1. (a) HIPPY programs shall meet program criteria as outlined in the contractual agreement signed by each site with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and HIPPY.

2. (b)

   1. (1) Each HIPPY program serving at least one hundred sixty (160) families must have one (1) full-time coordinator holding a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in:

      1. (A) Education;
      2. (B) Social work;
      3. (C) Sociology;
      4. (D) Psychology; or
      5. (E) A related field.
   2. (2) Those coordinators without a related degree must obtain at least twelve (12) college course hours in early childhood.

   3. (3) Programs with more than two hundred fifty (250) children must also have at least one (1) part-time coordinator who holds a minimum of an associate degree in:

      1. (A) Early childhood education;
      2. (B) Social work;
      3. (C) Psychology; or
      4. (D) A related field.
   4. (4) Coordinators shall also meet additional job requirements as described in the HIPPY Coordinator job description.
   5. (5) HIPPY Coordinators must attend National HIPPY Preservice Training and receive certification.
   6. (6) Regardless of the number of children served, HIPPY agencies must make provision to ensure all home-based visitors are supervised appropriately by trained staff.

3. (c)

   1. (1) Home-based educators working thirty-one through forty (31 – 40) hours per week may not serve more than twenty-seven (27) families.
   2. (2) Minimum requirements for home educators include a high school diploma/ and, or, or GED and a current CDA credential.
   3. (3) All new HIPPY home-based educators are required to attend new Home-based Educators Training provided by HIPPY Arkansas.

4. (d)

   1. (1) Hiring of any HIPPY Coordinator or home-based educator not meeting the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of this section must be approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education through a Staff Qualifications Plan.
   2. (2) The division shall monitor such plans to ensure adequate progress is being made.
   3. (3) HIPPY Coordinators working under a Staff Qualifications Plan must obtain at least twelve (12) college hours per year.

5. (e)

   1. (1) HIPPY programs must follow the child eligibility requirements found in 6 CAR § 100-201.
   2. (2) However, the cutoff date for determining age eligibility for children served in HIPPY is December 31 of each year.

6. (f)

   1. (1) In order to dually enroll a child in an ABC Program center and HIPPY, a child must meet the ABC Program income requirements (less than two hundred percent (200%) FPL) plus possess at least one (1) of the following factors:

      1. (A) Parents without high school diploma or GED;
      2. (B) Birth weight less than five pounds, nine ounces (5 lbs. 9 ozs.);
      3. (C) Parent is fewer than eighteen (18) years of age at child’s birth;
      4. (D) Family has a history of substance abuse/addiction;
      5. (E) Eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.;
      6. (F) Parent has a history of abuse or neglect or is a victim of abuse or neglect;
      7. (G) Child exhibits a demonstrable developmental delay as identified through an appropriate screening;
      8. (H) Child lives in a single-parent household or has parents who are divorced;
      9. (I) Child is a foster child;
      10. (J) Child has an incarcerated parent;
      11. (K) Child has parents who cannot read;
      12. (L) Child is homeless;
      13. (M) Child or parent has limited English proficiency; or
      14. (N) Child is in the custody of a family member other than mother and father.
   2. (2) Whichever program enrolls the child at the later date shall be responsible for verifying eligibility for dual enrollment.
   3. (3) Dual enrollment shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the program’s total ABC Program enrollment.
   4. (4) If the same agency operates both a center-based and home-visiting program, dual enrollment shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the average of both programs’ enrollments.
7. (g) Center-based and home-visiting programs shall collaborate in providing services to any child qualifying for dual enrollment under subsection (f) of this section.

8. (h)

   1. (1) The HIPPY Arkansas Training and Technical Assistance Office will monitor and assist HIPPY programs throughout the state.
   2. (2) Annual program site reviews and assessments will be forwarded to the division for consideration of program compliance and funding renewal.
   3. (3) The HIPPY Arkansas Training and Technical Assistance Office will assist the division with determining program compliance at the local level.
9. (i) HIPPY programs shall meet requirements as set forth in 6 CAR §§ 100-201 – 100-206 and 6 CAR §§ 100-210 – 100-213.
10. (j) Group meetings should reflect the educational programming standards as set forth in 6 CAR § 100-210 and guidelines set forth in the HIPPY model.
11. (k) Any enhancements designed to complement the HIPPY curriculum must be approved by the HIPPY Arkansas Training and Technical Assistance Office prior to implementation with families.

Codification Notes: “GED” refers to General Educational Development.