CDSS – CDMIS User Manual; Appendix E: SPR FAQs

Why are you collecting my information?

Family child care providers are vital to California’s early care and education system, and a statewide list helps decision makers better understand the current family child care workforce.

Pursuant to the Agreement between the State of California and Child Care Providers United (CCPU), ratified by CCPU members on July 31, 2023, and codified via Senate Bill (SB) 140, the State, with assistance of counties and contractors, shall provide the CCPU a list of family child care providers as defined by WIC Section 10421(b).WIC Section 10422 requires agencies to provide the names and specified information for all family childcare providers who provide care to families who utilize child care subsidies. The Governor and Legislators intend to create an accurate and comprehensive statewide list of family childcare providers who currently serve families receiving state-funded subsidies. This information may be used to help contact you and/or the families you serve during an emergency (such as a fire or earthquake) and may be used as necessary to meet the requirements of the Child Care and Development Block Grant.

Additionally, the Legislature and Administration stated in SB 75, beginning July 1st 2019, their intent to enact legislation granting family child care providers the right to democratically elect a provider organization to collectively bargain with the State. To this end, the state’s list of family childcare providers serving families who receive subsidies can be provided to provider organizations recognized by the State. This list of providers will remain confidential and may only be used by provider organizations as allowed by law.

Does my information have to be shared?

Agencies are required by law to submit information for all family childcare providers who serve families receiving state-funded subsidies. You may find the applicable WIC Section 10422 that provides these requirements in the document Notice to Providers, Attachment A(DOCX)

Will my information be kept confidential?

Provider organizations that are authorized by the state to receive this provider list must agree to strict confidentiality protections and can use the list only for communicating about a narrow set of functions. The CDSS will maintain provider information confidentiality.

What can I do if I don’t want my information shared with a provider organization?

Agencies are required by law, WIC Section 10422, to submit provider business and/or personal information to meet state law requirements. If the provider prefers not to have their information shared with a provider organization, the provider can request the removal of their personal details as outlined in WIC Section 10422(k) by opting out of sharing information. The provider will send a written request to CDMIS@dss.ca.gov, specifying that they are opting out of sharing their home and mailing address, telephone numbers, and email address with the provider organization.

How do I handle a question from a provider who does not want to share their information?

When addressing a provider's reluctance to share their information, agencies should remain neutral on the opt-out decision. However, it's crucial to inform providers of their right to opt out of sharing their information with state-authorized provider organizations, as outlined in WIC Section 10422(k). For clarity on the opt-out process or any related inquiries, providers should be directed to contact CDSS – CDMIS Support via email at CDMIS@dss.ca.gov.

Can agencies obtain a list of provider organizations who will be receiving family childcare provider information?

Under WIC Section 10422(a), the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) determines if an entity is deemed a provider organization. Entities seeking such designation must apply to the PERB for this designation. The PERB decides within 10 days of receiving the application if the entity meets the requirements to be a provider organization. Agencies may ask the PERB for a list of provider organizations.

Will the Notice to Providers be translated into additional languages?

Yes, Notice to Providers is translated in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean. The Notice to Providers can be found on the SPR Resource Page linked here.

The Notice to Providers template includes a field for the Agency Vendor Number. Why should I enter the Agency Vendor Number on the Notice to Providers?

The Agency Vendor Number field is included on the Notice to Providers for administrative purposes. Providers have the option to contact CDSS - CDMIS Support for questions or concerns regarding the SPR. The Agency Vendor Number field allows for CDSS - CDMIS Support to verify providers affiliated with state-funded programs when contacted.

Are we allowed to submit the address information for small family child care home providers in the SPR?

Effective July 1, 2019, the California Health and Safety Code Section 1596.86 was updated to include authority for small family child care home address information to be shared for the purposes described in WIC 10422.

Does the Notice to Provider need to be on official agency letterhead? Can we mail the template that was provided?

Agencies can put the Notice to Providers on their own letterhead. However, the content of the Notice to Providers should not change.

What happens if an agency does not meet the reporting deadlines?

Agencies are required to adhere to the SPR reporting schedule. Agencies experiencing difficulty with completing the SPR according to the schedule provided are encouraged to contact CDSS - CDMIS Support for assistance.

Which agencies are required to submit the SPR?

The SPR is required for agencies who administer their contracts with license-exempt individuals and family child care home providers as defined by the WIC Section 10421(b).

What does the 801A have to do with the SPR?

The SPR and the CDD-801A report are two different reports submitted through the CDSS - CDMIS. The CDD-801A report is required for all agencies receiving funding through a contract. The SPR is required only for those agencies who administer their contracts with family child care home providers as defined by WIC Section 10421(b).

We operate a General Child Care (CCTR) contract using family child care home providers. Do we submit the SPR?

Yes. The SPR is required for agencies who administer their contracts with license-exempt individuals and family child care home providers as defined by WIC Section 10421(b).

When are reports due for the SPR?

Please refer to the Reporting Schedule for more information about report periods and due dates.

Can I enter column headers?

No. The first row of data in the SPR file must contain provider information. Files that contain a header row do not follow the file format specifications in the CDSS – CDMIS User Manual; Chapter 5: SPR Reporting and will be rejected.

Does the file name have a specific format?

The SPR does not have a required file naming convention.

Are we reporting based on service month or payment date?

Each SPR must contain data for all providers paid during the Report Year/Month in the file. Providers who received an adjusted payment, but did not care for children during the report period should still be included in the SPR. If a provider cared for children during a report period but was not paid, the provider would not appear in the SPR until the report period of their payment.

If the field is optional, can we remove the column?

All fields indicated in the CDSS – CDMIS User Manual; Chapter 5: SPR R eporting must appear in the file, even if the entire column contains blank values.

If the file format is incorrect will my report be saved?

Files that do not adhere to the file format will not be saved.

Can I include three report periods in a single file, or do they have to be three separate reports?

The SPR file should contain one record for each provider paid during a single Report Year/Month indicated.

Most agencies have two payment runs per month. Will we be able to submit updates to previous SPR submissions to account for late payments?

Each SPR should contain all payments made during the prior month. The SPR is due on the 20th of the month following payment. All payments for the report period should be completed before an agency submits the SPR.

What is the difference between the Report Year/Month and the Subsidy Start Date?

The Report Year/Month information field indicates the month and year during which a provider received a state-funded subsidy for child care services.

The Subsidy Start Date information field indicates the first day a provider received a state-funded subsidy for child care services.

How should the Provider First Name and Provider Last Name be reported if the family child care home is doing business as (“dba”) "ABC Child Care"?

Each family child care home has a licensed person assigned to a designated provider. The name of the licensee should be included in the Provider First Name and Provider Last Name information fields.

Is the Subsidy End Date the last day we paid the provider, or the last day the provider cared for children?

The Subsidy End Date information field indicates the last date a provider received a state-funded subsidy for child care.

How far back should I report the Subsidy Start Date?

Agencies should report the earliest known Subsidy Start Date available.

Do I update the Subsidy Start Date each fiscal year?

No. The Subsidy Start Date information field indicates the first day a provider was paid by the agency for providing state-subsidized child care services.

What should I enter for the Subsidy Start Date and Subsidy End Date if a provider has a break in care?

The Subsidy Start Date should always reflect the first known date the provider received a state-funded subsidy for child care from the agency. The Subsidy End Date should be completed only if the agency knows that a provider will receive no future payments from the agency.

Who assigns the Local Provider Identification Number?

The Local Provider Identification Number is a number that is assigned to each provider by the agency.

What do I enter for Subsidy End Date if I do not know that a provider has permanently stopped providing care?

Agencies should enter a Subsidy End Date only if it is known and available.

What do I enter for Subsidy End Date if a Provider has stopped providing subsidy care, but the final payment has not yet been issued?

The Subsidy End Date information field indicates the last date a provider received a state-funded subsidy. If a provider has not received their final state-funded subsidy, the Subsidy End Date information field should remain blank.

Where do I submit the SPR?

The SPR is submitted via the CDSS - CDMIS.

Will there be a Test website to test my SPR file?

Agencies may test their SPR using the real-time processing available on the CDSS - CDMIS.

Will I have the ability to re-submit previous SPRs?

Agencies are expected to submit accurate reports in accordance with the deadlines provided. If the agency feels corrections are needed, they can contact CDSS – CDMIS Support for more guidance.

I use the Input/Edit and Copy Forward method to submit the CDD-801A report. Can I use the web input method for the SPR?

Agencies must submit an electronic file to fulfill the SPR requirements. There is no web input screen for the SPR.