A new state requirement gives child care programs advance notice of subsidized enrollment applications—but most owners haven't heard about it yet.
Most New Hampshire child care owners don't realize that as of this year, the state Department of Health and Human Services is required to notify them electronically when a family applies for a child care scholarship—and they have only three business days to do it.
This requirement, buried in HB1720 (Relative to notice to child care providers of child care scholarships), creates a new workflow that affects how licensed child care programs plan staffing and capacity. Here's what you need to know.
Under Section 1, RSA 167:83-a(I), DHHS must send electronic notice to any child care provider named in a scholarship application within three business days of the application being received. That's the first notification.
A second notice must follow within three business days of a final decision—whether the scholarship is approved, denied, or withdrawn.
These notices give your program visibility into potential new enrollments before the subsidy is finalized, rather than finding out after the fact.
Child care is a staffing-intensive business where enrollment changes directly affect payroll and classroom ratios. Advance notice of a scholarship application—even one that might not be approved—lets you:
The second notice (approval or denial) confirms whether you should finalize those plans or release the anticipated slot.
HB1720 becomes effective 60 days after passage. Programs should expect DHHS to begin sending these notices according to the three-business-day timeline once the law is in force.
If you haven't received communication from DHHS about the new notification process, it's worth reaching out to confirm you're on the provider contact list and that your email address is current in their system.
Make sure DHHS has your correct email address on file. When notices start arriving, treat them as planning tools: a scholarship application is not a confirmed enrollment, but it's a signal to begin your internal capacity review.
Keep records of these notices for your own scheduling and financial planning. If you notice patterns—such as applications clustering in certain seasons—you can use that data to forecast staffing needs.
If you have questions about how the notices will look or what information they'll contain, contact your regional DHHS office or your child care licensing representative.
New Hampshire child care providers can find the full text of HB1720 through the General Court's bill tracking system. Trade associations and licensing contacts can provide guidance on implementation in your program.