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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Lopez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1-26-06

HB

SHORT TITLE AT-HOME INFANT CARE PROGRAM

SB 161

ANALYST Lucero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$360.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB19

Duplicates Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 161 appropriates $360.0 from the GENERAL FUND to Children, Youth and Fami-

lies Department for the purpose of continuing the pilot at-home infant care program.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $360.0 contained in this bill is a RECURRING expense to the GENERAL

FUND. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of 2007 shall revert to

the GENERAL FUND.

The LFC budget recommendation contained $85.5 from SB190 which was adopted by HAFC.

The executive did not recommend this SB190 item.

Senate Bill 161 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

SB0161 proposes to provide for payments to unemployed parents in Dona Ana County to stay at

home and take care of their infant child for the purpose of promoting parent/child bonding, and

would require the parent/s to participate in early childhood and parenting training. Since August

of 2004, the program has provided eligible parents a small stipend to complete “Families

Strengthening Partnership” coursework through New Mexico Sate University (NMSU) in child-

care, child development and general life skills. The goal of the program is to encourage these

same parents, who now have considerable child development information, to become childcare

providers for other families in their communities.

These parents are paid by CYFD at a rate equivalent to that of child care providers in registered

and licensed family child care homes for toddlers and preschool children. Parent/s enrolled in

the Families Strengthening Partnership classes are given pre- and post-questionnaires to rate their

knowledge of parenting and general life skills. Data collected by NMSU indicates a marked im-

provement of positive parenting practices in all subject matter components of the course. (Infor-

mation from CYFD’s In-Home Infant Child Care Program handout)

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

CYFD will continue to administer the pilot program with existing resources.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Duplicates HB19

This bill relates to General Appropriation Act. LFC recommendation included $85.5 from

SB190. HAFC adopted LFC recommendation.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The bill does not mention eligibility criteria. Program data did not mention eligibility criteria.

It is unclear if this pilot follows traditional eligibility at 150% of the federal poverty level or if

there is some other means test.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Research and literature show the importance of providing a caring a supportive environment for

infants and young children. HB0019 and SB161 enables parents of infants to remain home with

their infant as well as to receive parenting training.

The advantages of continuing the at-home infant care program include:

•

Parents in this program will gain useful information in areas of child growth and devel-

opment and in childcare best practices. Results in pre and post questionnaires from the 40

parents completing coursework indicated a marked improvement of positive parenting

practices in all subject matter components of the course.

•

These same parents are encouraged to begin childcare provision in their communities,

thus building the supply of childcare providers in Dona Ana County. Since the parents

(child care providers) have completed extensive courses in childcare and child develop-

ment, they will be able to provide a highly valuable service to their communities.

Senate Bill 161 – Page

3

•

Becoming childcare providers will supplement income of these low-income families.

•

Children will benefit from “enriching environments” provided by caregivers who clearly

understand child development and how to interact effectively with children to foster

health growth and development.

ALTERNATIVES

Minnesota carves funding out of state child care block funds for At Home Infant Care (AHIC).

Montana uses state funds as a component of TANF MOE for (AHIC).

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Parents will have to utilize traditional child care.

DL/nt