402.28  Child Care Plus.--

(1)  For the purpose of this section, a child care facility or family day care home meeting the standards to provide quality child care to high-risk and handicapped preschool children, as defined in chapter 411, shall be referred to as "Child Care Plus."

(2)  In addition to the licensing requirements and standards in s. 402.305, a child care facility or family day care home shall meet additional requirements and standards and shall receive a separate and distinct license to operate as a Child Care Plus facility or home.

(3)  The child care quality standards for a Child Care Plus facility or home shall be developed by the Department of Children and Family Services, in consultation with the Department of Education, and shall address, but not be limited to, the following areas:

(a)  Child development, including language, cognitive, motor, social, and self-help skill development.

(b)  Child health.

(c)  Family counseling.

(d)  Parent training.

(e)  Child nutrition.

(f)  Staff credentials.

(4)(a)  A facility or home that has received a separate and distinct license indicating that it is a Child Care Plus facility or home may apply, either directly or, in the case of a family day care home, through an agency representing a network of family day care homes, to the department for a 1-year Child Care Plus grant. The grant shall be considered a supplement to the operational costs associated with compliance with Child Care Plus requirements.

(b)  Each child care facility, home, or agency representing a network of family day care homes wishing to apply for a Child Care Plus grant shall submit a grant proposal for funding the department no later than March 1, 1990. Thereafter, each such facility, home, or agency wishing to apply for continued funding through an annual Child Care Plus grant shall apply to the department no later than March 1 of each year.

(c)  A facility, home, or agency on behalf of a network of family day care homes that applies for a Child Care Plus grant shall be required to demonstrate the following in order to qualify for a grant:

1.  Linkages with local education agencies, social service agencies, and health care systems, as well as with state service systems, in order to provide the services needed for children in their care and the families of those children, and to provide the necessary linkages with various forms of case management, assessment, and family support systems.

2.  Linkages with or plans for linkages with the private sector, in order to enhance the efforts to better serve the children in their care and the families of those children.

3.  Ability to ensure for children in their care continuity of services and ease of transition between the facility and home or homes and between the facility, home or homes, and preschool and prekindergarten programs serving high-risk and handicapped children.