1. Preschool Recreation Certification
On January 24, a small team of professionals visited personnel in the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) of the Department of Human Services in Harrisburg. Our purpose was to listen and discuss points of childcare certification that negatively impact preschool public recreation programs.
This first dialog, among more to come, proved productive in revealing a number of opportunities for education of both parties. Our DHS colleagues need a better understanding of the sheer diversity of preschool programming that our profession produces. Recreation professionals already meet many of the safety and child protection regulations that the law requires. Yet there are other aspects of the facility certification requirements that clearly do not recognize the differences between a for-profit childcare center and a public recreation program.
It is among these sticking points that we will continue the conversation. We have learned that OCDEL does have the authority to grant waivers or guidance with respect to the regulations -- with the approval of both the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education.
Unfortunately, this process will be a long one, with no resolution expected in time for this summer's preschool programming.
That same afternoon, the team also met with the legislative staff of Senator Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-34), and with Representative Mary Jo Daley (D-148) to learn what a legislative solution would require. We were briefed on an unsuccessful 12-year attempt by Corman to obtain a similar exemption for a religious-related case. Scott Sikorksi, Corman's legislative director, summed up the resistance succinctly: "in childcare, one size fits all; and safety is no. 1, which means no waivers." We appreciate his insight from the trenches on this battle.
Nonetheless, his legislative team will contact OCDEL to initiate their own fact-finding meeting and report to us with their results and advice.
We have also been privileged to receive expert in-kind legal support from the General Counsel of the Delaware Valley Insurance Trust, which also has a stake in seeing a change in the onerous regulations imposed on its clients. We are enormously grateful!
PRPS does have some particular and favorable strategies available however, and the Governmental Affairs Committee will continue to pursue them, through both OCDEL and the PA Legislature. In the meantime, here are two lines of action that every member can do:
1. Enlist your local legislators. Invite them to your programs, publicize personal stories and feature your positive impacts. Brief them on the far-reaching negative impacts that complying with childcare certifications would impose. Ask for their active support. Keep your local governmental officials informed. Send news of your progress to
Tim Herd.
2. Confer with your Counsel
. Seek the advice of your own solicitor based on the type of program and facilities you offer. You have a responsibility to your community to do the right thing.
For those in which the passion burns brightest:
Join the statewide effort. We now have a subcommittee of the Governmental Affairs Committee to develop talking points, refine our Position Statement and negotiate a resolution. We will appreciate your engagement! Contact Joanna Sharapan.
2. Recreation Therapy Licensure
The Recreation Therapy Licensure bill has been introduced in the PA Senate and is labeled SB 109.
We have discovered that one of the areas of resistance to past efforts has been that we have attempted to fit licensure under the Medical Board, which is apparently not interested in taking on any more. Other avenues may include social work or massage therapy. Music Therapy is also working toward licensure and may cooperate in forming a new board for both fields. An Allied Therapies Board could cover other therapies in the future, such as Art Therapy. Dr. Heather Porter will investigate and discuss options at a meeting in the next few weeks.
We are in the process of updating our list of legislators who support RT licensure, and on which committees they serve. We will share this list with members of both the PA Therapeutic Recreation Society (PTRS) and the New Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Association (NJEPA-TRA) to help grow the support.
Use #RecTherapyinPA when posting on social media anything promoting TR as a way to continue educating both legislators and the public. February is the ideal month to start! For more information, and to enlist your support, contact
Genee Atwater.
3. Growing Greener III
The Growing Greener Coalition, of which PRPS is a member, has been working steadily for the past year toward promoting the passage of a Growing Greener III funding mechanism.
Funding for Pennsylvania's Growing Greener program is at an all-time low. To ensure that Pennsylvanians continue to have access to clean water, parks and trails, green open spaces, and family farms, Governor Wolf and the General Assembly must provide adequate funding for a Growing Greener III program by investing $315 million annually in conservation, recreation and preservation projects. These investments support our state's economy and enhance the health of our community and quality of life for all residents.
Gov. Wolf will propose his 2017-18 budget for state government on February 7, and is facing a tough challenge to balance it without a broad tax increase. Growing Greener III legislation is expected to be introduced this spring.
Contact your legislators to share the good results of state funds that have been invested into your local park, conservation and recreation projects. For more information:
www.pagrowinggreener.org or
Andrew Heath, Growing Greener Executive Director.
On behalf of the entire profession, thank you for your interest, input, and engagement!
Tim Herd, CPRE
CEO
