UPDATE: Standard Centers – Curriculum and Assessment To Be Required
Posted: March 16, 2017 Filed under: "Race to the Top", Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Mississippi, DECCD-MDHS, Early Learning Guidelines (ELG), HHS ACF Office of Child Care, Mississippi Building Blocks, Mississippi State University, MLICCI, MS Department of Human Services, School Readiness Mississippi, SECAC Mississippi, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: 2007 Market Survey Rates, Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, child care Mississippi, child care quality rating systems Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, Early Learning Guidelines (ELG), MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan Leave a commentBy request.
Standard Centers – Curriculum and Assessment To Be Required
The committee recently established by DHS to give input into the application developed by NSPARC and DECCD that providers will need to complete in order to be certified as a Standard Center serving low-income children met at the MDHS State Office in Jackson today.
Under the Family-Based Unified and Integrated Early Childhood System adopted by SECAC (the State Early Childhood Advisory Council) last December, child care center “eligibility to redeem child care certificates” is scheduled to begin in April.
“The evaluation and monitoring framework for overall system assessment will be developed and ready for implementation by July 1, 2017. This activity will include entering into necessary agreements and data collection, analysis, synthesis and reporting.”
In response to my concern that current CCPP providers were likely not aware of such large Program changes to come and that CCPP providers had not been directly informed of any such Program changes by DHS, New DECCD Director Candice Pittman cavalierly retorted, “They should look online”.
(Internet access in the Delta is limited, so please share this with providers who may not have immediate/common/daily internet access and who have no R&R at this time.)
Good idea!
Please click here to learn of the requirements you must meet and maintain in order to continue serving low-income children receiving Certificates of Payment.
Corresponding policies, rationale, program costs and market rate increases were not/have not yet been provided, but DECCD did say it would provide the needed technical assistance with regard to curriculum. (In short, I simply do not have the information needed to answer your questions or address your concerns at this time.)
Carol Burnett, Executive Director of MLICCI and thus, the Mississippi Child Care Coalition representing more than 600 disadvantaged small business child care programs serving low-income children, was allowed to attend but because she did not volunteer to serve on the Standard Application Committee in a timely fashion, was not allowed to speak and was not provided any available material.
No additional committee meeting date was announced prior to adjournment.
I hope to have an update for you soon.
In the meantime, to borrow a phrase from the character portrayed by Tom Hanks in the movie The Terminal, “I wait!”.
UPDATE:
As you know, during the workshop held by DHS yesterday to lend input into the draft of the Standard Center Application, notice of the new and upcoming requirement to register as a Standard Center or a Comprehensive Center was, at last, Emailed to all current CCPP providers.
My concern was both legitimate and heard although we do not yet know exactly how our businesses will be fully impacted.
As for Dr. Candice Pittman, who, rather than reassure me that proper notice to providers had indeed been sent during our meeting, chose to dismiss my concern in front of my colleagues with a smart remark, your attitude for any input Carol Burnett and I might lend to the transitional process is duly noted.
See the DECCD Letter below.
Does this Caregiver Need Nurturing Homes? (Hilarious!)
Posted: March 11, 2017 Filed under: CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Advisory Council, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Licensing, Child Care Mississippi, MS Department of Health, MS Department of Human Services, SECAC Mississippi, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, child care Mississippi, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, SECAC Mississippi 2 CommentsDoes this Caregiver Need Nurturing Homes? (Hilarious!)
How is this for caregiver/child interactions? 1 2 3 4 5 ?
BBC INTERVIEW GOES WRONG: Kids crash BBC interview.
Yáll be careful now, you hear!
(This isn’t in the technical training syllabus is it? Child Care Providers certainly know there is no teacher like on the job training and experience! No two days are alike or go exactly as planned so lighten up, be flexible and find your sense of humor!)
It has now been correctly reported that the caregiver in the video is actually the mom! Do we have a specific pamphlet on “How Not to Debut as a Family on BBC” in any required facility Parent Resource Centers?
Enjoy!
Robert Kelly with his wife, Jung-a Kim (a yoga teacher), and their daughter Marion
Dr. Robert Kelly is an assistant professor in the Political Science and diplomacy Department of Pusan National University. He specializes in international relations, political theory, international security, and international organization in East Asia. Dr. Robert Kelly has been a professor at Pusan National University since 2008. He has appeared as a Korea analyst on several major television networks.
According to Ellen Kelly, his mother, he speaks 6 languages: English, German, French, Russian, Latin and classical Greek; he is ‘almost’ fluent in Korean.
She believes the kids may have thought they were talking to her and her husband on the computer.
She says her favorite part of the interview was when his wife skids into the room.
Governor Phil Bryant, Dr. Laurie Smith Meet with Actress Jennifer Garner
Posted: February 25, 2017 Filed under: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Licensing, Child Care Mississippi, DECCD-MDHS, HHS ACF Office of Child Care, Mississippi Legislature, MS Department of Human Services, School Readiness Mississippi, SECAC Mississippi, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, child care Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, Mississippi child care, SECAC Mississippi Leave a commentGovernor Phil Bryant, Dr. Laurie Smith Meet with Actress Jennifer Garner
Dr. Laurie Smith, actress Jennifer Garner, Governor Phil Bryant
While in Washington D.C. today, Governor Phil Bryant and Dr. Laurie Smith had a meeting with actress Jennifer Garner to talk about early childhood education in Mississippi.
They spoke about the Governor’s Family-Based Early Childhood System Plan produced by SECAC and also her work called “Early Steps to School Success” in Sunflower County, MS.
Child care providers worked with SECAC in the development of the early care and learning plan that was shared.
This is definitely what I call making the A-list!
Trump Signs Executive Action On Small Business Regulations – “One in, Two Out”
Posted: February 13, 2017 Filed under: Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Advisory Council, Child Care Licensing, Child Care Mississippi, Clarion-Ledger, HHS ACF Office of Child Care, Mississippi Board of Health, Mississippi Health Department, Mississippi Legislature, MS Department of Health, MS Department of Human Services, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Licensing, child care Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, Mississippi Health Department, SECAC Mississippi Leave a comment
Trump Signs Executive Action On Small Business Regulations
The Washington Post and CNN
January 30, 2017 10:28 AM EST – President Trump signed an executive order reducing regulations on small businesses, on Jan. 30 at the White House. (The Washington Post)
“One in, Two Out”
“If you have a regulation you want, …the only way you have a chance (to adopt a new rule) is to knock out two (current) regulations for every new regulation.”
This action includes Child Care Small Businesses.
Low-Income Parents to Receive Calls to Verify Contact Information
Posted: February 2, 2017 Filed under: Administration for Children and Families, Business Ethics, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Mississippi, DECCD-MDHS, HHS ACF Office of Child Care, MS Department of Human Services, SECAC Mississippi, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, child care Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, equal access, MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, Mississippi child care, SECAC Mississippi Leave a commentLow-Income Parents to Receive Calls to Verify Contact Information
Yesterday, CCPP providers received the first of many Emails to come from MDHS asking that we inform our CCPP clients (parents) that prior to receiving Email notification of redetermination, parents will first receive a telephone call from the NSparc call center at MSU to make certain MDHS has the correct contact information for each parent in the Child Care Payment Program.
Like us, MDHS is aware the contact information on file is likely not up to date with regard to telephone numbers that often change (with low-income parents) when the balance of the telephone bill is due.
MDHS is also aware that low-income, entry-level employees (parents) usually cannot receive telephone calls during normal working hours.
However, it is necessary for MDHS to demonstrate a process for purging inactive files and updating and validating all current files in order to be as efficient as possible (as required by HHS) in its management of limited CCDF resources and Child Care Certificates.
I think the DHS intent is to serve all in need (and all they possibly can serve) by reducing Program error.
Child care providers will still receive Email notification of each client’s period of redetermination so that we may assist low-income parents by providing faxing services, copying services and more.
Further, MDHS recently went to great lengths to add a new online service for providers to determine when each parent’s period of redetermination will begin. Here are the instructions for viewing a list of families who are due for redetermination:
- Log in to e-Ledger system
- Click on the green “Reports” button on the left hand side of your screen
- Click on “Parent Re-determinations”
- You will see a list of all families that are currently due for redetermination. You can filter based on parent name or the redetermination deadline. Please note that at this time or at any given time, you may not have any parents who are due for redetermination!
Parents who do not meet redetermination deadlines will be terminated from the Program and will need to re-apply (in order to be placed on the waiting list) as a “new” parent if child care assistance is still needed.
That’s the deal, yáll!
We thank DHS for giving us the “heads up” and hope it will soon be possible for DHS to issue new Certificates to new enrollees should any CCDF funds become available through this process!
The Hechinger Report Supports MSDH Unlawful, Discriminatory Rule-Making as Experimental
Posted: January 24, 2017 Filed under: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Advisory Council, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Licensing, Child Care Mississippi, Clarion-Ledger, DECCD-MDHS, Hechinger Foundation, HHS ACF Office of Child Care, Kellogg Foundation, Mississippi Board of Health, Mississippi Health Department, MS Department of Health, MS Department of Human Services, SECAC Mississippi, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Licensing, child care Mississippi, Congressman Bennie Thompson, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, Hechinger Report, Kellogg Foundation, MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, Mississippi Child Care Licensing, Mississippi Health Department, Mississippi licensed child care, proposed amendments to the regulations governing child care, SECAC Mississippi, The Hechinger Report Leave a commentThe Hechinger Report Supports MSDH Unlawful, Discriminatory Rule-Making as Experimental
The Hechinger Report is sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation and partners with the Clarion Ledger.
The Hechinger Report has explained everything. (Click here.)
The MSDH licensing staff created undue burden and disparate impact racial discrimination on a disproportionate number of providers in a protected class as an “experiment”!
Disparate Impact racial discrimination and undue burden in Mississippi may be normalized as nothing more than an “experiment” by Jackie Mader and Sarah Butrymowicz, but for the vast majority of Mississippi Delta residents who are not white, it is demoralizing, terrorizing and oppressive.
Perhaps that is why, in order to show provider support of Violation of Mississippi Code, Violation of Administrative Procedures Law, Violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and Violation of the Civil Rights Act, through increased frequency of inspections in the Delta only, the duo took to interviewing a child care provider just east of Jackson and one in Flowood!
We appreciate the attorneys, early learning professionals, Collaboratives and policy makers who have spoken with Delta child care providers, who do not support such arbitrary enforcement, for expressing concern for the development of a licensing police state when it is really uncalled for.
We agree, already, the Mississippi State Department of Health has the authority to inspect a licensed facility more than once a year if there is probable cause to do so.
Licensed providers, in turn, may lawfully require licensing officials to present an administrative inspection warrant for any regulatory inspection.
However, in this case, additional fines have been assessed and substantive and procedural rights have been affected without lawfully required adherence to fair rule-making.
We concur with all who are alarmed that fines collected by MSDH may support agency salaries in times of highly visible budget cuts.
We also question why MSDH did not just first seek the provider support Hechinger now so desperately attempts to do by presenting the new rule to the Child Care Advisory Council and holding a public hearing.
Why does MSDH (Jim Craig) communicate its intent and conduct through the media while making no formal announcement to those affected?
The blatant hostility and disrespect noted for licensed child care providers in this Hechinger series article and this MSDH misconduct is in direct defiance of DHS’s intent for increasing CCDF funding to MSDH for the purpose of meeting the new federal requirement to monitor unlicensed, In-Home providers.
Bottom line – The Mississippi Department of Human Services will determine how MSDH uses CCDF funding, hopefully, beginning today.
CCDF funding simply cannot be exhausted in violation of federal and state law, no matter how you spin it.
DHS TRANSFERED FULL 30% OF TANF FUND ALLOWED TO CCDF!
Posted: January 10, 2017 Filed under: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Mississippi, Clarion-Ledger, DECCD-MDHS, HHS ACF Office of Child Care, Mississippi Legislature, MLICCI, MS Department of Human Services, SECAC Mississippi, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, child care Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, equal access, MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, SECAC Mississippi Leave a commentDHS TRANSFERED FULL 30% OF TANF FUND ALLOWED TO CCDF!
GOOD FOR MISSISSIPPI!
DHS confirmed that for the first time it transferred the fully-allotted 30 percent of TANF dollars toward child care subsidies Oct. 1, 2016.
“This will increase the success of TANF in moving families from welfare to work and simultaneously improve Mississippi’s workforce participation rate, a goal of all policy makers,” said Carol Burnett, executive director of MLICCI. (Click here.)
Well done, all!
TANF: “A Path Out of Poverty or a Shrinking Safety Net?”
Posted: January 3, 2017 Filed under: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, Child Care Development Fund, Child Care Mississippi, DECCD-MDHS, MLICCI, MS Department of Human Services, SECAC Mississippi, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Uncategorized | Tags: Administration for Children and Families, CCPP-approved Provider, child care Mississippi, DECCD, DECCD-MDHS, equal access, MDHS, Mississippi CCDF State Plan, Quality Rating System; DECCD-MDHS; CCDF Quality Improvement, SECAC Mississippi Leave a commentTANF: “A Path Out of Poverty or a Shrinking Safety Net?”
A Report of the Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative
NEWS CONFERENCE:
Delta Licensed Providers 
Recent Comments