50-11.1-11.1. Resource and referral services - Authority of department to make grants - Federal funds - Components

50-11.1-11.1. Resource and referral services - Authority of department to make grants - Federal funds - Components. 1. The department may make grants to public and private nonprofit entities for the planning, establishment, expansion, improvement, or operation of early childhood services. Public or private nonprofit entities may apply to the department for funding. Applicants shall apply for grants on forms provided by the department. Applications for grants using funds received by the state under subsection 2 must include assurances that federal requirements have been met. 2. The department shall submit an application annually to the United States secretary of health and human services for the purpose of obtaining the state's allotment of funds authorized under chapter 8 of title VI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 [42 U.S.C. 9871-9877] or under any subsequent federal law providing funding for child care and development programs. 3. Each public or private nonprofit entity or the department providing early childhood resource and referral services shall identify all existing related early childhood services through information provided by all relevant public and private nonprofit entities in the areas of service and must develop a resource file of these services which must be maintained and updated at least quarterly. The services must include early childhood services as identified in section 50-11.1-02. 4. Each public or private nonprofit entity or the department providing early childhood resource and referral services shall establish a referral process that responds to parental needs for information, fully ensures the confidentiality of records and information as required under subsection 4 of section 50-11.1-07, affords parents maximum access to all referral information, and includes telephone referral available for no less than twenty hours per week and access via the internet. Each public or private nonprofit entity or the department shall publicize its services through popular media sources, agencies, employers, and other appropriate methods. 5. All early childhood services resource and referral public and private nonprofit entities or the department shall maintain documentation of the number of calls and contacts received and information required or requested by the department. 6. Each early childhood services resource and referral public or private nonprofit entity or the department shall have available, as an educational aid to parents, information on available parent, early childhood, and family education programs in the community and information on aspects of evaluating the quality and suitability of early childhood services, including licensing regulation, financial assistance availability, child abuse reporting procedures, and appropriate child development information. 7. A child care resource and referral public or private nonprofit entity or the department shall provide technical assistance to existing and potential providers of all types of early childhood services and to employers. 8. Services prescribed by this section must be designed to maximize parental choice in the selection of early childhood services and to facilitate the maintenance and development of such services and resources.