Concerns About Step Ahead Vouchers Not Widespread
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Questions regarding the Step Ahead Voucher Program through Combined Community Services arose when Elrod Daycare Inc. took out an advertisement in today's Times-Union.
The advertisement reads: "We are very sorry but we are joining other daycares throughout the county in not accepting new clients on the Step Ahead Voucher Program due to insurmountable problems in dealing with the administration. We hope our public stand on this will not trigger a character assassination on us as in the recent Pam Houser incident."
Asked to elaborate on what kind of problems Elrod Daycare is having with the program, president Michele Elrod said the problems were related to the administration of the program and she did not wish to comment further. She said there were many child care providers in the county who are not taking Step Ahead clients.
The Step Ahead voucher program is administered by Combined Community Services. Jim Coons, CCS executive director, disagrees.
He said, "To my knowledge, I have received none." He said Elrod Daycare has threatened to stop accepting new clients in the past but no other daycare has.
"There are quite a number of rules and regulations that have to be followed in the program," said Coons. If the rules are not followed, the state does not allow CCS to reimburse the child care providers.
He said Elrod Daycare "did things they felt were right but were not in compliance with the program. ... She chose to do it a different way."
The state, Coons said, told CCS not to reimburse them since Elrod Daycare failed to follow regulations.
On occasion, there have been child care providers who have had problems, such as forgetting to sign paperwork and having to return to CCS to sign the papers, he said, but none have stopped taking children on the voucher program.
In a provided press release, Coons said, "CCS is caught in the middle of a dispute between a child care provider and the state of Indiana who has instructed CCS (in writing) to withhold certain payments for services which appear to have been provided under questionable circumstances. At such time as the legitimacy of the services can be substantiated by the state, we are sure the state will release payment of all amounts rightfully due this provider.
"We believe it is in the best interests of the children of Kosciusko County, and the continuity of the voucher program (from which nearly 400 children receive $1 million in benefits yearly), that CCS faithfully uphold the voucher program guidelines and regulations. On the other hand, no provider is obligated to take children from this program if they feel the rules and regulations are unduly burdensome. We are proud to have some 280 providers who have continued to follow those guidelines and regulations at their own option. What is more, in a recent phone survey, those same providers indicated their willingness to fill their combined open slots totaling more than 100 with voucher children."
Belle Myers operates Belle's Countryside Day Care in Pierceton. She said there are some communication problems with the program, but over all, "it helps a lot of people out."
While burdensome at times, the paperwork required is just part of any state program, she said.
As for working with CCS, she said, "They've been fairly good to work with. Some things they don't let us know that they should let us know about."
When a parent is removed from the voucher program, Myers said, the day care provider isn't always told and the provider is held responsible for knowing when the parent is removed from the program.
"They should work on their communication a little better," Myers said.
Bev Clark, of Bev's Home Child Care, Warsaw, said she also is satisfied with the program.
"I've gotten my checks on time," she said.
She said when there has been a problem, CCS works with them to clean up the program. "Overall, they've done very well with me."
She said she didn't think the paperwork was burdensome. The more children a day care provider has, she said, the more paperwork they have, but that's to be expected.
"I've never had any problems with them at all," Clark said.
The program helps the single mothers in Kosciusko County, said Linda Leslie, Kids Countryside Day Care, Leesburg.
"I think it's a really good program, especially for the single mom," she said. Day care can be expensive. For example, Kids Countryside Day Care charges $75 per week for a child.
As for the paperwork, she said, "It's not too bad," and it is worth it to help the single mothers.
"I've had real good rapport with them," Leslie said of CCS. "They've been helpful."
Asked what they could do to improve the program, Leslie said there have been some problems reporting hours and making sure parents are working, but that didn't affect her too much. [[In-content Ad]]
Questions regarding the Step Ahead Voucher Program through Combined Community Services arose when Elrod Daycare Inc. took out an advertisement in today's Times-Union.
The advertisement reads: "We are very sorry but we are joining other daycares throughout the county in not accepting new clients on the Step Ahead Voucher Program due to insurmountable problems in dealing with the administration. We hope our public stand on this will not trigger a character assassination on us as in the recent Pam Houser incident."
Asked to elaborate on what kind of problems Elrod Daycare is having with the program, president Michele Elrod said the problems were related to the administration of the program and she did not wish to comment further. She said there were many child care providers in the county who are not taking Step Ahead clients.
The Step Ahead voucher program is administered by Combined Community Services. Jim Coons, CCS executive director, disagrees.
He said, "To my knowledge, I have received none." He said Elrod Daycare has threatened to stop accepting new clients in the past but no other daycare has.
"There are quite a number of rules and regulations that have to be followed in the program," said Coons. If the rules are not followed, the state does not allow CCS to reimburse the child care providers.
He said Elrod Daycare "did things they felt were right but were not in compliance with the program. ... She chose to do it a different way."
The state, Coons said, told CCS not to reimburse them since Elrod Daycare failed to follow regulations.
On occasion, there have been child care providers who have had problems, such as forgetting to sign paperwork and having to return to CCS to sign the papers, he said, but none have stopped taking children on the voucher program.
In a provided press release, Coons said, "CCS is caught in the middle of a dispute between a child care provider and the state of Indiana who has instructed CCS (in writing) to withhold certain payments for services which appear to have been provided under questionable circumstances. At such time as the legitimacy of the services can be substantiated by the state, we are sure the state will release payment of all amounts rightfully due this provider.
"We believe it is in the best interests of the children of Kosciusko County, and the continuity of the voucher program (from which nearly 400 children receive $1 million in benefits yearly), that CCS faithfully uphold the voucher program guidelines and regulations. On the other hand, no provider is obligated to take children from this program if they feel the rules and regulations are unduly burdensome. We are proud to have some 280 providers who have continued to follow those guidelines and regulations at their own option. What is more, in a recent phone survey, those same providers indicated their willingness to fill their combined open slots totaling more than 100 with voucher children."
Belle Myers operates Belle's Countryside Day Care in Pierceton. She said there are some communication problems with the program, but over all, "it helps a lot of people out."
While burdensome at times, the paperwork required is just part of any state program, she said.
As for working with CCS, she said, "They've been fairly good to work with. Some things they don't let us know that they should let us know about."
When a parent is removed from the voucher program, Myers said, the day care provider isn't always told and the provider is held responsible for knowing when the parent is removed from the program.
"They should work on their communication a little better," Myers said.
Bev Clark, of Bev's Home Child Care, Warsaw, said she also is satisfied with the program.
"I've gotten my checks on time," she said.
She said when there has been a problem, CCS works with them to clean up the program. "Overall, they've done very well with me."
She said she didn't think the paperwork was burdensome. The more children a day care provider has, she said, the more paperwork they have, but that's to be expected.
"I've never had any problems with them at all," Clark said.
The program helps the single mothers in Kosciusko County, said Linda Leslie, Kids Countryside Day Care, Leesburg.
"I think it's a really good program, especially for the single mom," she said. Day care can be expensive. For example, Kids Countryside Day Care charges $75 per week for a child.
As for the paperwork, she said, "It's not too bad," and it is worth it to help the single mothers.
"I've had real good rapport with them," Leslie said of CCS. "They've been helpful."
Asked what they could do to improve the program, Leslie said there have been some problems reporting hours and making sure parents are working, but that didn't affect her too much. [[In-content Ad]]