Appeal Process

The Appeal Process is one that has been approved by the Director of the Office for Children and Youth (OCY) for any director/owner of a Licensed Child Care facility who feels that a contesting of the Step Level they received is in order. The peer review committee referenced in the procedure will consist of 3-5 peer directors/owners/early childhood professionals familiar with the Mississippi Child Care Quality Step System selected by the Office for Children and Youth to review information related to contested step levels.

1.    Applicants who choose to contest their step rating must produce in writing just cause why they feel the decision should be reversed. The information must be submitted by certified mail to the Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, Office for Children and Youth, 750 North State Street, P.O. Box 352, Jackson, MS 39205.

 2.  Upon receipt of the information, the Director will convene the Peer Review Committee within 30 days to review the information. After their review and response, the Director will determine the merits of their recommendation and proceed to inform the individual filing the complaint as to the next step in the process within 30 days of receipt of the review and response from the Peer Review Committee.

3.    If the outcome of the Peer Review Committee is unsatisfactory to the individual filing the complaint, the individual may within 30 days ask for a further review by the Director of the Office for Children and Youth and ask that a Show Cause Hearing be scheduled before the OCY Director and others in the Mississippi Department of Human Services appointed by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The individual filing the complaint will be informed of the date and time of a hearing by the Director of the Office for Children and Youth by certified mail.

4.    If the results of the Show Cause Hearing are unsatisfactory to the individual filing the complaint, the individual may appeal within 30 days the decision to the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services through certified mail. The Appeal Process of the Mississippi Department of Human Services will be the standard for further appeal.

5.   The decision of the Mississippi Department of Human Service’s Executive Director will be final.

 

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