The office shall:

1. (1) assess critical child care needs throughout the state on an ongoing basis and focus its activities on helping to meet the most critical needs;
2. (2) provide child care subsidy services for income-eligible children through age 12 and for income-eligible children with disabilities through age 18;

3. (3) provide information:

   1. (a) to employers for the development of options for child care in the work place; and
   2. (b) for educating the public in obtaining quality child care;

4. (4) coordinate services for quality:

   1. (a) child care training;
   2. (b) child care resource and referral core services; and
   3. (c) training and education regarding child behavioral health interventions and competencies;
5. (5) apply for, accept, or expend gifts or donations from public or private sources;
6. (6) provide administrative support services to the committee;

7. (7) work collaboratively with the following for the delivery of quality child care, early childhood programs, and school age programs throughout the state:

   1. (a) the State Board of Education;
   2. (b) the Department of Health; and
   3. (c) the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health within the Department of Human Services;
8. (8) research child care programs and public policy to improve the quality and accessibility of child care, early childhood programs, and school age programs in the state;
9. (9) provide planning and technical assistance for the development and implementation of programs in communities that lack child care, early childhood programs, and school age programs;
10. (10) provide organizational support for the establishment of nonprofit organizations approved by the Child Care Advisory Committee, created in Section 35A-3-205;
11. (11) coordinate with the department to include in the annual written report described in Section 35A-1-109 information regarding the status of child care in Utah; and

12. (12) make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, and consistent with state and federal law:

    1. (a) establishing the eligibility requirements for a child care provider to receive a grant or subsidy, including for the following:

       1. (i) providing child care for an income-eligible child who is 12 years old or younger; and
       2. (ii) providing child care for an income-eligible child with disabilities who is 18 years old or younger; and
    2. (b) prioritizing awards of child care grants or subsidies for income-eligible children within available funds.

Amended by Chapter 168, 2021 General Session