“I want you to Stay Together.” (video 12:57)
Posted: August 6, 2013 Filed under: CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Licensing, Child Care Mississippi, DECCD-MDHS, e-Childcare™, General, Hechinger Foundation, Mississippi Legislature, MS Department of Human Services, SECAC, SECAC Mississippi, Suel v MDHS, Uncategorized, Xerox | Tags: CCPP-approved Provider, child care Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, e-Childcare™, equal access, Hechinger Report, Market Survey Rates, MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, Mississippi child care, Mississippi licensed child care, SECAC Mississippi, The Mississippi Center for Education Innovation, Xerox 2 Comments“I want you to Stay Together.” (video 12:57)
“Who’s going to come to your center and say, I want to pick-up Kenny Wayne’s (Senator Jones) child…and you are going to let them go?
You don’t need to hire XEROX to tell you not to!
That is just how extreme these block grants that go to states have become.”
In the very place he first met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., so many years ago, Congressman Bennie Thompson announced to the Mississippi Association of Licensed Child Care Providers, “I am happy to join you in doing what is right.”
He then pleaded to a near full capacity gathering of child care providers on Sunday, “In joining you, you’ve got to do something for me.”
“You’ve got to do something that historically has only been done on a few occasions.
And that’s called…stick together!”
MALCCP and Delta Licensed Providers urge licensed providers to make no commitment to submit to the MDHS finger scan method of payment or to allow XEROX to install machines in your centers until after Judge Denise Owens has heard the finger scan economic impact case beginning at 9:00 each morning of August 14th and August 15th.
A Final Decision of the Court is expected at that time.
“At the federal level, we see how important it (child care) is, but it is still up to our state to do it (administer the CCDF),” the Congressman explained.
“A block grant is a bad deal. The best way to deal with it is at the state level.”
He urged providers to keep their State Senators and State Representatives actively informed.
“Invite them to visit your center, take their pictures and put them on your Facebook page.”
He stated communication through Email, texts and Facebook will strengthen the lobby of the newly formed 501C4 association.”
“I want you to stay together.”
“I am more than happy to work with you,” said Congressman Thompson.
Delta Licensed Providers 
I want to stay with all childcare providers across the state because I want to see the scan banned.
Providers should also begin to call the Governor and ask him to “Ban the Scan”.
He should consider new leadership at DHS before it is too late for the child care industry to recover.