Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Office of Child and Family Services
May 19, 2025, the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) launched the Baxter Child Care Management System.
“Baxter” brings together Child Care Licensing and the Child Care Affordability Program into one system, decreasing processing times and increasing approval turnaround for child care programs and families. This online interface enables child care programs to electronically submit licensing applications, review/respond to licensing inspections and action plans, and receive Child Care Affordability Program payments from their computer or mobile device without the need to print or fill out paper forms.
What to Expect
- Initial application & program information will be saved, making renewals faster & easier
- Inquiry functions within the portal allows communication directly with Licensing Specialists
- Inspections, Notices of Non-Compliance, & Action Plans can be managed within Baxter
- Real-time status updates available
- Online capability to file appeal requests
- Serious illness, injury, and other reportable occurrences can be filed digitally
- (When applicable) Application fees can be processed online
Helpful Tips:
- All individuals will be required to register using their own personal information including email addresses.
- The Provider Portal will not allow multiple individuals to use the same email address for registration.
- Generic program-specific email addresses can/will be used during the application process but for the purposes of registration everyone will need their own unique email address.
User Role Descriptions
- Program Owner: Individual responsible for the operation of the Child Care Program, including ensuring compliance with regulations. This role will be used by all FCC Providers.
- Program Director:(Child Care Facility or Nursery School Only) Qualified individual having responsibility for carrying out policy and administering the Program.
- Program Owner/Director:(Child Care Facility or Nursery School Only) Program’s that have one individual that meet both criteria above. This role should only be used if the Child Care Facility or Nursery School does not have a separate Program Director and Program Owner
Requirements
**Note: At time of application each Program Owner and Director listed will be required to sign the application electronically. The Owners/Directors will be responsible for managing user access to the Provider Portal once their account is set up.
- Family Child Care Providers
- Will always have the role of ‘Program Owner’.
- A Second ‘Program Owner’ can be added if both individuals reside in the home that is licensed.
- Child Care Facility or Nursery School
- Every Program must choose one of the following:
a. Same Program Owner and Director their role will be ‘Program Owner/Director’.
b. Separate Program Owner and Director will require 2 individuals one with a role of ‘Program Owner’ and the other with the role of ‘Program Director’. - A Second ‘Program Owner’ can be added in addition to the above requirement when a Program is owned by multiple individuals.
- For programs that currently list a Board of Directors as the Program Owner; you will need to designate at least one individual as the Program Owner for the Program.
- Every Program must choose one of the following:
Video: Registration with Invite Code (YouTube)
Video: Provider Portal Dashboard (YouTube)
Video: Enrollment Verification Process (YouTube)
- New Weekly Enrollment hours for all ages, Families currently awarded half-time and quarter-time hours will now be covered for part time enrollment hours. Part time: 1-29 hours. Full time: 30-50 hours. This will happen automatically.
- Changes to School Age Market Rate and Payment, Part-time school age rate has been increased to a prorated amount. The Department will pay for 38 weeks of part time care during the school year and 14 weeks of full-time summer care based on family need. The 14 weeks of full-time care start on the first Saturday in June of each year.
- The Department will pay providers prospectively based on enrollment. Providers will bill CCAP based on enrollment. Enrollment means the specified amount of time authorized by the Department for a weekly subsidy payment. Due to prospective payments, Parents must report a Change of Child Care Provider to the Child Care Affordability Program four (4) weeks prior to enrolling their Children with the new Provider.
- Payments will be made in the current system through May 9, 2025 and must be submitted by noon May 14, 2025. Payments transition to Baxter beginning with the week of May 10, 2025. Billing for May 10 – May 23, 2025 may be submitted Monday May 19, 2025 in Baxter and will follow CCAP billing cycle Payment Schedule March 2025 to April 2026.pdf.
fccamaine.com 