Sec. 8231. Report on child care and school-age care assistance for qualified families
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/bill/116/hr/6395/enr/section-8231·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on child care and school-age care options available to qualified families. The report required by subsection
(a)shall include the following: An assessment of— the subsidies and financial assistance for child care and school-age care made available by the Coast Guard to qualified families; and the extent to which qualified families have taken advantage of such subsidies and assistance. The average number of days between— the date on which an application for a subsidy or other financial assistance for child care or school-age care is submitted by a qualified family; and upon approval of an application, the date on which such subsidy or assistance is received by the qualified family. Recommendations for streamlining the payment of such subsidies and financial assistance. The amount of funding allocated to such subsidies and financial assistance. The remaining costs for child care or school-age care to qualified families that are not covered by the Coast Guard. A description of barriers to access to such subsidies and financial assistance. The number of qualified families that do not receive any such subsidies or financial assistance. An assessment of— the regulations of States with respect to child care services (such as staffing, space and furnishings, safety, curriculum requirements, and allowable care hours); and the effect that differences in such regulations may have on access to child care for qualified families. An assessment of— the regulations of the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense with respect to child development centers and other child care providers (including school-age care providers), and a comparison of such regulations with similar State regulations; and the effect that such regulations may have on access to child care and school-age care for qualified families. The number of qualified families, and children, that do not have access to a Coast Guard child development center for child care. The differences between child care and school-age care services offered by the Coast Guard and child care and school-age care authorities of the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense relating to the following: Authorized uses of appropriated funds for child care and school-age care services. Access to, and total capacity of, Coast Guard child development centers and Department of Defense child development centers. Child care and school-age care programs or policy. Coast Guard and Department of Defense programs to provide additional assistance to members and civilian employees with respect to child care and school-age care options. Respite care programs. Nonappropriated funds. Coast Guard family child care centers. Coast Guard and Department of Defense publicly available online resources for families seeking military child care and school-age care. An analysis of the feasibility of the Commandant entering into agreements with private child care and school-age care service providers to provide child care and school-age care for qualified families. An analysis of the availability of child care and school-age care for qualified families, including accessibility after normal work hours, proximity, and total capacity. Recommendations— to improve access to child care and school-age care for qualified families; to ensure parity between the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense with respect to child care and school-age care; to expand access to child care and school-age care for all qualified families, including qualified families that have a child with special needs; and to ensure that regional child care and child development center needs at the unit, sector, or district level are identified, assessed, and reasonably evaluated by the Commandant for future infrastructure needs. A description or analysis of any other matter the Comptroller General considers relevant to the improvement of expanded access to child care and school-age care for qualified families.