By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says the Public School System will continue to receive federal child care and development fund.
Moniquin Huggins, acting associate director for the child care bureau of the Office of Family Assistance, told Education Commissioner David M. Borja that unless Gov. Benigno R. Fitial submits written notification about a change in the lead child care agency, the office will continue to award the grant, amounting to $1.7 million, to PSS.
Huggins said the Administration for Children and Families in Region 9 has received and responded to an inquiry made by Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Deputy Secretary Melvin O. Faisao regarding the process of transferring the child care and development fund lead agency responsibilities.
But Huggins said they have yet to receive formal notification from the governor’s office regarding a transfer of the CNMI lead agency responsibilities from PSS to DCCA.
PSS, Huggins added, has been the grant lead agency throughout the years that the CNMI has implemented the program and has also recently been approved to receive funding for federal fiscal year 2008.
Huggins said her office did not make any recommendation about a transfer as a lawmaker earlier claimed.
“The (child care and development fund) regulations indicate that the chief executive officer of the state or jurisdiction is responsible for designating the (grant) lead agency and (the Administration for Children and Families) is not involved in that decision-making process,” Huggins said.