§ 3515. Child care quality and capacity incentive program

(a) The Commissioner shall establish a child care quality and capacity incentive program for child care providers participating in the Child Care Financial Assistance Program pursuant to sections 3512 and 3513 of this title. Annually, consistent with funds appropriated for this purpose, the Commissioner may provide a child care provider with an incentive payment for the following achievements:

(1) achieving a higher level in the quality rating and improvement system, including increasing access to and provision of culturally competent care and multilingual programming and providing other family support services similar to those provided in approved Head Start programs;

(2) increasing infant and toddler capacity;

(3) maintaining existing infant and toddler capacity;

(4) establishing capacity in regions of the State that are identified by the Commissioner as underserved;

(5) providing nonstandard hours of child care services;

(6) completing a Commissioner-approved training on protective or family support services; and

(7) other quality- or capacity-specific criteria identified by the Commissioner.

(b) The Commissioner shall maintain a current incentive payment schedule on the Department's website.