FACILITATING CONTINUITY IN SUBSIDIZED CARE WITHIN MARYLAND

Maryland State Department Of Education, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

This project is part of an overall effort to make data-driven improvements to Maryland's CCDF program. Through the analysis of linked child care subsidy administrative data and provider licensing/accreditation data, this project will address the following research questions: (1) What patterns emerge when examining the continuity of subsidy spells? (e.g., returning within a year to the subsidy program; or rapid cycling, continuous long spells, etc.). Does continuity of subsidy spells differ across child, family, and community characteristics? (2) Do children in accredited subsidized care arrangements remain in these providers' care longer than children in non-accredited subsidized arrangements? (3) Does the length of (family) eligibility periods and voucher lengths differ before and after the shift to a private, centralized case management system? Do (family) eligibility periods and voucher authorization lengths become more consistent across counties after the shift to a private, centralized subsidy case management system?