Serving Region 3: Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana & Lawrence Counties
Provider Updates -July/Aug. 2022
Official Market Rate Survey
Pennsylvania's early childhood educators should soon receive a letter via the United States Postal Service (USPS) to complete the official OCDEL's Market Rate Survey. As a reminder, the official Market Rate Survey will be sent from Penn State Harrisburg and OCDEL and will be arriving in the mail (NOT via email). This survey is being mailed to all licensed child care facilities in Pennsylvania and may be completed online OR on paper. The letter was printed on light purple / lilac paper and the envelope looks like this. The letter and the online survey will contain OCDEL's logo (as shown in this email.) Check your postal system's mail box for your letter with additional instructions. Get more info.
Announcement ELRC 22-04: 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual
The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development has released the Announcement ELRC 22-04, 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual. The Announcement provides the 2022 updated Keystone STARS Performance Standards, Program Manual, and corresponding resource documents.
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OCDEL Offers Access to Healthy Minds App for PA Early Childcare Educators
Your access can be found on the Pennsylvania Key website where you will:
1. Search for your Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region,
2. Click on the link and you will be directed to the login page for Healthy Minds.
3. After that, just download the app on your smart phone device and get started.
Your ELRC colleagues have been using the Healthy Minds app, too, and are ready to support you with Communities of Practice (CoP) in your region. Soon, your ELRC’s will be sending out communications on how to participate in the CoP. These are short sessions (15-minutes) where you can engage in a mindful practice together and talk about successes and challenges in practicing. Coming together with other professionals in the field to support one another’s well-being is a powerful moment!
OCDEL recognizes this is just one of many tools and resources in your well-being journey and sincerely hopes you will take advantage of the opportunity and invest in yourself. Should you have any questions about the application, you can connect with the Healthy Minds team. There is a Help Center in the settings section of the app. If you have questions regarding a CoP, please contact your regional ELRC and if you have questions about the overall program, contact Dr. Marnie Aylesworth at the Pennsylvania Key marayl@pakeys.org.
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Office of Child Care (OCC) Compliance Announcements Health and Safety - FAQs
On March 29, 2022, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development and Bureau of Certification released the Health & Safety FAQs. The FAQ document provides detail relating to professional development, compliance with new certification requirements, cost of trainings, and more. See the FAQs for more information.
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Face Coverings:
Best Practices and Resources for Child Care Providers - Updates
To protect yourself and others from COVID-19, CDC continues to recommend masking is a critical public health tool for preventing spread of COVID-19, and it is important to remember that any mask is better than no mask. Learn about the types of masks and respirators.
Overall Key Updates (Provided by the CDC, issued January 28, 2022:):
· Masks and respirators are effective at reducing transmission of the Coronavirus when worn consistently and correctly.
· Choose a well-fitting and comfortable mask or respirator that your child can wear properly. A poorly fitting or uncomfortable mask or respirator might be worn incorrectly or removed often, and that would reduce its intended benefits.
· Choose a size that fits over the child’s nose and under the chin but does not impair vision.
· If your child has a hard time breathing, gets dizzy, or has other symptoms while you are trying to get the mask to fit better or when using an ASTM F3502 mask or a respirator, choose a regular cloth or disposable mask. They should continue to follow CDC guidance to protect themselves and others. Consult your healthcare provider if these symptoms do not resolve.
· Parents and caregivers may have questions about NIOSH-approved respirators (such as N95s) for children. Although respirators may be available in smaller sizes, they are typically designed to be used by adults in workplaces, and therefore have not been tested for broad use in children.
· Clear masks or cloth masks with a clear plastic panel are an alternative type of mask that may be helpful when interacting with certain groups of people
Resources: Child-sized high quality respirator masks (KN95/N95).
· How to Find the Best KN95 Face Masks for Kids | Parents
· Amazon.com: powecom kn95 kids
Read more on the Pennsylvania Key website.
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Updated Counties for Department of Health (DOH) Early Childhood Education COVID-19 Reporting Options
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has provided two (2) options for Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care facilities to report positive COVID-19 cases, either by email or phone. This resource has updated counties and provides an outline of the process that should be followed when reporting cases to DOH. Get more info.
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Increase to Child Care Works Base Payment Rates
The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development has released Announcement ELRC 21-11 Increase to Child Care Works Base Payment Rates. This Announcement shares information regarding an increase to base rates paid by DHS to certified child care providers participating in Child Care Works (CCW).
Effective Jan. 1, 2022, OCDEL will implement another increase to CCW subsidy base rates. The initiative includes both an increase to the 60th percentile for subsidy base rates paid to DHS certified child care providers and an increase of $1 per day for Relative Providers. This change brings Pennsylvania closer to the federal government’s recommendation of reimbursing child care providers at the 75th percentile.
For details, please see the Announcement ELRC 21-11 Increase to Child Care Works Base Payment Rates.
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Rate incentives for providers that offer child care during
non-traditional hours of care
- $16.8 million will support add-on incentives to CCW base rates for child care providers that offer at least two hours of care during non-traditional hours.
Prior to the pandemic, the Keystone Command Center for Economic Development and Workforce recommended expanding availability of licensed child care before 6 a.m. and after 6 p.m. – what is normally considered “traditional” child care hours – in order to give flexibility and security for working parents. These rate incentives will support providers that offer care outside of traditional hours, giving parents a safe place for their children and the security necessary to help parents return to work.
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Announcement 21 #09 Child Care Works (CCW) Payment During the Ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development, has released the Announcement 21 #09 Child Care Works (CCW) Payment During the Ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Announcement provides updated guidance regarding Child Care Works (CCW) payment to child care programs participating in CCW and to ELRC staff. This updated policy obsoletes the following announcements in their entirety effective Sept. 30, 2021:
· ELRC Policy Announcement 21 #06 Restoring Child Care Works Invoicing, Attendance and Payment Policies
· ELRC Policy Announcement 21 #04 Child Care Works Payment During the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19); and
ELRC Policy Announcement 20 #17 Child Care Works Payment During the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency
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Family, Group and School Age Providers Needed for ELC Subcommittee for Child Care Certification Regulation Rewrites
Because of the critical role family child care (FCC), group child care (GCC) and school age only (SAC) providers play in Pennsylvania's child care system, OCDEL is seeking additional applications for the ELC Subcommittee for Child Care Certification Regulation Rewrites from these providers. FCC, GCC and SAC providers ONLY can apply here.
Starting in early 2022 through the spring, Subcommittee members will provide direct feedback to OCDEL on a series of draft regulations. Out of respect for participants schedules and safety, meetings will be held virtually with materials shared ahead of time via email. Interested FCC, GCC and SAC providers can apply now through Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. Please contact Karen Grimm-Thomas (c-kgrimmth@pa.gov) with any questions.
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COVID Vaccine Booster Information
On Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, the CDC issued the recommendation for Comirnaty Pfizer-BioNTech booster doses for the following populations, at least six months following the second dose of their Pfizer primary series:
people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings aged 18 and above should receive a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech Vx, people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech Vx, people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech Vx, based on their individual benefits and risks, and people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of of the Pfizer-BioNTech Vx, based on their individual benefits and risks. Working in child care where children cannot be vaccinated yet is an occupational risk.
Following this recommendation, eligible individuals should be able to begin scheduling appointments and receiving booster doses.
The dosage and medicine of the Comirnaty Pfizer BioNTech vaccine are the same in the primary doses, the additional doses for people with compromised immune systems, and the booster doses for people over age 65 and at high risk for COVID-19.
Please await further public health guidance regarding booster doses for individuals who received the Moderna or Janssen vaccines for their primary series. The publicly available evidence for booster doses of the Moderna and Janssen vaccines to date is encouraging, and the Department of Health awaits the FDA and CDC’s decisions.
Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do to protect Pennsylvanians from COVID-19. 
COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant People to Prevent Serious Illness, Deaths, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes from COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends urgent action to increase Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination among people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are lactating), who are trying to become pregnant now, or who might become pregnant in the future. CDC strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination either before or during pregnancy because the benefits of vaccination outweigh known or potential risks. Read more.
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Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Childhood Education Programs
The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) strongly recommend and encourage all early childhood education (ECE) providers follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance at all times. The updated COVID-19 guidance outlines strategies for ECE programs to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and maintain safe operations. Click to view the key takeaways and summary of recent changes.
Please share with staff and find updated CDC guidance here.
ARPA Stabilization Grants Update - Calculation & More...
ARPA Stabilization Grant Update - Calculation
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is making American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stabilization Grants available to eligible child care providers. This email will help eligible certified child care providers (child care center, group child care homes, family child care homes) understand how much ARPA Stabilization Grant funding they can anticipate receiving when they submit an application.
OCDEL partnered with Penn State Harrisburg’s Institute of State and Regional Affairs (ISRA) to develop an evidence-based methodology to distribute ARPA Stabilization Grants to eligible certified child care providers throughout the commonwealth. The American Rescue Plan Act Stabilization Subgrants for Child Care Providers Summary Report will provide information on how stabilization grants will be calculated for eligible certified providers.
View the ARPA Subgrants for Child Care Providers Summary Report
OCDEL and ISRA also collaborated to create a certified provider Stabilization Grant Estimator. This tool allows certified providers to input information specific to their program and better understand how much their stabilization grant could be when they apply. The dollar amount the tool provides is only an estimate. The actual grant amount may differ when the application is submitted for approval.
Try the ARPA Stabilization Grant – Certified Provider Estimator
See past and upcoming Announcements regarding OCDEL ARPA Stabilization Grants here: www.pakeys.org/arpastabilizationgrants.
Did you know ARPA Stabilization Grants are Coming?
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is making American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stabilization Grants available to eligible child care providers. These grants and the required reporting will be completed in the Professional Development (PD) Registry. Next steps, including eligibility and application details will be shared over the next several weeks. The application will be available mid-September, so please stay tuned!
Are you ready?
In order to apply, all child care providers need to get ready.
Create a PD Registry Account: Directors/Owners/ Administrators/ Fiscal Staff*: Make sure you have an account created in the PD Registry.
The person completing the application for your facility must have an account in the PD Registry to apply. Figure out who this key staff is now!If you have an account, you do not need to create a new one.Click here to learn how to create an account.
Claim Your Organization - Directors/Owners/ Administrators/ Fiscal Staff*: Make sure you have claimed your organization in the PD Registry.
The person who plans to complete the application must claim your organization as an administrator of the facility, If you have already claimed your organization, you do not need to claim it again. Click here to learn how to claim your organization.
*Each facility can have multiple administrators but only one person can apply for ARPA Stabilization Grant funds on behalf of the program.
Send questions about creating an account and claiming your organization in the PD Registry to registry@pakeys.org
Once you are ready…
Make sure you and anyone applying for the ARPA Stabilization Grant is subscribed to this newsletter. Updates and information will be shared via the PA Early Ed News Special Announcements, the weekly ECE Recap and Certification Announcements. Click here to subscribe. Check your email or see announcements here over the next few weeks for next steps and to learn more about: Eligibility requirements;What information you will need for your application;How you can use the funds; andWhat you will be required to report on after you receive the funds.
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Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Childhood Education Programs
The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) strongly recommend and encourage all early childhood education (ECE) providers follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance at all times. The updated COVID-19 guidance outlines strategies for ECE programs to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and maintain safe operations. Click to view the key takeaways and summary of recent changes.
Please share with staff and find updated CDC guidance here.
(IECMHC) Newsletter Information Below
IECMHC Newsletter Information
A Focus on Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health
August 2021
This newsletter focuses on sharing information on infant/early childhood mental health and
the importance of relationship-based approaches and supports that help infants and young children feel safe, supported, and valued by the adults around them. The newsletter, and the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program, is made possible by a partnership between the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Pennsylvania Key.
Welcome to the fifth issue of the IECMHC Newsletter! As we start thinking about the upcoming school year it is important to reflect on how we are supporting the social-emotional development of all the children in our classrooms.
As educators, we often focus on the curriculum and academic aspect of Early Childhood Education (ECE). However, the social-emotional needs of the children in our classroom permeate all parts of the day. By taking the time to plan how to teach and support the emotional needs of the children, teachers will set up their classroom for success and prevent challenging behaviors.
In this issue, we will provide an overview of the Pyramid Model which serves as the foundation for our IECMH Consultation program. The Pyramid Model helps ECE professionals and families to enhance social and emotional learning of young children with confidence and competence in the real world. Both IECMH Consultation and the Pyramid Model focus on the critical importance of positive relationships, building the capacity of professionals and families, promoting children’s social and emotional development, and preventing and addressing challenging behavior.
In the coming months, we will take a deeper dive into each tier of the Pyramid Model.
Professional Development
The IECMH Program will continue to offer free monthly PD sessions, Using Ages and Stages Questionnaires as a Screening Tool. Universal developmental and social emotional screening practices is a great way to celebrate children’s developmental milestones while also helping to identify if there are any concerns that need to be further assessed. There are many strategies that educators can use from the Pyramid Model to support social emotional development for children. For more information, please check the PD calendar.
Foundations of IECMH
Pyramid Model Overview. This video provides an overview of the Pyramid Models levels of support and practices. 8:58 Pyramid Model Overview - YouTube
Implementing the Pyramid Model in Family Child Care Homes. This brief video provides an introduction to the Pyramid Model tiers and practices. 3:11 Implementing the Pyramid Model in Family Child Care Homes - YouTube
Practical Strategies to Support IECMH
Preparing for the Pyramid: Classroom Essentials. This tool identifies the five components for a successful learning environment. Read more.
Rebuilding the Pyramid: Reconnecting After a Break. To help with the transition of your classroom community back to school after an extended break it may be important to re-teach or remind children of schedules, expectations and routines. Read more.
The More You Know...
Practice Implementation Checklists:
• Responsive Caregiving. Considerations with children, families, staff and other service providers
• High Quality Environments. Considerations for schedules and routines, classroom design, promoting engagement, transitions, expectations and rules
• Social Emotional Teaching Strategies. Considerations for friendship skills, emotional literacy and problem-solving strategies
Accessing IECMH Services
The Pennsylvania Key has streamlined the process for Keystone STARS programs to request Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). Child care providers can request services by using the Request for Service Form (PDF). Completed forms can be submitted via email PAIECMH@pakeys.org or faxed to 717-213-3749.
Programs and families can contact the program leadership directly at PAIECMH@pakeys.org with questions or concerns.
Share your feedback! We'd like to hear what you think about infant early childhood mental health. Are there resources you'd like to see? Questions you have? Tell us! Send your feedback to PAIECMH@pakeys.org.
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