Admin. R. Mont. 37.80.101 – Purpose and General Limitations

(1) This chapter pertains to the Best Beginnings Program, which administers payment for child care services.
(2) Financial assistance may be available to pay a portion of a working parent's child care costs. Payment may only be made to:
1. (a) a licensed child care center;
2. (b) a registered group child care home;
3. (c) a registered family child care home; or
4. (d) a provider of family, friend, or neighbor care as that term is defined at ARM 37.95.102; or
5. (e) a relative care provider.
(3) The Child Care Assistance Program will be administered in accordance with:
1. (a) the requirements of federal law governing the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, codified at 42 USC 9858 et seq., and 45 CFR part 98, child care and development fund, adopted November 29, 2016; and
2. (b) the Montana Child Care Manual, dated June 1, 2020, adopted and incorporated by this reference. The manual contains the policies and procedures utilized in the implementation of the department's Child Care Assistance Program. A copy of the manual is available at each child care resource and referral agency; at the Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division, 111 N. Jackson St., P.O. Box 202925, Helena, MT 59620-2925; and on the department's web site at www.childcare.mt.gov .

Authorizing statute(s): 52-2-704, 53-4-212, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 52-2-702, 52-2-704, 52-2-713, 52-2-731, 53-2-201, 53-4-211, 53-4-601, 53-4-611, 53-4-612, MCA

History: NEW, 1992 MAR p. 1863, Eff. 8/28/92; AMD, 1997 MAR p. 578, Eff. 3/25/97; AMD, 1997 MAR p. 1920, Eff. 10/21/97; TRANS & AMD, from DFS, 1998 MAR p. 3117, Eff. 11/20/98; AMD, 2002 MAR p. 1989, Eff. 5/31/02; AMD, 2003 MAR p. 1306, Eff. 7/1/03; AMD, 2005 MAR p. 1057, Eff. 7/1/05; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 2964, Eff. 12/8/06; AMD, 2008 MAR p. 174, Eff. 2/1/08; AMD, 2010 MAR p. 2216, Eff. 9/24/10; AMD, 2010 MAR p. 2743, Eff. 11/13/10; AMD, 2011 MAR p. 323, Eff. 3/11/11; AMD, 2011 MAR p. 2295, Eff. 10/28/11; AMD, 2012 MAR p. 756, Eff. 1/27/12; AMD, 2012 MAR p. 1788, Eff. 9/7/12; AMD, 2014 MAR p. 599, Eff. 3/28/14; AMD, 2016 MAR p. 590, Eff. 4/9/16; AMD, 2016 MAR p. 1711, Eff. 9/30/16; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 457, Eff. 2/24/18; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 1283, Eff. 7/7/18; AMD, 2020 MAR p. 687, Eff. 6/1/20.