"Children Learning, Parents Earning, Communities Growing"
August 10, 2020 | Issue #32
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!

August 2020 Featured Agency of the Month
4Cs of San Mateo County
Who We Are
As the Resource & Referral (R&R) agency in our community, Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County (also known as 4Cs) is here to support parents, providers, and our local community in finding, planning for, paying for, and accessing affordable, quality child care. We also provide referrals to programs and services that support children and families’ needs, including food resources; housing resources; mental health support; legal assistance; and other safety net services. We provide developmental screenings and enhanced child care referrals for children who may have special needs. And we support early caregivers and educators in providing quality early care and education.
Our Mission
Our mission is to connect and empower families, educators, and child care providers with resources today for a stronger San Mateo County tomorrow.
For over 45 years, 4Cs has been helping to meet the child care needs of parents living and working in San Mateo County. We support licensed child care providers and preschool programs by investing in professional development and improving program quality.
2020-2021 Legislation
California Legislative Updates:
The Final Month of Session!

After an extended Summer Recess, both the Senate and Assembly are back to finish out the Legislative Session. With over 700 bills to get through, timing is tight and the remainder of the Summer will likely look very different than what we have seen in previous years.

Upcoming Committee Hearings:

Monday, August 10, 9am, Senate Human Services

Tuesday, August 11, 1pm, Assembly Appropriations

Thursday, August 13, upon adjournment of Banking & Financial Institutions- Senate Appropriations
  • AB 123 (McCarty): Early Childhood Education: Child and Development Programs

In the CAPPA Monday Morning Update, we will highlight bills of interest still moving through the legislative process. To see the more expansive listing of bills, click here where there are links to all of the bill along with factsheets and sample letters if available. If there is a piece of legislation that you would like to have noted for our field, please email.  

Click here to see calendar of field events/interests and legislative hearings and deadlines. If you would like something added to the field calendar, click here and submit details.
2020-2021 California State Budget
With little fanfare, on June 29, 2020 Governor Newsom signed the 2020 Budget Act – a $202.1 billion dollar spending plan. The budget bill vehicles of particular interest to our field are Senate Bill 74 (SB 74) , known as the Budget Bill, Senate Bill 98 (SB 98), known as the Education Omnibus Budget Trailer Bill, and Assembly Bill 79 (AB 79) known as the Human Services Omnibus Bill. 

Click here to read CAPPA's Budget Analysis.
Coronavirus - Information & resources for our field
Federal Updates: Monumental Child Care Relief Legislation Passes the House!
Federal Update

Last Tuesday the White House and Senate unveiled its latest COVID-19 relief package, the HEALS Act, which would provide only $15 billion in funding for child care. $10 billion of that funding is for stabilization grants taken almost entirely on the Ernst-Alexander bill that we mentioned in last week’s memo. As a reminder, the policy structure has many similarities with the CCE Act, but a number of problematic or unworkable provisions, including a provision that would allow states to rollback key health and safety regulations, a provision that requires programs to stay open for a year after receiving the grant, and a provision that offers 9 months of assistance but without the sufficient funding to do so. This would keep the system afloat for less than two months and falls far short of the $50 billion that is needed to stabilize the system. To read NWLC’s press statement in response to HEALS, click here. 

As House Democrats begin negotiating with the White House and Senate Republicans, we must keep up the pressure to ensure that there is at least $50 billion included in the next package to stabilize child care. Last Friday, we sent this coalition letter with over 50 national organization sign-ons to Congress that explaining that $15 billion included in the Republican’s HEALS Act is not option and instead leadership should include at least $50 billion to stabilize the child care sector in the next COVID-19 relief package.  
 
As we kick into high gear to substantially increase the funding number for child care from the Senate bill’s low opening bid of only $15 billion, NWLC, ZERO TO THREE, and CLASP created this toolkit to assist Members of Congress. The toolkit contains talking points and other resources members may need to engage with press or constituents, especially while they are home. The full toolkit can be found here. 
 
What we need to do now – we are hearing that despite promising negotiations earlier in the week (where Democratic leadership led on pushing the $50 billion), we are now facing resistance from Senate Republicans to going higher than the $15 billion in the package released last week. The key to moving the Senate now is constituent, press, and donor outreach targeting Senate Republicans who are up for reelection, particularly those in CO, KY, IA, AZ, ME, TX, and SC. A list of those up for reelection can be found here. This outreach needs to happen THIS WEEK to be impactful, according to our intel. Negotiations are continuing with action expected next week at this point. 
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. 
Community Action Partnership of Kern's Friendship House Community Center will be offering FREE learning pods to students ages 6-12 during the school year, to assist with distance learning.
Let us know what your organization is doing, we would love to feature you in the coming weeks!        
CDE Information & Updates
Guidance on Parent Signatures on Monthly Attendance Records

The CDE, ELCD would like to thank local partners and programs for all of your efforts in supporting children and families during this incredibly difficult time. We acknowledge each and every one of you who are continuing to support the children and families of California. Whether you are currently open, preparing to open, or preparing for distance learning, the ELCD acknowledges your need for guidance at this time. We appreciate your efforts and continue to work with the Legislature and the Administration in order to provide the direction you need.
 
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
 
The ELCD will be revising Management Bulletin (MB) 20-15 to include this clarification. Until that MB is released, the guidance in this listserv should be utilized when making payments to providers. 

The CDE, ELCD understands the urgent need for information and appreciate your patience as we work hard to implement Management Bulletins (MBs) based on the Fiscal Year 2020–21 Budget Act.

Please visit our Early Learning and Care Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) web page for the latest updates at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/covid19elcdfaq.asp.
Guidance for Serving School-Age Children During Distance Learning

The CDE, ELCD would like to thank local partners and programs for all of your efforts in supporting children and families during this incredibly difficult time. We acknowledge each and every one of you who are continuing to support the children and families of California. Whether you are currently open, preparing to open, or preparing for distance learning, the ELCD acknowledges your need for guidance at this time. We appreciate your efforts and continue to work with the Legislature and the Administration in order to provide the direction you need.  
 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. 
Contractors are responsible for budgeting their contract funds to ensure providers 
will be reimbursed for an increase in the cost of care associated with school-age children that are participating in distance learning.  
The ELCD will be revising Management Bulletin (MB) 20-15 to include this clarification. Until that MB is released, the guidance in this listserv should be utilized when making payments to providers. 
Please visit our Early Learning and Care Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) website for the latest updates at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/covid19elcdfaq.asp. 
This Thursday! Webinar Announcement: Alternative Payment Program Caseload Reporting and Allocation Information

Attention: Alternative Payment Program (CAPP), California Migrant Alternative Payment (CMAP), CalWORKs Stage 2 (C2AP), and CalWORKs Stage 3 (C3AP) Contractors
 
The Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services (CDNFS) Unit is hosting a webinar on Thursday, August 13, at 2:00 p.m. During this webinar, CDNFS will discuss the new Caseload and Fiscal Report requirements for CAPP and CMAP contractors, as required by Education Code Section 8227.8. Contractors can refer to Management Bulletin 20-15 in advance of the webinar for more information about the new reporting requirements beginning in FY 2020-21.
 
Although reporting requirements for C2AP and C3AP contracts are not changing, contractors who hold a C2AP or C3AP contract are encouraged to attend the webinar as well. CDNFS will be utilizing reported caseload and provider payment information to allocate additional funding provided in the 2020 Budget Act. A review of reporting requirements and discussion of accurate reporting will therefore be incorporated into this webinar, to ensure that each contractor receives the appropriate portion of the 2020 Budget Act allocation.

Pre-registration is not required to attend this webinar. This webinar can be accessed at:  


Webinar ID: 812 3007 1138 
Passcode: 186543 
Or by dialing in at: 669 900 6833 
This Wednesday! Webinar Announcement: New Attendance and Fiscal Electronic Reporting for Center-Based Contractors 

Attention: General Child Care (CCTR), California Migrant Child Care (CMIG), and California State Preschool Program (CSPP) Contractors
 
The Child Development and Nutrition Fiscal Services (CDNFS) Unit is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, August 12th, at 11:00 a.m. CDNFS has created a portal within the Child Development Provider Accounting Reporting Information System (CPARIS), which will allow CCTR, CMIG and CSPP contractors to submit online attendance and fiscal reports. During this webinar, CDNFS will unveil the new reports interface within CPARIS and walk users through the design of the new system.

All agency staff who are responsible for gathering and reporting attendance and fiscal data to CDNFS are encouraged to attend. Online report submissions will be available to CCTR, CMIG and CSPP contractors beginning August 13, 2020.
 
Pre-registration is not required to attend this webinar. This webinar can be accessed at:  


Webinar ID: 879 7309 8161
Passcode: 186542
Or by dialing in at: 669 900 6833
2020-21 Funding Terms & Conditions (FT&C's) posted

Click here to see all.
Click here to read 2020-21 FT&C Summary of Changes
Upcoming CAPPA Events
CAPPA Virtual Training: "Everything Fiscal"
August 24, 2020
10:00am-12:00pm
Online via Zoom


CAPPA will be delivering a virtual training focused specifically on fiscal issues on August 24th. There will be workshops on "Fiscal Essentials" with CDE Fiscal, another TBD workshop on Nonprofit Funding, as well as an Agency Projections discussion, so that agencies can better monitor their contracts and also learn best practices!
Thank you to our Event Partner!
Interested in supporting this event, learn more here!

Agenda:
10:00am-11:00am
Fiscal Essentials, CDE
CDNFS representatives will present a variety of fiscal topics affecting Alternative Payment contracts, including CalWORKs Stage 2, Stage 3, CAPP and CMAP. A wide variety of topics will be covered including the importance of reporting caseload and expenditure data accurately, how reported data affects projected earnings, payments and future year funding. Additionally, this presentation will include information regarding Essential Worker Funding, tracking the 90 days, etc; more details on this TBD. Whether the attendee is new to the agency or a seasoned accountant, everyone will benefit from this session. 
11:00am-12:00pm
1. Fiscal Projections, Agency Representatives
Come prepared to hear how some agencies are currently doing their budget projections, and data and trends that ought to be considered as part of any budget forecasting exercise. This workshop will help you better monitor your contracts and learn best practices that work efficiently.  
2. Workshop on Nonprofit Funding (TBD)
3. Q&A Session
We will also leave time at the end of the training for you to get your fiscal questions answered. This session will provide attendees the opportunity to get their questions answered, learn more about the topic as it relates to their circumstances and to get clarification. We ask that you submit your questions ahead of time so that we can plan this session and make it a valuable opportunity that will allow attendees to deepen their understanding of a specific topic. Please submit your fiscal questions to CAPPA.
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!
Network and CAPPA Joint Annual Conference 2020 Goes Virtual!
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 hope to incorporate some networking opportunities to connect you with your peers. Post conference, workshop sessions will be recorded and available for viewing for a limited time which will provide additional learning opportunities for conferees following the conference dates.
Registration Fees -Registration will be released later this month!
Conference registration fees for members will begin at $250 per person if 5 or more staff from one agency attend or $265 per person. Conference registration includes access to 4 keynote sessions, over 40 workshops, opportunities to virtually network with colleagues from around the state and connect with exhibitors.

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

We hope you can join us virtually!
Interesting Reads
Costly and Unavailable: America Lacks Sufficient Child Care Supply for Infants and Toddlers

Cheryl Odom runs a home-based family child care program in Columbus, Ohio, that had to close for more than two months as part of the effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. As of July 7, the program was operating for just three days of the week and serving four children at a time, rather than the usual six. A recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the county delayed Odom’s plan to resume providing care five days a week. Her program has been able to survive until now in part because of the federally funded Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) program as well as a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. As an EHS-CCP grantee, Odom’s program—and the families it serves—has continued to receive support. EHS-CCPs across the country continue to provide programs with public funding based on how many children they have the capacity to serve, rather than how many children are attending, allowing programs to continue paying bills while closed or serving fewer children than normal. However, Early Head Start programs are woefully underresourced, reaching only 3 percent of eligible children. Odom, along with just one-fourth of child care providers—about half of the providers who applied—also received a Paycheck Protection Program loan through the SBA.

Click here to read full article.
Coronavirus pandemic creates America's first female recession amid child care, unemployment woes

This story was published in partnership with The 19th, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy. 

It was weighing on her – the prospect of starting a dream job in the middle of a pandemic, alone, her husband away 100 hours of the week helping fight COVID-19 in a hospital. Her two boys were at home, without a teacher, with assignments, walking in on her work calls, interrupting her, passing her sticky notes, requesting – no, demanding – her attention every hour they were awake. “If you come in, I will lose my job,” she told her 6-year-old in desperation. 
Her husband was the hero, saving lives. She was the terrible mom – “the worst mom ever,” her sons told her – and the terrible worker. 

In three months, Ellu Nasser watched as her white-knuckled grip on the labor force slackened. She drank more, before giving it up altogether in March. She told the dream job at a major consulting firm that her family responsibilities would get in the way of her work performance, so she couldn’t begin June 1, their agreed start date. She slinked back to the part-time gig she had consulting on climate change. In June, she gave that up, too. 

Click here to read the full story via USA Today
Why Are Child Care Programs Open When Schools Are Not?
Society’s perception of child care being of lesser quality to education has rarely been so pronounced.

Although school buildings in Philadelphia will remain closed this fall, St. Mary’s Nursery School, a secular child care center founded in 1964, will remain open. St. Mary’s, which serves children ages 18 months to 12 years, typifies an odd juxtaposition:

As more public schools are moving to remote learning, child care programs and after-school providers in major cities are taking in more children of families who cannot work remotely.

The duality of the conversations around child care programs and public schools is rooted in a perceived gap between what “care” and “education” mean. That gap has set the two sectors on different paths of funding, governance and professional power.

Traci Childress, the executive director of St. Mary’s, can see this schism playing out for her program. “There’s a disrespect to early childhood and out-of-school-time providers that’s inherent in just assuming we’re going to make it work for everybody without giving us funding or support,” Childress said.

That sense of disrespect is not new because of the pandemic. Sonya Michel, Ph.D., a University of Maryland historian who has written a book on the evolution of U.S. child care policy, said, “Child care for so long has been associated with poverty.”

Click here to read the full article via the New York Times
Job Opportunity Highlight
NoHo Smiley
NoHo Software has an IMMEDIATE opening for a smart and dependable person who is seeking a secure, long-term opportunity. NoHo is a 33-year old software development company, and is California's leading provider of management software tools for state funded subsidized
childcare programs. Most of our employees have been with the company for 10-20 years, which says a lot about what it's like to work at NoHo Software. We make having a good work/life balance a priority for everyone at NoHo Software.
We're seeking someone with experience in the subsidized child care industry - preferably
someone who is familiar with NoHo Software (or similar management software), to serve as our Product Training and Documentation Specialist.
Click on the link above to learn more!
CAPPA Member Only Benefits

Not a member?





COVID-19 Twice-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!

Solano Family and Children's Services

Child Action, Inc., Sacramento

NoHo Software

Colusa County Office of Education

International Institute Los Angeles

4Cs of Alameda County

The Resource Connection
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.
Of Interest

















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.

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