Service delivery policies of coad4kids,
a program of the Corporation for
Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD)

“We” in the text below constitutes ‘COAD and the coad4kids program’.

Customer Service Policy

Our goal is to provide high quality services to every family, to every early childhood professional, and to the communities we serve. We maintain an effective array of services, provided by trained professionals, according to established standards for responsiveness to customers’ requests. We will give all services and issues of service delivery prompt and confidential attention.

Complaint Policy
Should a customer be dissatisfied with service provided, we will investigate the issue, take necessary action(s), carefully document the detail for reference, review and improve procedures to ensure ongoing best practices, and follow up to a mutually satisfying solution for all parties. Call 800-577-2276; contact us via email at email us; or by fax at 740-592-5994. We will refer complaints against a provider accused of neglect or abuse to the proper authorities, and we will provide customers the contact information to do the same.

Referral Policy
We do not endorse or recommend any program or provider. We believe that families know best what care will meet the needs of their child, and encourage them to act on their own knowledge and feelings as they select a program. It is our goal to empower families with information, checklists, and resources so they can make an informed decision. We listen carefully to the family’s needs and generate options that are sensitive to the family’s parenting style, interests, ethnicity, religious beliefs, race, culture, and other preferences. All personal information gathered is kept in strictest confidence.

Responsibility for selecting and employing a child care provider rests fully with the family. Programs in the registry must be state licensed, county certified or affiliated with another monitoring agency. We do not regulate, monitor or guarantee the quality of any provider or service included in our referral registry. Customers must continue to monitor the program chosen as long as their child remains enrolled. We provide information on how to choose a quality program and encourage families to interview, visit and seek comparisons and references before choosing a provider.

Ohio child care rules can be accessed at http://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/rules_forms.stm and questions can be directed to child care licensing specialists at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services help desk: 866-886-3537, option #4 or the Ohio Department of Education Office of School Readiness at 614-466-0224. We reserve the right to exclude providers from the registry for reasons of unresolved allegations of neglect or abuse; if a licensed program is under investigation for non compliance with established standards; if the program discriminates on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, creed, age, national origin or disability.

Diversity Policy
We provide an accurate and comprehensive referral service that incorporates sensitivity to all customers’ unique circumstances and requests. We consider uniqueness in experiences, language, culture ethnicity, race, interests, values, religious beliefs, economic status, parenting styles, giving special attention to the needs of the Appalachian region. Our staff brings a wide range of knowledge and experience to generate customized services to meet our customers’ diverse needs.

Confidentiality Policy
We are committed to a strict standard of confidentiality to protect both the agency and the customer. Therefore, it is our policy that any direct or indirect use or dissemination of confidential information relating to the agency or its customers is forbidden, both during employment and after employment has terminated. All confidential information shall be maintained by all employees in a manner that ensures its privacy and safety. All personnel are required to sign a commitment to confidentiality when hired, and to uphold this policy in regard to duties and responsibilities.

All policies are subject to periodic review and revision by COAD administration.