In Michigan, License Exempt-Unrelated child care providers must have a visit to provide coaching or mentoring as an extension of Great Start to Quality Orientation. As their name suggests, License Exempt-Unrelated providers are not licensed, and care of a child under this provider type must be in the child’s home.
The intent of these visits is to support best practices and improve health and safety of children in license exempt care.
This document includes information about Michigan’s Health and Safety Coaching Visits for License Exempt-Unrelated child care providers.
Each unique pairing of a license exempt-unrelated provider and a case requires a coaching visit each year. A provider who cares for children who live at different addresses will be required to complete an annual visit at each address.
Provider enrollment or family case closure and re-opening does not invalidate an acceptable completed coaching visit.
Providers must report the following changes by calling 866-990-3227 within 10 days:
The provider must personally call, because they will need to submit proofs (in most cases).
If the provider does not report these changes, we might not be able to schedule a visit, which stops the provider from receiving CDC subsidy payments for the children.
Parents and Providers should expect to receive a letter from the coach. This letter will tell them what to expect and will provide the coach’s contact information so that the provider or parent can call the coach (if preferred) rather than waiting to be contacted.
Soon after mailing the letter, the coach will call the provider. If there is no answer, the coach will leave a message, if possible.
After mail and phone attempts, if the provider does not respond or cannot be reached, the coach will notify the CDC office, which will begin the process to end provider assignments.
A license exempt-unrelated child care provider must have a visit at least one time each year for each address where care is provided. The provider must allow the visit when contacted, as described above.
Starting October 1, 2024. Michigan license exempt providers must follow the License Exempt Provider Health and Safety Standards (michigan.gov) . Training for the standards is introduced in the required License Exempt Provider Preservice Training (LEPPT) and are reviewed during the Michigan Annual Ongoing Refresher Trainings. These standards are monitored using the Standards - Health & Safety Checklist that is used when coaches complete the required health and safety visits for the license exempt-unrelated providers.
A Corrective Action Plan (CAP) consists of specific, required improvements that a provider must complete as part of Michigan’s health and safety standards for License Exempt-Unrelated child care providers. When a requirement is not met during the visit, the main goal is to identify the cause, what can be done to address it, and work with the provider to avoid it in the future.
Health and Safety Coaching Visit CAP findings will be one of two levels:
CAP Level 1
CAP Level 2
An unannounced follow-up visit will be required if a CAP is required.
A Health and Safety Coach will make two attempts to conduct an unannounced visit during the time the provider stated (during the original visit) that care normally takes place.
After two unannounced visits are not able to be completed, the coach will send details of the two attempts to CDC to review and/or end the provider’s CDC subsidy payment for the children.
Successfully completed visits are entered in Bridges. This allows the provider to receive CDC subsidy for the children for another year.
If the parent or the provider refuses to allow a Health and Safety Coaching Visit, the provider will not be able to receive CDC subsidy payments for the children.
The children remain eligible for CDC, and the parent may select another child care provider, such as a licensed child care provider.
The provider remains enrolled to receive CDC subsidy, but may not provide care for the same children until a Health and Safety Coaching Visit is completed for those children.
Note: No response to contact and scheduling attempts is considered refusal. Repeated attempts of the parent and/or provider to avoid completing a visit, when visits are scheduled and rescheduled, will also be considered refusal.
The Health and Safety Coach will report the following concerns to CDC:
The CDC office will work to resolve concerns as quickly as possible.
When a concern that stopped a visit is resolved, the provider’s name will be sent back to the coach to schedule and complete the visit.
If a concern listed above stops a visit from being completed, the provider will not be able to receive CDC subsidy payments for the children until the visit is successfully completed.
Because Health and Safety Coaches and License Exempt-Unrelated providers are mandated reporters, Children’s Protective Services (CPS) referral results are monitored by CDC and will follow the steps outlined above for ending CDC subsidy, if appropriate.
Coaches and license exempt child care providers are required by law to immediately report suspected child abuse and neglect. MDHHS' Centralized Intake accepts and processes reports of alleged abuse and neglect of children and/or adults 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To report suspected abuse or neglect, call 855-444-3911.
MDHHS Pub-112, Mandated Reporter's Resource Guide, includes definitions, requirements, and instructions for reporting. Coaches and license exempt child care providers must follow these requirements and should write down their concerns.
