Iowa Department of Human Services

Terry E. Branstad
Governor

Kim Reynolds
Lt. Governor

Charles M. Palmer
Director

March 1, 2016

Dear Child Care Provider:

In November 2014, President Obama signed the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
2014 into law. The changes in the law will impact Iowas requirements for child care providers.
The efforts of this law are to make advancements to supporting the safety of children in care,
establish policies that are more family friendly, and ensure that parents and the public have more
accessible information about child care choices.
A number of changes will be going into effect on September 30, 2016. New requirements that you will
need to be aware of or meet are:

All NEW providers seeking a Child Development Home Registration will be required to have a
pre-inspection prior to receiving permission to open as a Child Development Home.

All NEW child care providers seeking registration or a provider agreement to receive Child
Care Assistance funds will be required to complete training related to the following content
areas prior to approval:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Prevention and control of infectious disease,

Prevention of SIDS and use of safe sleeping practices,
Administration of medication,
Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions,
Building and physical premises safety,
Prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma,
Emergency preparedness and response planning,
Handling and storage of hazardous materials,
Precautions in transporting children,
First aid and CPR

All current and existing child care providers must complete the above identified training PRIOR
to renewing an existing Provider Agreement or Registration

Note: The Department is working to develop a free module-based health and safety training that
will meet all of the required content areas listed above. This training will be available online and in
person. This training is required once every five years and does not count towards annual training
hours. As information becomes more available, we will share with you how to obtain this training.

1305 E. Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0114

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All Registered Child Development Homes and child care providers that have entered into a
Child Care Assistance Provider Agreement will have an annual, unannounced inspection.

Enhancements must be made to the current requirements in your emergency plans.

Emergency procedures must also have in place plans for:
o Evacuation to safely leave the facility
o Relocation to a common, safe location after evacuation
o Shelter-in-place to take immediate shelter where you are when it is unsafe to leave that
location due to the emergent issue
o Lock down protocol to protect children and providers from an external situation
o Communication plan and plans for reunification with families
o Continuity of operations, and
o Procedures to address the needs of individual children, including those with functional
or access needs.

Note: The previously discussed training will be able to assist you in coming into compliance with this
requirement.
The Department is working hard to implement required changes by September 30, 2016. We
appreciate your understanding as we work through these requirements. Be assured that we will
provide you with as much information as possible to assist you with this transition.
If you have not yet done so, contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency and become
a participant in the Constant Contact email system, where you will have access to DHS newsletters
and other useful information sent directly to you. You may also consider contacting them to provide
consultation to support your child care program.
Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
Northwest Iowa Region 1:
Northeast Iowa Region 2:
Southwest Iowa Region 3:
Central Iowa Region 4:
Southeast Iowa Region 5:

877-216-8481
800-475-0804
800-945-9778
800-722-7619
866-324-3236

Thank you for your dedication to the children and families you serve.

Sincerely,

Ryan Page
Regulatory Program Manager for Child Care
rpage@dhs.state.ia.us