N.Y. Social Services Law § 410-u: Establishment of block grant for child care

§ 410-u. Establishment of block grant for child care. 1. The

department shall establish a state block grant for child care comprised

of all of the federal funds appropriated for child care under title IV-A

of the federal social security act and under the federal child care and

development block grant act and any additional federal funds that the

state chooses to transfer from the federal family assistance to needy

families block grant to the child care and development block grant plus

any state funds appropriated for the provision by social services

districts of child care assistance to families in receipt of family

assistance and other low income families and for activities to increase

the availability and/or quality of child care programs.

2. The state block grant for child care shall be divided into two

parts pursuant to a plan developed by the department and approved by the

director of the budget. One part shall be retained by the state to

provide child care on a statewide basis to special groups and for

activities to increase the availability and/or quality of child care

programs, including, but not limited to, the start-up of child care

programs, the operation of child care resource and referral programs,

training activities, the regulation and monitoring of child care

programs, the development of computerized data systems, and consumer

education, provided however, that child care resource and referral

programs funded under title five-B of article six of this chapter shall

meet additional performance standards developed by the department of

social services including but not limited to: increasing the number of

child care placements for persons who are at or below eighty-five

percent of the state median income, with emphasis on placements

supporting local efforts in meeting federal and state work participation

requirements, increasing technical assistance to all modalities of legal

child care to persons who are at or below eighty-five percent of the

state median income, including the provision of training to assist

providers in meeting child care standards or regulatory requirements,

and creating new child care opportunities, and assisting social services

districts in assessing and responding to child care needs for persons at

or below eighty-five percent of the state median income. The department

shall have the authority to withhold funds from those agencies which do

not meet performance standards. Agencies whose funds are withheld may

have funds restored upon achieving performance standards. The other part

shall be allocated to social services districts to provide child care

assistance to families receiving family assistance and to other low

income families.

3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, expenditures of funds

from the block grant shall be governed by this title.