Dear Child Care Providers,
Thank you all for your time and effort to date to submit information to OCDEL regarding program participants and staff testing positive for COVID-19.
Beginning Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, we will transition to an online response tool – the Licensed Facility COVID Data Collection Tool – for reporting of new active cases. You no longer need to notify your certification representative of exposure and/or new positive cases of COVID-19.
Please use this new process as outlined below.
-
Username and Password Credentials: On Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, you will receive two emails (samples here) from PW, Unified Security inbox (ra-unifiedsecurity@pa.gov), the first email will contain your username. The second email will contain your temporary password for first-time sign in on Day 1 when the response tool launches.
-
Updating Facility Contact/Reporter: If you will not be the reporter for your Licensed/Approved Facility and would like to chance the user associated, please contact RA-ocdchildcarecert@pa.gov and we can update that information and set up their credentials.
-
Day 1 First-Time Login: On Day 1, Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, the response tool will launch. This is when you should use the information contained in the Username and Password emails sent from PW, Unified Security inbox (ra-unifiedsecurity@pa.gov) to login for the first time and set-up your account. Included with the emails will be instructions to setup your account and troubleshoot if you encounter issues. Please note, a username and password are required to login to the tool as it is a secure solution.
-
Day 1 COVID-19 Infection Reporting Data Entry: On Day 1, Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, after setting up your account and logging in, you should complete the Report new COVID infections at a Licensed Facility response form for your licensed facility(s) with current information on active cases for program participants and staff. We are asking you to report in Day 1 to confirm facility access as well as receive current state information.
-
Ongoing COVID-19 Infection Reporting: Ongoing, as you are notified that staff or a program participant have tested positive for COVID-19 (including staff and program participant deaths), log on to the response tool to complete the Report new COVID infections at a Licensed Facility response form for that date in time. You will be able to view your past submissions at any time through the tool. Please note, we are not loading historical data into the tool for responses prior to August 28, only submissions from Day 1 going forward will be available to view.
-
Response Tool Training & Support: Also available are a detailed Licensed Facility COVID Data Collection User Guide and FAQs to support you in understanding how to use the new tool, answer any questions you may have, and provide troubleshooting information.
We cannot say how much we appreciate your support in these data collection efforts. Our goal with this tool is to reduce the burden of effort on all of you, streamline the process, and collect comprehensive data. DHS is using this data to support internal and Federal reporting, identify areas of need and support, as well as provide transparency into the data and information on its website. For general DHS guidance and provider resources, please visit the Coronavirus-Related Provider Guidance and Resources page.
If during the transition to this new system you experience any technical difficulty, please utilize the RA account provided to troubleshoot the problem. If you are concerned that technical difficulties may prevent you from timely reporting you may outreach to your certification representative.
Please note, if you are licensed by more than one Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Program Office, you may receive this notification more than once though you will only receive one login to the online tool and be able to submit for all program offices and facilities.
Thank you for all your efforts,
Tracey Campanini, Deputy Secretary
Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning
