8.1 Coordination with Partners to Expand Accessibility and Continuity of Care

Lead Agencies must coordinate child care services supported by CCDF with other federal, State/Territory, and local level programs. This includes programs for the benefit of Indian children, infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care. 8.1.1 Coordination with required and optional partners Describe how the Lead Agency coordinates and the results of this coordination of the provision of child care services with the organizations and agencies to expand accessibility and continuity of care and to assist children enrolled in early childhood programs in receiving full-day services that meet the needs of working families. The Lead Agency must coordinate with the following agencies: a. State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care or similar coordinating body (pursuant to 642B(b)(I)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act). Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (DECE) houses the work of the State Advisory Council through the Children’s Policy Council and the Head Start Collaboration Office. In coordination with these two programs, the lead agency supports services to extend the day for children in the Pre-K program and Head Start program by offering families that participate in the child care subsidy program before and after school care in facilities that choose to participate as a subsidy provider. b. Indian Tribe(s) and/or Tribal organization(s), at the option of the Tribe or Tribal organization. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination, including which Tribe(s) was (were) involved: The tribal organization in Alabama is the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI). PCI does not have child care options on the reservation but uses licensed providers that are within proximity to the reservation for families receiving assistance from PCI. PCI is also a member of the lead agency’s child care advisory council and collaborates on all decisions in accessibility of child care. The lead agency makes training and professional development opportunities available to child care facilities serving tribal families in order to maintain licensing requirements and health and safety standards. [ ] Not applicable. Check here if there are no Indian Tribes and/or Tribal organizations in the State/Territory. c. State/Territory agency(ies) responsible for programs for children with disabilities, including early intervention programs authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was established between the lead agency, the Alabama Head Start Collaboration Office, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services Division of Early Intervention and Children's Rehabilitation Services, and the Alabama State Department of Education Special on June 10, 2013. The results of this MOU has been a collaboration of the agencies in identifying and serving children with disabilities from birth to age five and helping their families establish formal linkages with Part C providers and local education agencies. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The State Collaboration Director serves on various committees for the CCDF Lead Agency, including the Child Care Citizen's Coordinating Committee and the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Governing Committee. The results of the coordination has led to shared services between Head Start, child care and pre-k, such as coaching, training, the cross- sector use of curriculum and assessment tools, and technical assistance. Coordination with the Head Start State Collaboration Office helps the Lead Agency coordinate the implementation of child care initiatives that impact Head Start and child care providers in the Lead Agency's Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Program. e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Alabama Department of Public Health work is to promote, protect, and improve health for all Alabamians. The agency has various programs in its purview including the vital records of birth, death, marriage and divorce, ALL Kids health coverage for children under 19, the Women, Infants and Children's nutritional program and immunizations. The lead agency's collaboration with the Department of Public Health garners support to child care programs in meeting licensing performance standards by child care facility health inspections, systems to support referrals for health care services, and obtaining information of immunizations for children served in the child care setting. Members from the Alabama Department of Public Health also serve on the Lead Agency's advisory council, the Child Care Citizen's Coordinating Committee, which further strengthens collaboration efforts between the two agencies. The results of the coordination has been the creation of initiatives funded by the lead agency such as Healthy Child Care Alabama, which provides first aid training and CPR certification, health education and solutions related to or affecting children's health and safety in the child care setting, and to help meet CCDF health and safety requirements. f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The lead agency has meet with local Economic Development Agencies about creating access to quality child care and creating opportunities for families to join the child care workforce. The results of the meetings has been to design plans to address child care options for families in need of non-traditional hours, work-site child care services, and extended day services for employees that work more than eight-hour days. Plans have been implemented to address increasing the child care workforce that assist individuals to open a family or group childcare home. g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency coordinates with the Alabama Department of Education to provide quality extended-day services for school-age children through grants awarded to Local Education Agencies. Funds target rural areas and low-performing school sites. The goal of this program and agency coordination is to integrate strategies that enhance the quality of care in extended-day child care settings and increase the availability of quality out of school programs. The Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education is responsible for the public Prekindergarten for the state and coordinates with the lead agency for extended-day services for before and after school care. The results of these collaborations are the various child care programs that now offer extended day services for pre-K and school age children, many which are Child Care Subsidy Program participating providers. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency is also the state agency responsible for child care licensing. The Office of Child Care Licensing conducts all Health and Safety monitoring visits for CCDF providers and is responsible for the issuance of licenses or exemptions to all providers in the state in order to legally operate. i. State/Territory agency responsible for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and other relevant nutrition programs. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Child and Adult Care Food Program is administered by the Department of Education. The lead agency has representation from the Department of Education on its advisory council. The coordination of services between the two agencies are based on requirements that childcare programs must receive a license or exemption from the Lead agency for participation in the food program. The Lead Agency also serves in an advisory capacity to the CACFP in regard to proposed changes in its policies and procedures. The results of this collaboration between the two agencies enables childcare providers access to nutritional foods and training to offer well balanced meals that is a cost savings to providers. j. McKinney-Vento State coordinators for homeless education and other agencies providing services for children experiencing homelessness and, to the extent practicable, local McKinney-Vento liaisons. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) houses the McKinney-Vento State Homeless Program. Coordination efforts have resulted in training on Subsidy Program eligibility and services for city and county homeless liaisons and training for Child Care Management Agencies and Quality Enhancement Agencies and in the development of a priority eligibility policy for homeless families. ASLDE has representation on the Lead Agency's Child Care Coordinating Committee and the Lead Agency is represented on their advisory council. The coordination of both agencies is as such that children in need of assistance may access it by the sharing of the availability of services. The homeless liaisons share information on how to make application for childcare and direct families to the Child Care Management Agencies. k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency is also the state agency for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) services. The Child Care Services Division coordinates with the Family Assistance Division, who administers TANF, to provide priority for care for children of families participating in the TANF JOBS (Job Opportunity and Basic Skills) program. Services are offered through a referral system, thereby reducing the need for families to attend multiple interviews to assess eligibility. The goal is to provide priority access to child care for families participating in the program to enable the recipients to engage in work and/or training activities. l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) operates the state's Children's Health Insurance Program. ADPH is a member of the Lead Agency's Child Care Citizen's Coordinating Committee and provides input to the Lead Agency on CCDF policy throughout year. The Lead Agency partners with the ADPH to implement Healthy Child Care Alabama, which provides nurse health consultant services and health and safety training to child care providers. m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The lead agency is a founding member of First 5 Alabama which serves as the Alabama Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, a professional association to support increased competencies for child care and other service providers to address young children’s mental wellness and social/emotional development. The result of this collaboration provides training and technical assistance to providers and families seeking such services. n. Child care resource and referral agencies, child care consumer education organizations, and providers of early childhood education training and professional development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The CCDF Lead Agency contracts with Child Care Management Agencies to administer eligibility services for the Child Care Subsidy Program and quality enhancement services, including training and consumer education. The Child Care Management Agencies and the comprehensive Quality Enhancement Agencies serves in the capacity for the lead agency as the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies. The Lead Agency's relationship with these local agencies has allowed for expansion of resources in the child care arena and allowed for blending of local, private and public funding to support child care initiatives and to increase quality. o. Statewide afterschool network or other coordinating entity for out-of-school time care (if applicable). Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency is a member of the statewide afterschool network association and has contracted with Truman Pierce Institute of Auburn University to provide training and quality standards for after-school programs. The Lead Agency also coordinates services with Alabama Department of Education providing grants to selected afterschool programs for activities to increase quality in those programs. A representative from the Truman Pierce Institute is a member of the Lead Agency's Child Care Citizen's Coordinating Committee. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency has collaborated with State and Local Emergency Management Agencies through the agency's designated liaison to assist in the development of the Emergency Preparedness Plan and to provide training and technical assistance to child care providers on the creation and implementation of disaster preparedness plans. q. The following are examples of optional partners a Lead Agency might coordinate with to provide services. Check which optional partners the Lead Agency coordinates with and describe the coordination and results of the coordination. i. [x] State/Territory/local agencies with Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership grants. Describe: The Lead Agency is the state grantee for the Early Head Start- Child Care Partnership Program. The CCDF program has aligned its eligibility policies with the EHS-CCP Program to better meet the needs and streamline the eligibility process for family's eligible and receiving services through both programs. ii. [x] State/Territory institutions for higher education, including community colleges. Describe: The Lead Agency coordinates with the Alabama Community College System of two-year colleges to provide scholarships for child care providers to obtain a credential, certificate, Associate's degree, or Bachelor's degree through the T.E.A.C.H and Leadership in Child Care Scholarship (LICC) Programs. Through collaborative efforts of the Lead Agency, Quality Enhancement Agencies, and Community Colleges, a child care resource library is housed at three community colleges. The libraries are partially staffed by Child Development and Early Care and Education students at the college. iii. [ ] Other federal, State, local, and/or private agencies providing early childhood and school-age/youth-serving developmental services. Describe: iv. [ ] State/Territory agency responsible for implementing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs grant. Describe: v. [ ] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: The Lead Agency is also the agency for Child Welfare services. Program coordination allows for Protective Service and Foster Care families to receive priority for child care services. Child Welfare staff provides training on child abuse and neglect detection and prevention to child care providers. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: The ongoing coordination provides knowledge of the Lead Agency's policy related to child care issues, allows ongoing input from the provider community into the provision of CCDF funded services, and provides awareness and training on new child care initiatives implemented by the Lead Agency that can be shared with the associations' at- large membership. viii. [ ] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: ix. [ ] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: x. [ ] Other. Describe: