TALK | city
No Fingerprinting for City Program? by Tyler Cleveland
T
December 4 - 10, 2013
FLICKR/KEVINDOOLEY
he 4-2 vote the city took last week company for upkeep and maintenance ceive vouchers don’t jump through the to enact fingerprint scanning for through 2016. hoops that are already in place to get the the city’s child-care programs The Jackson City Council passed certificate vouchers to collect money to might have been a little prema- an emergency motion to comply with which they aren’t entitled. ture, following revelations that a previ- the move to the new system last week Jackson currently receives $78,000 ously filed injunction could delay and under the false pretense that the city a month from MDHS, without which ultimately kill the Mississippi the city says it cannot conDepartment of Human Sertinue to run its three childvices mandate. care facilities. In an order filed Aug. “There’s really been no 28, 2013, Hinds County demonstration that there’s Chancery Judge Denise been fraud,” Lumumba said. Owens granted a temporary “I don’t know how many of injunction that allows childus have had experience with care providers who did not welfare situations, but 99.9 volunteer to be a part of the percent of people aren’t gopilot program to opt out of ing to go through what you the MDHS mandate. The have to go through to get this legislation’s supporters want money. There’s dehumanizapublic child-care programs tion and other things that to switch to fingerprint happen that prevents one to scanning to better track the go in there and fraudulently time that children spend in slip into the system.” the government-subsidized Welchlin’s organization child-care centers. puts the number of kids in the That may mean Jackson’s CCCP program at 18,000, three city-run child-care cenwith more than 8,000 curters, which service nearly 300 rently on the waiting list. She The City of Jackson may opt out of a Mississippi Department children, could also opt out of argues that the number of of Health and Safety program that would require child-care the fingerprinting program, at child-care centers that accept centers that accept government vouchers to implement fingerprint scanning. least for now. CCCP parents could drop, State officials have argued and that some centers would that the system could cut administrative had no choice but to go along. have to close their doors altogether. costs, more accurately record attendance “I wasn’t surprised that there had “(Child-care providers) don’t want to and prevent fraud. Child-care advocates, been a legal challenge,” said Ward 4 give Xerox access to their account inforlike Mississippi Low-Income Child Councilman De’Keither Stamps, who mation,” Welchlin said. Care Initiative spokeswoman Cassandra joined Ward 6 Councilman Tony Yarber “Also, (MDHS says) the program Welchlin, say the policy is discriminatory, in voting against the measure. won’t cost the child-care providers anyinvasive and dehumanizing, especially “I made a few phone calls to some thing, but there are hidden costs. The considering that parents and guardians of human-rights organizations, and found reimbursements often are not on time, other income levels would be exempt. out there is more wiggle room than we meaning they have to cover some costs “We know it’s going to be a hassle believed there was Tuesday. If it hadn’t until the payments come in, and many for the parents to have to scan in and been presented as an emergency item, we of the providers have to hire extra staff or scan out,” Welchlin told the JFP last would have been able to research it.” dedicate man hours to implementing the week. “These are low-income working The state says the new system will program and making sure it runs well.” parents we are talking about, and it’s prevent fraud and save money. State ofIn September 2012, MDHS installed inconvenient to them, and to the child- ficials have argued that child-care pro- biometric finger scanners at 20 child-care care providers, to have them come down viders can doctor their records to receive centers in the Jackson metro. MDHS’ and give their fingerprints.” additional funding, and those that do are move prompted a firestorm of complaints Mississippi has been participating likely to drop out of the program. Also, from child center directors who say the in the Child Care Certificate Program children who have too many absences new system is wrought with problems and (or CCCP) since the 1990 passage of the could lose their vouchers. raises concerns about personal information U.S. Development Block Grant Act and “Mississippi has always been just security and privacy. Child-care providers its provision known as the Early Child about the last in everything,” Jill Dent took legal action to prevent the scanner Care Program Development Fund. The of Mississippi’s Department of Human program from taking effect statewide. program is run through the Mississippi Services told NPR in November 2012. As of press time, Jackson had not Department of Human Services, which “So we’re taking a step forward, and reversed its decision to comply with the just switched to a new tracking system in we want to be one of the first states that MDHS order, but the city council was set 2012 that it now calls defunct. utilize technology to be able to push a to take up the issue again at the Dec. 3 The state’s new contract with Xerox state forward.” meeting. Stamps said he expected to hear has already paid $1.7 million for 1,815 At a meeting of the city council on from the management at several childfinger scanners and VeriFone machines Nov. 25, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lu- care providers. that resemble credit-card readers, and mumba said he believes 99.9 percent of Email City Reporter Tyler Cleveland at will pay another $12.8 million to the parents and child-care providers who re- tyler@jacksonfreepress.com.
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