who is a family, friend, or neighbor, please enter your personal contact information. Do NOT enter contact information for Supportive Services, Inc. Entering Supportive Services, Inc. information will impact the agency’s ability to confirm you have completed the survey.

Question: How do I know if my survey was received by CDSS?

Answer: Once you complete the survey, you will receive a confirmation email. You will only receive the confirmation email IF you entered YOUR (personal) email address.

Question: I cared for child/ren in an early care and development program in April 2022, but I am no longer caring for the child/ren. I have completed the ARPA survey, will I still receive the one-time, flat-rate stipend for $1442?

Answer: Per Child Care Bulletin 23-08, child care providers are eligible to receive a flat-rate, one-time stipend in the amount of $1,442 per child enrolled IF the following criteria has been met:

  1. The child care provider must have served child/ren enrolled in a state-subsidized early care and development program in the month of April 2022,
  2. The child care provider must have completed the revised American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) survey by August 15, 2023, AND
  3. The child care provider must currently be open and providing care for a child/ren enrolled with Supportive Services, Inc.Note: The ARPA stabilization funds are intended to stabilize the child care field, and the ARPA prohibits distributing funds to child care providers that are no longer providing care and/or are permanently closed.

Question: If a licensed provider completed the April survey but currently are not serving children would they still receive the stipends?

Answer:  Yes. They are technically still open.

Question: If a licensed exempt provider completed the April survey but currently is not providing care would they still receive a stipend?

Answer:    No.

Question: If a licensed exempt provider completed the April survey but they are not permanently closed based on a phone call to the provider can they still receive a stipend?

Answer:   No. Since their not serving a child is not due to a public health, financial hardship or a reason related to COVID-19 they are not eligible.

Question: If I am license-exempt (family, friend or neighbor) provider and I am no longer providing care to the children enrolled in a subsidized care program, am I still eligible for the $1442 stipends?

Answer:  If license-exempt or Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers are no longer providing subsidized care, they are not eligible for stipends.

NOTE: Alternative Payment Programs implement payments of the stipends following rules developed by the California Department of Social Services. Concerns with any of the information above should be emailed to CCPB@dss.ca.gov.