"Children Learning, Parents Earning, Communities Growing"
September 8, 2020 | Issue #36
CAPPA's monthly "Featured Agency" segment will continue for 2020, highlighting the amazing work being done by Alternative Payment Programs (APPs) child development contractors throughout the state of California. From border-to-border, APPs support working families and children with services to support self-sufficiency, stability of children in child care, and a host of services coordinated to help break the cycle of poverty. Many APPs also have been called on to serve as a community life-support of information and resources during natural disasters.  We are pleased to continue this tradition and bring focus to the untapped potential that is the 40 plus year APP community-based system. 

If you would like to be featured, please email us!

September 2020 Featured Agency of the Month
CocoKids
The nonprofit CocoKids serves the needs of children, families, early educators, businesses and communities. CocoKids is the trusted organization you count on for successfully proven initiatives and a wide range of free and low cost programs and services so parents can work and children are ready for success in school and life.
Our Mission
To champion and advance quality child care and early education.
Our Key Services
Through offices in Richmond, Concord and Antioch, CocoKids provides services to improve the lives of thousands of children, families and early educators:
  • Free child care referrals for all families
  • Parent education and resources, including links to other community services
  • Financial assistance to at-risk and low-income working families so disadvantaged children can have access to child care and preschool education
  • Child safety, health and nutrition education
  • Provider training and support to help child care professionals build sustainable businesses and to provide quality, healthy and age-appropriate care
  • Public education about the importance of a child’s early years of growth and development, and the need to invest in children for our future
Our Values
Since 1976, CocoKids (formerly the Contra Costa Child Care Council) has positively touched lives and communities. These are our core values:
  • CocoKids respects, values, and supports every individual’s contributions, is committed to teamwork, and promotes a healthy work/life balance. We are committed to building and encouraging an educated, compassionate team of child care experts to further our mission.
  • We believe every child is entitled to be safe and healthy, nurtured, educated, and afforded the opportunity to perform to his or her greatest potential.
  • We respect every child’s family and culture. We promise that our community can depend on CocoKids to respect, value and support the parents and child care professionals of all children.
CocoKids’ experts educate and support parents, care providers and policymakers to ensure responsible, healthy and safe, high-quality child care and early education for all families in our community.
Registration Now Open for Our Virtual Joint Conference!
Registration Now Open!

Network and CAPPA Joint Annual Conference 2020 Goes Virtual!
There is a lot of interest in this year's Joint Annual Conference, on a virtual platform!

While we will certainly miss being able to come together in-person to share and gain information and to meet and connect with colleagues and workshop presenters, we want to create a conference event that meets as many of our members' needs as possible given the parameters that virtual conferences/workshops have. Now, perhaps more than ever, it is important for our community to stay connected, stand united, and meet this challenge together.

While we won't be able to meet in-person, what we hope to offer in a thoughtful, user-friendly manner, are keynote presentations, workshops, networking opportunities, and connection time with vendors. It will be different this year since we cannot be in the same physical location, but assisted by technology, we can do all that. With no travel and flexibility, we look forward to new opportunities for R&R Network and CAPPA members from across the state, as well as state partners, joining us as we collectively support our children, families and communities.

Virtual Conference Details
Workshops will be both live and on-demand, with some speakers available for live discussion during their scheduled presentation time. The Virtual Exhibit Hall will run the full conference with links to company videos, materials on the platform, and live chat and meeting opportunities. We also will be incorporating some networking opportunities to connect you with your peers. Post conference, workshop sessions will be recorded and available for viewing for 2 weeks post-conference, which will provide additional learning opportunities for conferees following the conference dates. This platform will allow you to have access to more workshops than ever before!

Workshops
A workshop program will be available soon. Here is a sample of what will be offered this year:

Workshop Strands:
  • Executives & Managers
  • Managers
  • Demanding Racial and Economic Justice/Professional Growth
  • Working with Parents
  • Working with Providers
  • Strengthening Families/Trauma-informed Care
  • Promoting Self-Care and Resilience
  • AP Administration
  • Health and Safety
  • Building Knowledge in the Child Care Field
Here are just a few of the 60+ Workshop Topics that will be offered:
  • COVID-19 Strategic Response: Reopen, Adapt and Thrive
  • Remote Staff Supervision, Communication and Motivation
  • Team Building...Virtually
  • The Trauma of Racism and Injustice
  • Supporting Providers and Parents in the use of Technology
  • Understanding and Overcoming Work-based Stress in a Virtual World
  • Remote Recertifications
  • Supporting Families Through Income, Need and Provider Changes During COVID-19
  • Supporting Child Care Providers During COVID-19

Visit the Conference Web page  for more information and updates as they become available.

We hope you can join us virtually!
2020-2021 California State Budget
SB 820 the trailer bill that has additional impacts to child care programs is pending action by Governor Newsom. The main areas for child care are included in Section 111. Changes include:
  • Language to fund family child care homes and centers as well as CalWORKs Stages 1, 2 & 3 with assistance to address hardships including decreased enrollment, ratios, etc.
  • Reduction from $62.5 million to $31.250 for one-time stipends for alternative payment and migrant payment programs
  • An addition of up to 14 paid nonoperational days in addition to the existing allowable 10 nonoperational days
  • From September 1 - June 30, 2021 family fees for families where ALL children in the family enrolled in subsidized early learning and care remain at home, either for distance learning or for families sheltering in place are waived. NOTE: If additional federal dollars are not received, direct service contractors, family childcare home providers participating in a family childcare home education network, and alternative payment provider will absorb the cost.
  • Contingent on receipt of additional federal funds:
  • $30 million for covering extension of the above noted family fees
  • $35 million to support alternative and migrant payment programs to reimburse providers for providing short-term childcare to eligible children when a provider is closed
  • Reduction from $50 - $30 million for state preschool programs to increase capacity for two years as follows:
  • 1st priority - existing general childcare and development program contractors to expand new childcare services for children from 0-3
  • 2nd priority to existing CSPP contractors to expand new capacity for full-day programs
  • 3rd priority for general childcare and development programs or California state preschool programs
  • Reduction from $25 to $15 million in stipends for licensed childcare providers
  • Reduction from $125 million to $90 million for subsidized childcare provider stipends to assist all subsidized childcare providers with increased cost-of-care expensed incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Clarifies that a program that operates on the campus of a local educational agency that is closed by local or state public health guidance or order shall be reimbursed 100 percent of the contract maximum reimbursable amount or net reimbursable costs whichever is less

SB 820 amends Senate Bill 98. Please click here for historical information.

Click here to communicate your support of the Governor's signature on SB 820. In the subject line, you can scroll to find SB 820, Education Finance.
2020-2021 Legislation
California Legislative Updates:
How to communicate your position to the governor

Below are bills that have been enrolled and are pending action by Governor Newsom:


Click here to see calendar of field events/interests and legislative hearings and deadlines.
State Update from Partner
Build Up CA is elevating to Governor Newsom the disproportionately negative impacts being felt by family child care providers from COVID-19, wildfires and more. Specifically, many family child care providers invested financially in creating outdoor programs for children.

Specifically, the letter includes the following recommendations:
We recommend the following:
  1. Assign one dedicated liaison at the state level for public health issues related specifically to early care and education in our current environment;
  2. Allocate funding to licensed programs for emergency upgrades, including the acquisition of equipment such as air conditioners, air filtrations systems, fans, handwashing stations, and ice machines;
  3. Designate cooling centers in at least one location per city or county affected by heatwaves for child care providers who can safely bring the children under their care to these facilities.

Click here to read the full letter.
Announcing Two ECPC Advisory Committee Meetings in September -This Week!
Please note that there are two separate registration links for these meetings.
  
1)  Workforce Advisory Committee Meeting
Wednesday, September 9, 2020; 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PST
 

2)  Parent Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday, September 10, 2020
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. PST

 
Meeting materials:
Agendas will be posted 10 days prior to the meetings at: https://www.chhs.ca.gov/home/committees/early-childhood-policy-council/
 
Reasonable accommodations:
We ask that any person who wishes to receive meeting materials in an alternative format, which would enable that person to participate at the meeting, please contact Chelsea Rau at Chelsea.Rau@chhs.ca.gov at least five business days prior to the meeting for this request.
Federal Updates
There is no federal COVID-19 relief package yet, but we expect that the final bill will be negotiated as part of the effort to keep the government open, by passing a continuing resolution on or before Sept 30th. As of right now, House leadership and the Administration (and Senate leadership) have not yet agreed on the overall dollar size of the package, let alone specific program funding. 
 
How this moves forward is a little TBD at the moment, but we’ll keep you updated as negotiations heat up. What we do know is that McConnell plans to release another new “skinny” package next week as a “show vote.” Child care is expected to be included, though we do not know the dollar amount. News reports have been saying $15 billion, so the same amount that was in the HEALs Act, but FAR below the $50 billion that’s needed.  

Over the past several months there have been many moving pieces at the federal level that have either been directly or indirectly related to child care. To clarify and help keep everything organized, below is a thorough summary of updates and messaging on key issue areas (child care, Head Start, IDEA and child nutrition) as they currently stand. 
Child care 

Funding 
The messaging for child care stabilization funding remains the same:  
·        Families, communities, and businesses can’t wait – we need another relief package NOW and for child care to be a priority.  
 
·        We need at least $50 billion in stabilization funding for child care in this next package. $15 billion is not enough! 

It is essential that we keep up education and outreach to Congressional members and keep up the heat in the press, especially if you’re state-based! In particular, if your representation includes frontline Dems up for re-election or Senate Republicans up for re-election (e.g., CO, KY, IA, ME, TX, and SC), it is even more critical that they hear from you. Each day that passes, the situation for child care providers, educators, and families who rely on them becomes more dire – and we can’t let our elected officials think that these challenges have subsided.

Language 
Though we do not know the final amount that child care will receive in a relief package, we want to ensure that the language, particularly as it relates to health and safety, is as robust as possible. We do not want Congress sending the message to states that it should prioritize making care available while sacrificing critical health and safety requirements. House Republican leadership and some Senate Republican offices have been open to strengthening the health and safety language originally included in the latest Republican relief proposal, the HEALS Act, as part of the Child Care Back to Work grants. Below is the original language, followed by the changes we would like to see made. If you have close relationships with House or Senate Republican offices that are on the Ed & Labor or HELP committees, please use this in your advocacy so that we can soften the ground for agreement on these language provisions . If you have any questions, please reach out to Daniel Hains at ZERO TO THREE (DHains@zerotothree.org). 

Health and safety deregulation 
·        Original Language: “Undertake a review of burdensome State, local, and tribal regulations and requirements that hinder the opening of new licensed child care programs to meet the needs of the working families in the State or tribal community, as applicable” 
·        Proposed changes: “Undertake a review of local zoning and building requirements at the local level within the State that might hinder the opening of new child care programs, including family child care programs.” 
Length of time provider must stay in operation 
·        Original Language: “certify in good faith that the child care program of the provider will remain open for not less than 1 year after receiving such a subgrant, unless such program is closed due to extraordinary circumstances, including a state of emergency declared by the Governor or a major disaster or emergency declared by the President under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act” 
·        Proposed changes: 
o   Change one year to 2 months after they receive the last grant payment under the stabilization fund.  
o   Add additional circumstances in which a provider could close without penalty, including insufficient funds to maintain safe program operations or the provider’s judgement that remaining open is not in the best interest of the public health of the community they serve.  
 
COVID-19 relief funding needs for Head Start and IDEA 
Head Start 
Though often conflated at the federal level when lawmakers talk about “relief for child care,” Head Start has a separate funding need from that of the child care sector. Specifically, Head Start needs $1.7 billion to operate through the remainder of the calendar year. In your advocacy, please include this separate ask so that we can ensure that Head Start receives the stabilization funding that it needs. 

Sign-on Opportunity: Open Letter to Congress Calling for Stabilization Funding for the Child Care and K-12 Sectors  

A coalition of child care and K-12 organizations have put together an open letter which calls on Congress to provide stabilization funding for the child care and K-12 sectors. You can view the letter here and fill out this form for your organization to become a signatory. Organizations representing parents, teachers and early educators are encouraged to sign on. The deadline to become a signatory is September 9th at 1pm ET.  
Federal Update from Partner
We, the undersigned, are writing to request your support for a recovery package that
supports the basic needs of California’s young children. From child care closures, reduced hours,
and layoffs, COVID-19 is driving changes that dramatically decrease the resources families with
young children have available to purchase food. When it comes to supporting our most
vulnerable children and their families, this is an “all hands on deck” moment. It's imperative
that the next COVID recovery package include investments in early childhood nutrition,
and recognize the critical role that child care, health care, and human services play in
addressing food insecurity for families. Click here to read full letter.
Updated Briefs About Health and Safety Topics

Tracking the COVID-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and Employment Hardships

The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance (ECQA Center) is pleased to share an updated series of briefs about the health and safety training topics required in the 2016 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Program Final Rule for all child care providers that receive payment from the CCDF subsidy program.
 
Licensing and CCDF administrators may find these briefs helpful as they consider revisions to standards for both licensed and license-exempt providers. These briefs may also be useful in developing health and safety guidelines for child care providers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic—especially the brief about the prevention and control of infectious disease—because all the briefs provide links to best practice guidelines and examples of regulatory language on the topics.
 
This series of CCDF health and safety requirements briefs, updated in July 2020, provides an overview of national guidelines and state requirements related to the following topics:
 
 
For additional information and support, please visit the ECQA Center website or email at QualityAssuranceCenter@ecetta.info.
The Weekly Good
An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.
During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field. 
Imperial County Office of Education, Early Care & Education Programs staff continue to provide PPE (personal protective equipment) and other supplies to family child care providers in our community.
Let us know what your organization is doing, we would love to feature you in the coming weeks!        
CDE Information & Updates
Guidance Regarding Requirements for Reopening Reimbursement, and Distance Learning for Direct Service Contractors

Senate Bill 98 added Education Code Section 8209(f), which specifies that for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020–21, General Childcare and Development Program (CCTR), California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Family Childcare Home Education Network (CFCC), Severely Disabled Program (CHAN), and Migrant Childcare and Development Program (CMIG) direct contracted programs are to be reimbursed the lesser of 100 percent of the contract Maximum Reimbursable Amount (MRA) or net reimbursable program costs when the contractor is either:
  • Physically open to provide early learning and care (ELC) services for all enrolled families by September 8, 2020, or within 21 calendar days from the start date of the contracting agency’s FY 2020–21 approved program calendar, whichever is sooner, and remain open and offer services through the FY 2020–21 program year; or
  • Not physically open by these dates, due to a written state or local public health order related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and specific to early learning or child care, or
  • Physically re-open by these dates, with any future days of closure related to the COVID-19 pandemic being due to a state or local public health order specific to early learning or child care.

Click here to read the full guidance.
Emergency Disaster Relief Information Related to Statewide Emergency Due to Fires, Extreme Weather Conditions

In response to an emergency proclamation issued on August 18, 2020, by Governor Newsom, regarding the fires burning across California, the CDE, ELCD is sending this notice to all ELCD Contracting Agencies.

On August 18, 2020, Governor Newsom declared a statewide emergency to help ensure the availability of critical resources to address the fires occurring across the state.
The CDE, ELCD recognizes the impact to communities caused by the fires and the resulting, often long-term, emergency conditions. Some natural events may have rendered centers, family child care homes, and license-exempt providers unable to offer services, while other events may have increased the number of families experiencing homelessness.

The CDE, ELCD is offering some information that may be helpful in responding to local disasters, as well as for local agency recovery efforts in continuing to serve California’s child care needs.

Click here to read the full guidance.
Guidance on Parent Signatures on Monthly Attendance Records

To address concerns regarding parent signatures on monthly attendance records for alternative payment providers, the CDE, ELCD engaged with the Legislature and the Administration on a solution to modify the requirements for parent signatures on the monthly attendance record/invoice that are provided by Education Code (EC) Section 8221.5. Further, the CDE understands the Administration and Legislature plan to address the monthly attendance record/invoice issue in August Budget Actions.

Pursuant to the Superintendent’s authority provided by EC Section 8209, effective July 1, 2020, contractors should not withhold reimbursement to providers on the basis of attendance records and/or invoices not having a parent or guardian’s signatures if:
(1) The provider attempts to collect a signature on the monthly attendance record or invoice, and
(2) The parent or guardian is unable to sign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Providers must continue to submit attendance records and/or invoices in accordance with current reporting policies.

Any attendance record received without parent signature must include documented attempts made to contact the parent. The documentation must include:
  • The date and time of the contact(s)
  • The name of the parent or other authorized adult contacted
  • The specific information provided or discussed with the parent or other authorized adult
  • If the attempts to contact the parent or other authorized adult were unsuccessful, the documentation must include if a message was left and when a follow-up call will be made
 
Click here to read the full guidance.
Guidance for Serving School-Age Children During Distance Learning

 The ELCD knows that many school districts are beginning the school year with distance learning; therefore, school-age children need care during their parent’s work hours. The ELCD also knows that questions have arisen about how to interpret California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR), section 18076.2, which does not allow CalWORKs Stage 2 (C2AP), CalWORKs Stage 3 (C3AP), California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP), California Migrant Alternative Payment Program (CMAP), and Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC) contractors to reimburse providers during “scheduled instructional minutes” of a public or private educational program that the child is enrolled and attending.  

Since K-12 distance learning does not provide supervision for children, the CDE does not consider it to be scheduled instructional minutes for the purposes of reimbursing providers.  
Therefore, providers shall be reimbursed for care during the time a school-age child is participating in K-12 distance learning and attending their childcare program or provider during the typical school hours.  

If the child is participating in a hybrid model (in-person instruction and distance learning) the provider may only be reimbursed for the time that the child is not receiving in-person instruction. 

Click here to read full guidance.
Highlight
A Pandemic within a Pandemic: How Coronavirus and Systemic Racism Are Harming Infants and Toddlers of Color

Infants and toddlers are experiencing the COVID pandemic during a critical developmental period. Although current information indicates young children are no more likely than adults to contract the virus, they’re still feeling tremendous effects from COVID on their development. Yet their needs have been virtually absent from policy conversations around the virus. 

Even before the pandemic, far too many infants and toddlers and their families faced significant adversity during these early critical years due to centuries of policies that excluded and disregarded people of color, many of which still exist today. The alarming disparities in health outcomes and economic stability, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, are a direct result of systemic racism in policies—a public health crisis in its own right.

This new brief unpacks the impacts of systemic racism on children’s development and describes how the coronavirus pandemic has magnified pervasive inequities in health, education, employment, and other factors across race and ethnicity. The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated long-standing problems with policies across the range of needs for infants, toddlers, and their families. Click here to read more.

Upcoming CAPPA Events- Register before September 10th!
Workplace Wellness Academy ™
An online course to help increase your well-being at work and in life.
With stress and anxiety on the rise, there is no better time than now to focus on wellness. This 2 hour online course equips you and your staff with 20+ tools for less stress and more success.

CAPPA and Generation Wellness have partnered to bring you this course for half price (member). Register now to learn new strategies and feel empowered during these stressful times. 
Here's What's Covered in the Workplace Wellness Academy:
  1. Brain/Body Response to Stress- Explore the latest neuroscience and effects of stress and trauma. 
  2. Emotional First-Aid- Learn simple strategies to self-regulate during stressful situations or traumatic events.
  3. Self-Care Practices- Create a self-care toolkit and resiliency plan.
  4. Energy-Audit and Scheduling- Increase energy through auditing activities, goal-setting, and time blocking.
  5. Workplace Wellness- Create foundational practices that cultivate connection and well-being in the workplace.
  6. Bonuses- Complete the course in 30 days and access bonuses.


Not a CAPPA Member? You can still have access to this course. Learn More and Register Here!
Upcoming Field Events
CAPPA Member Only Benefits

Not a member?





COVID-19 Weekly Zoom Calls:
Our commitment to you is to have scheduled at least once per week a call wherein we can all connect. As questions arise, forward them to CAPPA so that we can address them on these calls. Look for a weekly email to register. Recording and Q&A will also be posted on the Member's Only page. 
Best Practices
CAPPA has been working on Best Practices and policies to support you during this challenging time.
Visit the Member's Only website to view today!
Sample of webinars available on the Member's only website:
HR Webinar on Telecommuting, Best Practices for Program Integrity (Fraud Prevention), Provider Reimbursements, Adults & Trauma, Enrollment

Visit the CAPPA Member's Only website for more information on this webinar series and other benefits available to CAPPA Members.  
CAPPA's 2020-21 Board of Directors
President
Rick Richardson
Child Development Associates

Vice President
Michelle Graham
Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County

Treasurer
Beth Chiaro
Child Care Resource Center 

Secretary
LaVera Smith
Supportive Services Fresno

Past President & Public Policy Advisor
Martin Castro
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation

Public Policy Co-Chair
Gina Fromer
Children's Council of San Francisco 

Public Policy Co-Chair
Darrell Hills
Crystal Stairs, Inc. 

Members-at-Large
Karen Marlatt
Valley Oak Children's Services

Tina Barna
Choices for Children

Abby Shull
YMCA Childcare Resource Service 
 
Leslie Reece
Family Resource & Referral of San Joaquin County

Jeanne Fridolfs
Napa County Office of Education

Mike Michelon
Siskiyou Child Care Council

Marco Jimenez
Central Valley Children's Services Network

Joie Owen
Glenn County Office of Education

Tracey Strack
Child Action, Inc.

Denyne Micheletti Colburn
CAPPA CEO

The representation of the CAPPA board spreads across all agency types and sizes, and represents voices from nearly every region in California 
ELCD/CDE, DSS & CCLD Updates
July 30, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-15: Fiscal Year 2020–21 Alternative Payment Provider reimbursement requirements and data collection requirements
July 13, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-14: COVID-19 Guidance regarding Emergency Childcare Services for Essential Workers and At-Risk Populations.
June 29, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-13: Family Fee Schedule for FY 2020-21
June 23, 2020
Management Bulletin 20-06A: COVID-19 Guidance for Emergency Care for Essential Workers and At-Risk Populations – Amendment – REVISED
June 17, 2020
Job Openings
Is Your Organization Hiring?
Post your job announcement here for thousands to see!
There is no charge for CAPPA members.
Non-members will be charged a fee of $75.
Please email us your posting!


Colusa County Office of Education
Field Happenings
The CAPPA Board has made it a priority to support our field with a coordinated calendar to note upcoming statewide conferences, federal conferences of relevance, CDE and DSS stakeholder meetings and legislative and budget deadlines and hearings.

NOTE: If you would like to share your newsletter or items of interest with our field via the Monday morning e-Newsletter, then please email us a link.  Please make sure that you have a link included to an online version or viewing.
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Become a Monday 
Morning Update Partner! 
Our Monday Morning Update supports our Early Learning & Child Care field with timely information about what is going on in California and nationally; as well as dates to be aware and upcoming events. 

Our weekly (50 times per year) Monday morning distribution is to more than 4,000 federal and state local agencies, resource and referrals, contractors, legislators and their staffs', centers, parents, providers, state departments and advocates. 

To help support the continuation of this resource and or advertise in the Monday Morning Update, click  HERE.

You can also make a donation to CAPPA and CAPPA Children's Foundation 

The Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization (501(c)3), Taxpayer Identification Number is 03-0521444. Your generous donation is tax deductible.