Notice of Change/Withdrawal

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES
Family Safety and Preservation Program
RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
65C-22.001: General Information
65C-22.005: Food and Nutrition
65C-22.008: School Age Child Care
65C-22.010: Enforcement
NOTICE OF CHANGE
Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 36 No. 44, November 5, 2010 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

65C-22.001 General Information.

(1) through (11) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 402.305, 402.308, 402.309 FS. Law Implemented 402.305, 402.309, 402.3055, 402.308, 402.310 FS. History–New 6-1-97, Amended 3-17-99, 7-26-00, 1-4-01, 7-13-03, 9-12-04, 4-12-07, 5-1-08, 1-13-10,________.

 

65C-22.005 Food and Nutrition.

(1) through (2) No change.

(a) No change.

(b) Facilities must comply, within a period of 90 days after the effective date, [effective date], of this rule chapter, with the following rules from Chapter 64E-11, F.A.C., which are incorporated by reference. A copy of this chapter may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare:

1. through 12. No change.

(c) Manager Certification and Training.

1. No change.

2. The designated food service manager shall have passed a written certification test from one of the following providers: National Registry of Food Safety Professional (800)446-0257, National Restaurant Association (800)765-2122, or Thomson Prometric (800)624-2736 a provider that has been approved by the Department of Health in accordance with section 64E-11.012(2)-(4), F.A.C. A list of test providers may be obtained from the Department of Health website at www.doh.state.fl.us. The certified manager shall also maintain a copy of their active manager certification on site for review by the Department. The manager certification is active for five years from the date of issuance and must be renewed timely.

3. through 4. No change.

(d) Inspections, violations, and administrative action

1. Facilities will be subject to inspections. that must be documented on Department of Health form DH 4023, Jan. 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of this form may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare.

2. through 3. No change.

4. A “stop sale action” means that a violation of food service standards has been observed that poses an immediate threat to the safety of food requiring the food item(s) in question be destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable at the time of inspection. Violations resulting in a “stop sale action” must be documented on Department of Health DH form 4045, Feb. 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of this form may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare. Re-occurring “stop sale actions” subject the facility to progressive sanctions in accordance with the schedule for Class II violations provided in Rule 65C-22.010, F.A.C.

5. No change.

6. In the event that the Department determines that a child care facility’s regular food service operation fails to comply with the food hygiene standards established in this rule such that continued operation of regular food service presents an imminent danger to the health and safety of the children being served, the Department will require that the facility immediately cease regular food service. Closure of the regular food service operation will not otherwise affect the operation of the facility, provided that the facility makes alternative arrangements to provide food for the children as needed. The facility must notify parents that the regular food service has been closed and must inform them of the alternate arrangements that have been made. The Department will document the closure on Department of Health form DH 4023, Jan 2005 used for inspection purposes. A copy of this form may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare. The facility must post the food service inspection report in a conspicuous place accessible to parents for the duration of the closure. Any food service operation closed under this rule shall remain closed until the standards violation that produced the closure has been remedied.

(e) No change.

(3) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 402.305, 402.308 FS. Law Implemented 402.305, 402.308 FS. History–New 6-1-97, Amended 3-17-99, 7-26-00, 1-4-01, 7-13-03, 9-12-04, 4-12-07, Re-promulgated 5-1-08, 1-13-10,________.

 

65C-22.008 School Age Child Care.

(1) through (3) No change.

(a) through (d) No change.

(e) General Requirements.

1. All school-age child care program facilities must be clean, in good repair, and free from health and safety hazards and from vermin infestation. During the hours that the program is in operation, no portion of the building shall be used for any activity which endangers the health and safety of the children. It is the responsibility of the director/owner that all areas of the facility are free from fire hazards, such as burning candles, (including birthday candles) and incense, plug-in air fresheners, lint and dust build up in heating and air vents, filters, exhaust fans, ceiling fans, and dryer vents.

2. through 8. No change.

(f) through (j) No change.

(k) Health and Sanitation.

1. No change.

2. Employees, volunteers, and children shall wash their hands with soap and running water, dry thoroughly and follow personal hygiene procedures for themselves, or while assisting others, prior to eating, serving food, and immediately after outdoor play.

3. through 4. No change.

(l) through (p) No change.

(q) No change.

1. No change.

2. All school-age child care facilities that store, prepare, and/or serve food to the children in care must comply, within a period of 90 days after the effective date, [effective date], of this rule chapter, with the following rules from Chapter 64E-11, F.A.C., which are incorporated by reference. A copy of this chapter may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare:

a. through l. No change.

3. Manager Certification and Training.

a. All child care facilities that store, prepare, and/or serve food to the children in care shall designate in writing a food service manager.

b. The designated food service manager shall have passed a written certification test from one of the following providers: National Registry of Food Safety Professional (800)446-0257, National Restaurant Association (800)765-2122, or Thomson Prometric (800)624-2736 a provider that has been approved by the Department of Health in accordance with section 64E-11.012(2)-(4), F.A.C. A list of test providers may be obtained from the Department of Health website at www.doh.state.fl.us. The certified manager shall also maintain a copy of their active manager certification on site for review by the Department. The manager certification is active for five years from the date of issuance and must be renewed timely.

c. through d. No change.

4. Inspections, violations, and administrative action

a. Facilities will be subject to inspections that must be documented on Department of Health form DH 4023, Jan. 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of this form may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare.

b. through c. No change.

d. A “stop sale action” means that a violation of food service standards has been observed that poses an immediate threat to the safety of food requiring the food item(s) in question be destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable at the time of inspection. Violations resulting in a “stop sale action” must be documented on Department of Health DH form 4045, Feb. 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of this form may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare. Re-occurring “stop sale actions” subject the facility to progressive sanctions in accordance with the schedule for Class II violations provided in Rule 65C-22.010, F.A.C.

e. No change.

f. In the event that the Department determines that a child care facility’s regular food service operation fails to comply with the food hygiene standards established in this rule such that continued operation of regular food service presents an imminent danger to the health and safety of the children being served, the Department will require that the facility immediately cease regular food service. Closure of the regular food service operation will not otherwise affect the operation of the facility, provided that the facility makes alternative arrangements to provide food for the children as needed. The facility must notify parents that the regular food service has been closed and must inform them of the alternate arrangements that have been made. The Department will document the closure on Department of Health form DH 4023, Jan 2005 used for inspection purposes. A copy of this form may be obtained from the Department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare. The facility must post the food service inspection report in a conspicuous place accessible to parents for the duration of the closure. Any food service operation closed under this rule shall remain closed until the standards violation that produced the closure has been remedied.

5. No change.

(r) No change.

(s) Fire and Emergency Safety.

1. through 4. No change.

5. During the facility’s licensure year, the The facility must conduct either an emergency preparedness or fire drill each month. Fire of operation during the facility’s licensure year. Emergency preparedness drills include a minimum of one (1) lockdown and one (1) inclement weather drill conducted within each licensure year. A fire drills shall be conducted each remaining month of operation during the facility’s licensure year using the following formula:

Total # of months the program operates – 2 = Total # of fire drills that must be conducted.

a minimum of 10 times annually and be conducted The drills must be conducted at various dates and times when children are in care. A current attendance record must accompany staff out of the building during a drill or actual evacuation, and be used to account for all children. The fire drills conducted must include, at a minimum:

a. through b. No change.

6. through 12. No change.

(t) No change.

(u) Record Keeping.

1. through 4. No change.

a. through e. No change.

(I) through (II) No change.

(III) CF-FSP Form 1649A, June 2011 August 2010, Child Care Affidavit of Good Moral Character, which is incorporated by reference, must be completed for all child care personnel at time of initial screening or upon a change in employers. CF-FSP Form 1649A may be obtained from the department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare.

f. No change.

(I) through (IV) No change.

g. through j. No change.

5. No change.

(4) School-Age Child Care Personnel Training Requirements.

(a) Definitions.

1. through 6. No change.

7. “Foster Grandparents” are directly supervised volunteers who participate in the federal program pursuant to 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 2552. Foster grandparents work with one or more children with special or exceptional needs in child care programs. Foster grandparents are not counted in the staff-to-child ratio. Foster grandparents shall be required to have 100% attendance in the following department’s training courses: Child Care Facility Rules and Regulations; Health, Safety, and Nutrition; Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect; and Special Needs Appropriate Practices. Foster grandparents must begin training within 30 days of employment in the child care industry in any licensed Florida child care home or facility. Training must be completed within six (6) months from the date of employment in the child care industry in any licensed Florida child care home or facility. Foster grandparents are not classified as child care personnel, and they may not be assigned the roles of teacher’s aides, group leaders or other similar positions.

8. through 13. No change.

(b) through (c) No change.

1. Child Care Facility Rules and Regulation (6 hours);

2. Health, Safety, and Nutrition (8 hours);

3. Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (4 hours); and

4. Understanding Developmentally Appropriate Practice (5 hours);

4.5. School Age-Appropriate Practices.; and

5.6. The remaining 12 hours must be met by completing any combination of training identified in either sub-subparagraphs a. and or b. below.

a. Successful completion of competency examinations offered by the department or its designated representative with a weighted score of 70 or better for any of the following courses:

(I) Child Growth and Development (6 or 10 hours),

(II) Behavioral Observation and Screening (6 or 10 hours),

(III) Infant and Toddler Appropriate Practices (10 hours),

(IV) Preschool Appropriate Practices (10 hours),

(V) Special Needs Appropriate Practices (10 hours),

(VI) Basic Guidance and Discipline (5 hours online),

(VII) Early Literacy for Children Ages Birth Through Three (5 hours online),

(VIII) Early Childhood Computer Learning Centers (5 hours online),

(IX) Emergent Literacy for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Instructors (5 hours online), or

b. Completion of specialized school-age training, provided by the department, a national organization or affiliates of a national organization, that requires demonstration of competencies through passage of examination(s), or completion and assessment of a Professional Resource File (portfolio of materials that demonstrate competency).

c. School-age child care personnel who completed the department’s 40 hour introductory training prior to January 2012 will remain in compliance with regards to the introductory training requirement.

6. No change.

7. In the event that Cchild care personnel who left leaves the child care industry in compliance with the training requirements upon returning described in this section, and returns to the industry either at the same or a different child care facility, he or she shall be granted 90 days to comply with any new mandated training requirements that have been enacted in law during the gap in employment in the child care industry. Completion of such training may be counted toward the annual in-service training requirement.

8. In the event that Cchild care personnel who left leaves the child care industry not in compliance with the training requirements must complete required training described in this section, and returns to the industry either at the same or a different child care facility, he or she must comply with the training requirements described in this section, in addition to any new mandated training requirements that have been enacted in law during the gap in employment in the child care industry prior to re-employment.

9. No change.

(d) through (g) No change.

(h) Annual In-Service Training.

1. All child care facility personnel Upon completion of Part I and Part II introductory training requirements child care personnel must complete a minimum of 10-clock-hours or one CEU of in-service training annually during the state’s fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

2. No change.

a. through v. No change.

w. Any of the online courses offered through the department’s child care website.

3. No change.

4. Mandated 40-clock-hour introductory child care training, Parts I and II, may be used to meet the annual in-service training requirement during the first fiscal year of employment.

5.4. All child care personnel continuously employed or hired between July 1 and June 1 of the state’s fiscal year employed in the industry beyond 15 months, who change employment from one child care program to another during the fiscal year must complete the annual in-service training requirement. This includes any changes in employment from one program to another.

6.5. Child care personnel continuously employed or hired between July 1 and June 1 of the state’s fiscal year who do not complete the required annual in-service training during any given year not in compliance with the annual in-service training requirement described in this section must complete the remaining in-service training hours requirement within 30 days of the noncompliance finding by the licensing authority. These hours cannot be used to meet the current year’s in-service training requirements.

(i) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 402.305, 402.308 FS. Law implemented 402.305 FS. History–New 9-12-04, Amended 4-12-07, 5-1-08, 1-13-10, Amended 7-29-10,_______.

 

65C-22.010 Enforcement.

(1) Definitions.

(a) through (d) No change.

1. “Class I Violation” is an incident of noncompliance with a Class I standard as described on CF-FSP Form 5316, October 2010 March 2011. Child Care Facility Standards Classification Summary, which is incorporated by reference. A copy of the CF-FSP Form 5316 may be obtained from the department’s website at www.myflorida.com/childcare. Class I violations are the most serious in nature, pose an imminent threat to a child including abuse or neglect and which could or does result in death or serious harm to the health, safety or well-being of a child.

2. through 4. No change.

(2) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 402.305, 402.310 FS. Law Implemented 402.305, 402.310 FS. History–New 5-1-08, Amended 1-13-10,________.