November 2022

Upcoming ELRC Region 17 Events

Local Leadership Council

Wednesday, November 16 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Register here

Health & Safety Regional Task Force

Wednesday, December 7 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Register here

ELRC Region 17 Provider Meeting

Wednesday, January 28 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Register here

OCDEL Announcements

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has recently released the sunset of two Announcements effective October 31, 2022:

Announcement C-21-09 Updated September 30, 2022, Reinstating and Extensions of Child Care Certification Regulation Suspensions Due to Act 73, Act 14 and Act 30

Announcement ELRC 21 #09, Child Care Works (CCW) Payment During the Ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). With the sunset of this Announcement, subsidy providers will no longer be paid for COVID absences or COVID closures. Providers are given 15 days for Paid Closures per fiscal year and any additional closures (even if they are COVID related) would be unpaid. Subsidy children are allotted 40 paid absences each fiscal year. Child care will be suspended if a child is absent more than five days in a row.

In addition, OCDEL has released:

Announcement C-22-06 Updated Health and Safety Pre-Service and One-Hour Training, effective Oct. 4, 2022. This Announcement provides details that all current child care staff who completed the previous health and safety pre-service training modules, prior to October 4, 2022, are required to complete the Pennsylvania Health and Safety Update 2022 by December 30, 2022.

Announcement C-22-07 Role of Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) in Ensuring Compliance with Immunization Regulations. This Announcement clarifies the role of Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) in ensuring regulation compliance with immunization recommendations.

Work Force Support Grant 2.0 Applications Available Now

The Work Force Support Grant (WFSG) 2.0 is open and intended to provide funding to eligible DHS certified child care providers for staff retention and staff recruitment purposes. WFSG is an initiative from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and was made possible through the enactment of Act 54 of 2022 and the availability of additional American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The WFSG 2.0 Application is due no later than December 6, 2022, to the ELRC office. View all the Work Force Support Grant 2.0 information, requirements and application here.

• Applications received at the ELRC with a postmark date after December 6, 2022, will not be eligible to apply.
• It is preferred that applications be submitted by email to the ELRC.
• Questions about the WFSG Application should be directed to the ELRC.
• Similar to the previous Work Force Support Grant, WFSG 2.0 supports staff retention and staff recruitment but contains significant changes to provider and staff eligibility requirements, funding categories and the availability of grant funds.
•  Funding is limited and funds will be made available on a first come – first served basis to providers who complete accurate and timely applications.

Opportunity to Learn About Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Prior to Full Rebid in 2023

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is announcing opportunities to participate in informational webinars and regional meetings to learn about the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) program. FY 2022-2023 is the last program year for the current five-year grant cycle of the PA PKC program. In the Spring of 2023, PDE will announce a full, competitive rebid. During the rebid, all eligible providers interested in receiving a grant must apply. It is important during the application process that eligible applicants fully understand the program regulations and expectations so that informed decisions can be made regarding whether to apply. PDE recognizes the need to provide opportunities to learn about the program and to allow time for community needs assessments and regional collaboration, therefore informational webinar sessions will be offered November 2022, through January 2023, and regional opportunities will occur in February 2023 before the official Request for Applications (RFA) is released. Continue reading.

Power of the Food Program Scholarship

Haven’t heard of the Child and Adult Care Food Program? Not getting reimbursement for healthy meals you already serve children in your care during the day or afterschool? Do you already participate and need a refresher on the meal patterns and new ideas for making your menu planning easier? This one-day powerhouse Power of the Food Program is meant for you! Learn how the CACFP contributes to nutrition security and why you should participate. Get practical training on serving healthy meals. Discover ideas and resources you can use in your program immediately. Apply by the November 15, 2022, deadline for a scholarship.

Winter Coats

ELRC Region 17 has received a donation of children’s winter coats in various sizes. Please contact Diahann at (610) 278-3707 or djames1@montcopa.org to inquire about availability.

Reporting COVID 19 to Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) and Department of Human Services (DHS)

As a reminder, Child care programs are required to report positive COVID-19 cases utilizing the DHS Licensed Facility COVID Data Collection Tool on the Provider Self-Service website and reporting to child care certification staff and informing parents of suspected outbreaks. Certification reps will continue to cite programs for failure to report cases of COVID-19. Programs located in Montgomery County must report ALL cases of COVID-19 to their respective local health department- Montgomery County Office of Public Health. For more information, please review the Bureau of Certification Special Announcement here.

COVID 19 Listed As a Reportable Communicable Disease

With the addition of COVID-19 to the list of reportable communicable diseases, child care providers must adhere to the certification regulations under child and adult health found in 55 Pa. Code Chapters § 3270, § 3280, and § 3290. 55 Pa. Code § 3270.137, § 3280.137, and § 3290.137, relating to child health, states: “an operator who observes an enrolled child with symptoms of a communicable disease or infection that can be transmitted directly or indirectly and which may threaten the health of children in care shall exclude the child from attendance until the operator receives notification from a physician or a CRNP that the child is no longer considered a threat to the health of others.” 55 Pa. Code §3270.153, §3280.153, and §3290.153, relating to adult health, states: “A facility person with symptoms of a communicable disease or infection that can be transmitted directly or indirectly and which may threaten the health of children in care shall be excluded from attendance until the facility operator receives notification from a physician or CRNP that the person is no longer considered a threat to the health of others.” Any child or facility person reporting positive test results or showing symptoms of COVID-19 cannot be in attendance at the child care facility. Upon return, the individual must provide a written note or a negative test result signed and verified by a physician or nurse practitioner (CRNP) clearing them to return to the child care facility. A home test or any other negative test results that have not been reviewed, signed and verified by a physician or CRNP will not be acceptable for a child or a facility person to return to the child care facility. Certification staff will review child and facility person files to ensure compliance with the regulations. The citations for non-compliance with the regulations pertaining to children and facility persons with symptoms of disease will be issued under 55 Pa. Code § 3270.137; § 3280.137, § 3290.137, §3270.153, §3280.153, and §3290.153. Additional citations are included with this announcement as Appendix A-Communicable Diseases Certification Requirements: OCDEL Guidance Chart. For more information, the C-21-11 Announcement can be found here.

Additional COVID-19 Information

The CDC COVID-19 resource pages are recommended as the primary source of up-to-date and accurate information. As recommendations regarding the mitigation of COVID-19 continue to evolve, child care providers are urged to stay up-to-date on the most recent CDC Guidance for Operating Child Care. As OCDEL identifies updates to the CDC guidance, the weekly Certification RECAP will be used to flag new information for providers. To sign up for weekly RECAP updates visit Certification Services News – The Pennsylvania Key.

Increased Income Limits at Redetermination

Effective immediately, the Child Care Works (CCW) subsidized child care program has increased the amount that eligible families may earn at their yearly redetermination! Gross annual income may not exceed 300% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG). All other eligibility requirements must still be met. Please contact your Child Care Specialist with questions.

Reporting Classroom Closures

Providers who temporarily close classrooms due to staffing shortages, cleaning, or any other reason, must immediately notify Terry McLaughlin at ELRC Region 17 by phone, (610) 278-3261, or email, TMcLaugh@montcopa.org, with the names of the Child Care Works/subsidy children affected and the dates of the closure. Subsidy payment will not be made for the days that the provider is unable to offer child care services in those classrooms.

Text and Email Options for Providers

Providers who do not use Provider Self-Service and would like to enroll in the new text and email communication tool from DHS, complete this form and return to elrcregion17@pa.gov or fax to (610) 278-5161. Please complete one form for each contact person.

Appendix I Due by December 30, 2022

A reminder to subsidy providers that Appendix I - Attestation of Professional Development must be received by December 30, 2022 or your Provider Agreement will be terminated. Please contact ELRC Region 17 with questions. Continue reading.

National Child Safety and Protection Month

Did you know that November is Child Safety and Protection Month? It was created to raise awareness about the potential dangers that children face each and every day. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Child Injury Report found that an estimated 9.2 million children annually had an initial emergency department visit for an unintentional injury. Furthermore, on average, 12,175 children 0 to 19 years of age die each year in the United States from an unintentional and often preventable injury. Visit allforkids.org to learn more about ways to raise safety awareness in our homes and communities. Sesame Street in Communities offers resources, strategies, and support for community providers along with free materials, videos, books, and games to help families and caregivers help young children cope with traumatic experiences.

Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 17 provides a single point-of-contact for Montgomery County families, early learning service providers and community members looking to gain information and access services that support high-quality child care and early learning programs. ELRC Region 17 can help families find the best child care for their children by offering links to many services, including Child Care Works, Pennsylvania’s child care subsidy program.

Through ELRC Region 17, child care professionals can obtain support in building quality outcomes for children by working with quality coaches to achieve Keystone STAR 3 and 4 status, building connections with community partners and supporting children and families in accessing additional services, such as PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, home-visiting and Early Intervention. Please review our monthly newsletter and email us at elrcregion17@pa.gov with questions!