The Office of Child Care and Regulatory Services (OCCRS)combines three key child care governance functions under one lead agency. The OCCRS’ three components are: the Subsidy Resource and Referral Unit which administers the federal Child Care Development Fund Program (CCDF) that provides subsidies to parents and families for child care; the Licensing Unit which licenses/certifies private and government-operated child care facilities and monitors all child care and learning programs in the territory to ensure that children are in safe, stimulating and healthy environments; and the Quality Improvement Unit provides services to increase the quality of child care through consumer education, caregiver/teacher training and provision of resources for quality improvement. As a key prevention program within the territory, the Child Care Development Fund program is one of the most important within the DHS for addressing working parents’ growing need for quality child care.

Administrator: Tishma Tucker Lans, tishma.tucker-lans@dhs.vi.gov