Michigan DHS

[Francine]

I posted a while back about whether or not to take DHS payment and had decided not to when my interview no showed. Well as much as I hate to I think I might have to rethink it for right now. I quite my job after Memorial Day to opened the daycare June 1, I only have one child right now with a teachers possibly starting very part time in July and then full time in September. Every other call that I have gotten is either for nights or DHS. I have actually had about 5 calls asking if I was hiring because the newspaper has the Licensed Daycare section right above the HELP WANTED section and apparently people don't pay attention.

So anyway I just had a lady call with a 2 and 4 year old, DHS, wants to change daycares because the other one just puts them in front of the TV and does nothing with them. She wants to stop over today after work, so I told her that she could stop over, if we are all in agreement that it's a good fit....me, her and the kids....I will seriuosly coinsider it. She did say that she is very forgetful as far as submitting her hours etc. so she has given the other provider her username and password to the site so that the provider can do it....what are your thoughts on that? OH, and she works 6:30-3:00..I normally don't open until 8:00 UGG.

I really didn't want to get into taking DHS but I also can't afford to have only one child. I have never taken DHS before I really don't have any idea how to even get started.

More a vent than anything else but if you have any advice please feel free to share. Thanks!

[Janet]

DHS in MI

I've had my share of families and DHS billing, and if I have my way, I'll never take on another DHS family again. My biggest problem with it is that the parent has to bill, too. Sometimes parents forget, or sometimes the parents put in hours that are different from the hours that you report. If your hours don't match up with the parents hours, you will get audited and either yourself or the parents could be responsible for paying the difference. Also, state pay is getting lower all the time and unfortunately, some families don't want to pay the co-pay because they can't afford it. Really think long and hard about it before you decide. Good luck.

[Francine]

I've had my share of families and DHS billing, and if I have my way, I'll never take on another DHS family again. My biggest problem with it is that the parent has to bill, too. Sometimes parents forget, or sometimes the parents put in hours that are different from the hours that you report. If your hours don't match up with the parents hours, you will get audited and either yourself or the parents could be responsible for paying the difference. Also, state pay is getting lower all the time and unfortunately, some families don't want to pay the co-pay because they can't afford it. Really think long and hard about it before you decide. Good luck.

If it were just submitting the hours that was the issue, she did say that she would give me her username and password ( or whatever is needed) so that I can submit her hours for her so they would always match. I really don't want to do it but I also can't afford to live on just one kid. I won't do it if she won't pay the difference, not a chance.

[mac60]

If you can't, as a parent, remember on a weekly basis to enter your information, I would not want a parent like that, shows they are not very responsible.

[Francine]

So she stopped in with the kids after work, the kids were find, very well behaved from what I could see in the 15 minutes that they were here. Mom was nice enough, just not my type if that makes sense. She didn't ask anything about me or the daycare, she saw that I had a playroom full of toys and that sold her. Apparently the other daycare has a box of toys and a TV and that's what the kids do all day. Tomorrow is her day off so she asked if she could bring the kids for a few hours ( 9-3) that's all day to me but whatever she said that she will pay me cash, we will see. I'm not going to make any huge decisions until tomorrow after I see how it goes.

She said that DHS pays for 95% of her daycare and the old daycare use to charge her 50.00 every other week. What does 95% of her daycare mean? I thought they paid so much per hour.

So do I have to register with the state or something? Do I have to call DHS or does she do that? I know no idea what I'm suppose to do if I decide to take them on.

[booroo]

Contact the state and tell them you want to take state assissted children!! All though I have been tring since April to get approved through state of NE I have 2 families that are on it, 1 has stopped working, so I won't get paid for that, and the other family just quit her job today, so I won't get paid now either I'm sure!! I
so mad at the state of NE right I'm seeing red!! The owe my me over $800.00

[Francine]

Contact the state and tell them you want to take state assissted children!! All though I have been tring since April to get approved through state of NE I have 2 families that are on it, 1 has stopped working, so I won't get paid for that, and the other family just quit her job today, so I won't get paid now either I'm sure!! I
so mad at the state of NE right I'm seeing red!! The owe my me over $800.00

Does anybody know if this is how it works in Michigan?

[MarinaVanessa]

If you decide to take them that's great. See if it works out for you. Subsidized payment here in CA doesn't work like it does where you live (we have sign in sheets that just need to be mailed) but I remember reading in the forum once about how a provider just has the parent enter the hours at daycare on the last day so that they both have the same # of hours and times etc. I thought that was a great solution you could offer to her. I know I wouldn't feel comfortable having her password and such. If she already told you that she has a hard time forgetting to call the hours in (or on the comp) then I'd be worried. Just have her do it in your home the last day on your computer.

[melissa ann]

If you can't, as a parent, remember on a weekly basis to enter your information, I would not want a parent like that, shows they are not very responsible.

I agree, 100%.

[Francine]

See If she already told you that she has a hard time forgetting to call the hours in (or on the comp) then I'd be worried. Just have her do it in your home the last day on your computer.

That's what I thought I would do, I don't want to know her information, that sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen.

[booroo]

http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-5453_5529_7148-21059--,00.html

here is a link to what I read!! If you are all ready registeated through MI then just call the office and get set up to take the payment.

[Childminder]

What I charge comes to $3.75 per hour. The state of MI pays me (in her case) 95% of the rate of $2.40 which comes out to $2.28 per hour. The parent is responsible for the rest which is $1.47 per hour. Also you need to know what hours every two week pay period she qualifies for. Some parents are covered for 90 hours(the max), some only 75. Sooooo if she works a 50 hour week X 2 week pay period then that is 100 hours and that is over the amount of hours that the state will pay.

Confusing? yes!!!!! Oh and don't forget the UAW will get 1.15% of that subsidy amount

As far as reporting her hours I wouldn't cause it'll just come back and bite you! If childcare doesn't work out and she gets mad at you she can report you to DHS for fraud.

Make sure you get her to pay the FULL amount ahead of time cause it takes FOREVER to get the process going and she might not qualify at the rate she quotes you.

Feel free to PM me if you wish.

[Francine]

I don't have an hourly rate, I charge by the day according to contracted hours. 25.00 per day if they bring lunch, 28.00 if I supply lunch. In her case it would be 6:00 a.m. until 3:30 so 9 1/2 hours that comes to 2.63 per hour if she brings lunch, 2.95 if I supply lunch. So if I figured this right @ 2.63 per hour she is only going to owe me .35 per hour, 33.30 for a two week period. She pays her other daycare 50.00 for two weeks.

She did say that at the other place they pay for 95% so does she have to get requalified for me or does she just have to let them know that she is changing providers?

[Francine]

Feel free to PM me if you wish.

I sent you a PM, maybe twice I don't know. I thought I did it right but my Sent box still says 0, so you will either get two messages or none:confused:

[Francine]

I don't have an hourly rate, I charge by the day according to contracted hours. 25.00 per day if they bring lunch, 28.00 if I supply lunch. In her case it would be 6:00 a.m. until 3:30 so 9 1/2 hours that comes to 2.63 per hour if she brings lunch, 2.95 if I supply lunch. So if I figured this right @ 2.63 per hour she is only going to owe me .35 per hour, 33.30 for a two week period. She pays her other daycare 50.00 for two weeks.

She did say that at the other place they pay for 95% so does she have to get requalified for me or does she just have to let them know that she is changing providers?

I was only figuring for one child not two so I would be making more than the 50.00 that she pays the other provider.