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 Georgia Children's Cabinet serves as the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (SAC) in Georgia. The Commissioner of the Lead Agency is the co-chair of the Georgia Children's Cabinet, which is composed of representatives from all agencies of state government serving children and families, philanthropic organizations, parents, Head Start, and other key child/family stakeholders. As the leader of the Lead Agency AND the co-chair of the Children’s Cabinet (SAC), the Commissioner is uniquely positioned to ensure that: 1. The Cabinet is aware of and has an opportunity to provide input into the CCDF State Plan; and 2. Any organizations/individuals/stakeholders/etc. necessary to fulfill the goals of the State Plan are aware of their responsibilities in implementing the Plan. This coordination helps ensure that the goals of the Plan are successfully achieved, thereby enhancing the well-being of Georgia’s children and families. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets three times a year to ensure ongoing communication, coordination, and information sharing. The Georgia Children’s Cabinet has created a 2Gen Leadership Academy which develops leaders who can execute a collaborative strategy using a 2Gen approach to improve outcomes for Georgia’s children and families. Each member of the Georgia Children’s Cabinet nominates a representative from their organization to participate in the nine month leadership academy each year. The 2Gen Academy provides learning, collaboration and a capstone project focused on implementing a 2Gen approach for all participants who then incorporate these competencies into their work with children and families. As a result of the coordination with the Georgia Children's Cabinet, Georgia was able to graduate a total of fifty representatives of through the participation of the organizations. Georgia looks forward to the continued growth of the 2Gen Leadership Academy and celebrating each individual that graduates. 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: [x] 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: Georgia's Part C program is housed in the Department of Public Health (DPH). The Lead Agency coordinates with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Coordinator to ensure that children receive coordinated supports and services in their child care setting. The Lead Agency is represented on the State Interagency Coordinating Council for Part C of IDEA, and a representative of Part C is also a member of the Georgia Children's Cabinet, along with the Commissioner of the Lead Agency. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. The Lead Agency coordinates services and supports with the IDEA Part B, Section 619 Coordinator at the Georgia Department of Education. Additionally, representatives from Part C for infants and toddlers and Part B, Section 619 for preschool collaborate with the Lead Agency as a part of the state's Cross Agency Child Data System (CACDS). These collaborative relationships facilitate and expand the seamless transition of children between programs and link children with comprehensive services. In addition, the Lead Agency has a inter-agency team that focuses on collaboration among child care professionals, early intervention providers, and families of children with disabilities. The program provides coaching and training for professionals and supports coordinating services for children with IFSPs and IEPs. The SEEDS Helpline refers families to Part C and Part B agencies, provides resources and information in their community, and coordinates referrals for classroom coaching and workforce training. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Head Start State Collaboration Office in Georgia is physically housed at the Lead Agency, thereby enhancing cooperation, communication, coordination, and alignment among Head Start, the Lead Agency, and other CCDF-supported entities. Georgia’s Head Start State Collaboration Director (HSCO) also serves on the Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet (the SAC in Georgia). The coordination enhanced by the Head Start State Collaboration Director’s relationship with the Lead Agency and Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet benefits Head Start programs, children, and families by encouraging blended classrooms, funding streams, and wrap-around services making it possible to serve more children and families more effectively. Here are examples of the coordination between Head Start and the Lead Agency: · The Cross Agency Child Data System, CACDS, is Georgia’s integrated child data system. The system provides participation reports across the many child-serving programs in the state. The HSCO collected data sharing agreements from every Head Start & Early Head Start grant recipient in the state to enable the Lead Agency to partner with Child Plus and Easy Trac data systems for automated cross agency reporting. This benefits Head Start grant recipients when they must analyze their community data as part of the required needs assessment for the Office of Head Start. · The HSCO participates in quarterly GA Head Start Association meetings with their Board members. State initiatives, policy changes, and problem resolutions are collected and addressed by the HSCO with the Lead Agency to support their operation at the local level. An example of this coordinated effort would be addressing facility variances needed by older Head Start centers to comply with state licensing requirements. The HSCO often acts as the mediary for Head Start grant recipients who have encountered licensing challenges or issues and can also bring the federal Office of Head Start to the table to support the grant recipient with necessary facility repairs or changes. Prior to 2016, most of Georgia Head Start sites operated as an exemption and chose not to be a licensed facility. Currently, close to 95% of Georgia Head Start sites have become licensed facilities, which opens them up to additional state resources from DECAL including coaching from regional specialists and professional learning opportunities. · Georgia’s Criminal Record Check system and the Professional Learning System are two additional examples of coordination to support Head Start grant recipients. Both systems are set up for use by Head Start staff to acquire the necessary criminal record approval to work in Head Start and to help track the professional learning records for staff statewide to meet the Head Start Program Performance Standard requirements for the workforce. The HSCO coordinates annual training, via web based or at GHSA conference, to ensure all leadership at the local level understand the pathways for these systems. · The Children’s Cabinet sponsors the Georgia Two Generation Leadership Academy each year and has coordinated through the HSCO to recruit at least two Head Start Directors for participation. This year long professional learning experience culminates in a capstone project and graduation ceremony in June each year. e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency collaborates with the Department of Public Health (DPH), the state agency responsible for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, nutrition (including breast feeding support), and childhood obesity prevention. The Commissioner of the Department of Public Health (DPH) sits on the Georgia Children's Cabinet along with agency heads of all Georgia's child-serving agencies, including the Commissioner of the Lead Agency. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. For collaboration with immunizations, Child Care Services (CCS) works in conjunction with representatives from the Immunizations Program within DPH annually to develop audit guidance for providers according to DPH rules (Chapter 290-5-4) and Rules and Regulations for Child Care Learning Centers (591-1-1) notifying them of the annual review that will be conducted by representatives from DPH. A joint letter is drafted and blasted to all licensed child care learning centers advising them of their annual immunization audit/assessment to be conducted by DPH representatives. Any non-compliance issues found during these are sent over by DPH to CCS for investigation and follow-up by regional licensing consultants. f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Housed at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) administers Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act funds across the state and oversees the Governor's State Workforce Development initiatives. The Lead Agency will continue to work with the SWDB to align available resources to support the child care workforce. The Lead Agency also oversees a two-generation policy grant to which the SWDB and the Georgia Department of Labor contribute. g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency collaborates with the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) on a variety of initiatives, including participation in the state's longitudinal data system, IDEA Part B, Section 619, and the Kindergarten Readiness Check. These collaborations help ensure that services critical to CCDF-eligible children and families are aligned. The Lead Agency administers Georgia's Pre-K Program, the state-funded prekindergarten program. The Lead Agency works to ensure that instruction in B-5 programs, including Georgia’s Pre-K Program, is aligned with K-3 instruction. The Lead Agency and the DOE work on aligning learning standards, curricula, and school readiness standards. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The child care services licensing division (CCS) and the CCDF subsidy division, Child and Parent Services (CAPS), are both housed within the Lead Agency. As a result, coordination and alignment of services happens on a regular basis. Meetings are held at least monthly with representatives from each division to discuss and align practices, coordinate efforts, and streamline processes. In addition, representatives from both divisions attend program staffings weekly, to discuss and evaluate compliance of a program and further enforcement action that may be needed and/or the direct result such impact will have on children and families within those programs. 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 Lead Agency administers the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in Georgia. Because both the subsidy program and the CACFP are housed in the same agency, CACFP and subsidy leaders work together closely to coordinate and align services. Specifically, Directors from both programs serve on the Leadership team of the lead agency and meet regularly. The programs also regularly collaborate on issues that impact both programs such as policy changes, adverse actions, and change of ownership in childcare programs. 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 state currently coordinates services among many programs serving homeless and low- income populations. First, Local Education Agencies that receive Pre-K funding must comply with McKinney-Vento's mandates by providing children who are experiencing homelessness equal access. Also, the Lead Agency provides child care subsidies, Georgia's Pre-K funding, and Summer Transition Program funding to high-quality early learning programs that serve families who are experiencing homeless and braids funding to ensure that families who are homeless have access to full-day, full-year care. k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Executive Director of the Georgia Division of Family and Children's Services, the state's child welfare agency, and the Director of the State Office of the Child Advocate sit on the Georgia Children's Cabinet with the Commissioner of the Lead Agency. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children in the state to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. The agency responsible for TANF is the Georgia Division of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), the state’s child welfare agency. The Lead Agency’s CAPS program coordinates with DFCS by meeting as needed to discuss child care related needs and concerns. Additionally, CAPS coordinates with DFCS by receiving referrals for child care services for families who are participating in or transitioning from TANF. This coordination results in expanded access and continuity of care and assistance for families, and children enrolled in early childhood programs. l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency collaborates with the state agency responsible for Medicaid and the state's Children's Health Insurance Program. The Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health sits on the Georgia Children's Cabinet along with the agency heads of all Georgia's child-serving agencies. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children in the state to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. The agency responsible for Medicaid is the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). The agency responsible for the state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is the Georgia Department of Public Health. CAPS distributes consumer education information to families that are approved for CAPS through Georgia Gateway, the system where family eligibility for CAPS is determined. This includes information regarding Medicaid and CHIP. m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency collaborates with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), the state agency responsible for mental health. Lead Agency staff serve on the Interagency Director's Team that is charged with creating and implementing a System of Care plan for mental health services for children and youth from birth to 21. The current System of Care State Plan includes goals to support young children's mental and behavioral health from birth to age 4 for the first time. These goals include developing and implementing strategies around early prevention/intervention, expanding the capacity of the workforce, and exploring Medicaid billing pathways to better serve young children and their families in Georgia. The Commissioner of the Lead Agency also sits on the State Mental Health Coordinating Council. In addition, the Lead Agency convenes the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Taskforce which includes representatives from all the state agencies responsible for children’s mental health. The taskforce is developing a statewide System of Care for young children’s mental health. Results from the taskforce include increasing access to mental health clinicians trained in early childhood trauma treatment models (i.e. Child Parent Psychotherapy) through blended funding sources. Service billing issues were also addressed by creating the Clinician Medicaid Billing Toolkit for Dyadic Treatment Models. Additionally, DBHDD has received one of the Lead Agency’s Expanding Parents’ Access to Nontraditional Delivery (EXPAND) grants, which support families who need child care during nontraditional working hours. 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 Lead Agency partners with child care resource and referral agencies in Georgia and closely supports and monitors their work. The Lead Agency does not have a network of child care resource and referral agencies as defined by the child care development fund. The Lead Agency also funds the Georgia Professional Development System that supports training and professional development for early care and education professionals in the state. The Lead Agency's Commissioner and leadership team meet quarterly with key partners and providers about services, programs, and policies through the Georgia Children’s Cabinet. Consumer education organizations in Children’s Cabinet meetings include: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, United Way of Northwest Georgia, Barton Child Law & Policy Center, Voices for Georgia’s Children, United Way of Greater Atlanta, United Way of Central Georgia, Georgia Family Connection Partnership, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Georgia Head Start Association. These meeting result in better alignment of programs across the system and help all participants, including the state, better understand the full context. For example, these meetings have informed the ongoing revisions of Georgia’s quality rating and improvement system with raising the need to strengthen the nutrition aspect. These organizations’ feedback also led to opening participation to them in the Georgia 2Gen Academy, an opportunity for selected staff across state agencies to better understand a two-generation approach and coordinate and plan new initiatives. The Lead Agency’s Community Partnership Coordinators facilitate Birth-to-Eight Meetings in their regions made up of community stakeholders who are invested in promoting high-quality early learning services. Birth-to-Eight Meetings include United Way organizations and county-level Family Connection Collaboratives, as well as state and community partners, and provide coordination for system-building efforts. The Lead Agency also partners with Voices for Georgia’s Children annually to promote the state-funded Georgia’s Pre-K program, increasing awareness through on-site visits with state leaders to Pre-K classrooms, events at the state capitol, and social media, television and radio media coverage about the program. 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 partners with the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN), a public/private collaborative dedicated to advancing, connecting, and supporting quality afterschool programs to promote the success of children and youth throughout Georgia. The Lead Agency is a member of GSAN’s Advisory Board and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development (ASYD) Initiative that is co- led by GSAN. Results from this coordination include joint projects aimed at raising quality and increasing access to higher quality school-age trainings, trainers, and other school-age initiatives. Currently, the Lead Agency is collaborating with GSAN on a project to strengthen how school-age care is part of Georgia’s QRIS. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Annually the Lead Agency reviews and revises the Georgia Statewide Child Care Emergency Plan. Upon completion of revisions, the draft is sent electronically to representatives from the following partnering agencies: Georgia Department of Human Services, Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics with the request for review, feedback, and additional information/edits. Once this review period has ended, the plan is finalized and published on the Lead Agency’s website. The Lead Agency makes resources available through links and information within the document, as well as from partnering agencies for the continuity of care of children enrolled in early childhood programs. 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. [ ] State/Territory/local agencies with Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership grants. Describe: ii. [x] State/Territory institutions for higher education, including community colleges. Describe: The Lead Agency collaborates regularly with higher education to train staff and deliver supports and services through a Two-Generation (2Gen) framework. Through the 2Gen initiative, the Lead Agency and higher education coordinate services for student parents and refer parents who are interested in post-secondary education opportunities. The agency collaborates with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and with individual technical colleges to help targeted audiences attain ECE credentials. This includes supporting infant/toddler teachers in attaining an infant/toddler specific credential, supporting high school students to begin a career in early learning, and piloting efforts to increase the state's bilingual workforce. The Commissioner of TCSG and the University System of Georgia's Executive Chancellor for Academic Affairs sit on the Georgia Children's Cabinet along with agency heads of all Georgia's child serving agencies, including the Commissioner of the Lead Agency. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children in the state to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. The Lead Agency is collaborating with TCSG on a 2Gen student parent pilot where Lead Agency staff are located on TCSG campuses to enhance supports for child care assistance. iii. [x] Other federal, State, local, and/or private agencies providing early childhood and school-age/youth-serving developmental services. Describe: The Lead Agency is the leader of the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Act Early Georgia Team, which is a collaboration focused on supporting the development of young children. Partners include The Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Babies Can’t Wait program, the Georgia Head Start Association, Early Intervention Services, and the Georgia Department of Human Service’s Better Brains for Babies program. The Lead Agency also partners with The Rollins Center for Language and Literacy on the LITTLE grant program to support language and literacy initiatives with families and early childhood professionals. The Lead Agency participates in the Office of Child Care’s Infant Toddler Specialist Network meetings alongside other state agencies to build and strengthen infant toddler specialist networks and increase access to high-quality child care. The Lead Agency collaborates with the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, a collaborative funded by the Office of Special Education, to improve state and local capacity to implement and sustain effective practices and policies to support the outcomes of young children who have or are at risk of developmental delays or disabilities through our Pyramid Model training and coaching. The Lead Agency is the facilitator of the Pyramid Model State Leadership Team, which includes members from the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), the Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children (GAEYC), the Georgia Department of Public Health (Babies Can’t Wait), the Georgia Department of Education’s Teaching and Learning Supports for School Climate team and Preschool Special Education team, and early childhood faculty and administration from the University System of Georgia and TCSG. The Lead Agency sits on the GSAN-convened Steering Committee of the Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development (ASYD) Initiative alongside the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. iv. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for implementing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs grant. Describe: The Lead Agency collaborates with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the state agency responsible for the Maternal and Child Home Visitation programs. The Commissioner of DPH sits on the Georgia Children's Cabinet along with agency heads of all Georgia's child-serving agencies, including the Commissioner of the Lead Agency. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children in the state to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. Representatives from the DPH Home Visiting Program serve on the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Taskforce and participate in the Promotion/ Prevention workgroup. v. [x] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: The Lead Agency collaborates with the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), the state agency responsible for Medicaid/Early Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment. The Commissioner of DCH sits on the Georgia Children's Cabinet along with the agency heads of all Georgia's child serving agencies. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children in the state to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. The DCH Director of Behavioral Health serves as the co-chair of the Policy/Finance workgroup of the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Taskforce. Successful collaboration resulted in the creation of a billing toolkit for clinicians working with young children and families. This supports early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment practices and makes mental health services more available to children and families. The Lead Agency also serves as the ambassador for the CDC’s Act Early Georgia team, which includes partnerships with the Children First program, Children’s Medical Services, and the Babies Can’t Wait program within the Georgia Department of Public Health, the state agency responsible for early identification and diagnostic programs for children birth through age five. Other agencies represented on the Act Early team are the Georgia Department of Education’s 619 Preschool Special Education program, the Division of Family and Children Services Prevention and Community Support program, the Georgia Chapter of the American Association of Pediatrics and the Georgia State University Center for Leadership in Disability. vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: The Lead Agency collaborates with the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS), the state's child welfare agency, to ensure that foster children receive top priority. The Executive Director of DFCS and the Director of the State Office of the Child Advocate sit on the Georgia Children's Cabinet with the Commissioner of the Lead Agency. The Georgia Children's Cabinet connects all departments and agencies serving children in the state to align state priorities and programs. The Georgia Children's Cabinet meets every two months to ensure ongoing communication and information sharing. Representatives from DFCS are members of the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Taskforce and on the MATCH (Multi-Agency Treatment Team) Committee to ensure children with complex needs are receiving the support and services. DCFS is a member of the Act Early Georgia team, which is described above in section 8.1.1.b.iii. DFCS sits on the Pyramid Model State Leadership team (above) and works with the SEEDS Helpline Coordinator to coordinate technical assistance and to help child care programs resolve issues that might result in preschool suspension or expulsion. DCFS and DECAL work with the Georgia Department of Adult Services on the Kinship Care Work Team to support relative caregivers in keeping children in their family unit when biological parents are unable to maintain custody. The agency works with Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and Georgia State University on the leadership team of the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework and Strategic Outreach Committee. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: The Commissioner of the Lead Agency and members of the Lead Agency's leadership team meet quarterly with the Georgia Child Care Association, the Georgia Association on Young Children, Black Child Development Institute, and the Professional Family Child Care Alliance of Georgia. The Lead Agency also convenes advisory groups throughout the year to seek input from key partners and providers about services, programs, and policy. The Lead Agency collaborates with these partners to resolve issues that may hinder continuity of care and to improve quality in early learning programs. The Lead Agency also collaborates with the Georgia Preschool Association within our Child and Family Development unit by sharing information at local events and conferences annually. viii. [x] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: The Lead Agency employs a Child and Family Development unit to help providers support children and families in their programs. The unit oversees the Family Peer Ambassador Program and works with parent groups and organizations to ensure that families are continually being engaged. The Lead Agency engages families by including them in focus groups, early education advisory boards, and committees. The Lead Agency provides funding through the Pre-K Summer Transition Program for a Transition Coach to work with families to provide training, support, and resources during the program. The Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Director works with the Georgia Parent Support Network (GPSN) to share information and collaborate on events. The Lead Agency works with Parent to Parent of Georgia, an organization of families of children with disabilities within the Act Early Georgia team. ix. [ ] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: x. [ ] Other. Describe: