7.2 Use of Quality Set-Aside Funds

Lead Agencies must use a portion of their CCDF expenditures for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services and to increase parental options for and access to high-quality child care. They must use the quality set-aside funds on at least one of 10 activities described in CCDF and the quality activities must be aligned with a Statewide or Territory-wide assessment of the State's or Territory’s need to carry out such services and care. 7.2.1 Quality improvement activities a. Describe how the Lead Agency will make its Quality Progress Report (ACF – 218) and expenditure reports, available to the public. Provide a link if available. The Quality Progress Report is posted on the Department of Human Services website: https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/ccdf/ b. Identify Lead Agency plans, if any, to spend CCDF funds for each of the following quality improvement activities. If an activity is checked “yes”, describe the Lead Agency’s current and/or future plans for this activity. i. Supporting the training and professional development of the child care workforce, including birth to five and school-age providers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services is currently working with the department’s contractor, People Attentive To Children, in developing and providing professional development training for the child care workforce. The Department of Human Services provides Early childhood education scholarships. The Department of Human Services recognizes that school-age children have distinct needs for behavioral supports, as well as mental, physical, social and academic development, which require specialized staff training to deliver high- quality programs for their appropriate care. The Department of Human Services will be coordinating with the Hawaii Afterschool Alliance to invest quality funds to ensure that free, appropriate professional development trainings exist specific to the school-age workforce. Trainings may be tied into career pathways. Trainings may include trauma-informed care for school-age youth, mental health first aid, early adolescent development, youth choice and voice, coordination with the school day, quality summer enrichment, and behavioral and special education supports. ii. Developing, maintaining, or implementing early learning and developmental guidelines. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services contracts with the University of Hawaii/Windward Community College, Learning to Grow program to develop the Basic Health and Safety Practices Child Care Provider’s Guide. The Basic Health and Safety Practices Child Care Provider’s guide provides information in maintaining and implementing early learning and developmental guidelines while reference health and safety best practices. The guidebook references the Department’s Hawaii Administrative Rules for Infant and Toddler Centers, Family Child Care Homes, Group Child Care Centers and Group Child are Homes, Before and After School Child Care Facilities and Child Care Payments. The Department of Human Services contracts with People Attentive To Children to maintain and implement on-going training in early learning and developmental guidelines, professional development, health and safety, and more to child care providers and families. iii. Developing, implementing, or enhancing a quality improvement system. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services contracts with the Department of Health for a Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract. The Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract provides quality improvement and training in areas of general food and nutrition education and resources for Family child care (FCC) providers. The Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract also provides assistance and support to non-USDA Group Child Care facilities in meeting licensing requirements with regards to nutrition services. Menu review services and quality improvement of menu/nutrition reviews are provided for child care facilities (Group Child Care Centers, Group Child Care Homes, Infant and Toddler Child Care Centers and Before & After School Child Care Facilities) through this Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract. The Department of Human Services contracts with the University of Hawaii/Windward Community College, Learning to Grow program to provide educational outreach services to the legally exempt (Family, Friend and Neighbor) child care providers/families and registered Home-Based Family Child Care Providers with the goal of improving access to quality child care and improving quality within the registered FCC homes. Learning to Grow provides low-income parents with consumer education regarding their child care options and the importance of quality care and training to early childhood and family service professionals to support their efforts to help families and their providers to provide quality care. The Department of Human Services contracts with People Attentive To Children for the statewide Child Care Resource and Referral (CC R&R) service. One of the quality initiatives through the CC R&R contract is shared resources which is developing the offering of Tele Health and Mental Health Consultation for Family Child Care providers. iv. Improving the supply and quality of child care services for infants and toddlers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services contracts with People Attentive To Children to maintain and implement on-going training for infant and toddler child care providers in early learning and developmental guidelines, professional development, and health and safety. The Department of Human Services developed guidelines for infant and toddler centers to operate a demonstration project which waives specific qualifications while the staff member is being directly supervised and mentored and working towards completing the qualifications. The Department of Human Services involved various partners within the child care sector and consulted with higher education in the development of the guidelines. Through partner agencies, The Contracted Early Care & Education Pilot Program offers an opportunity to increase supply of infant, toddler, and preschool care and education in a community, provide higher payments to providers who meet quality standards or provide care during nontraditional hours, provide higher compensation to the workforce and pay the full cost of care, and better enable families to access the quality of care they need to work and ensure their children are safe and supported. To accomplish this purpose, Hawaii P-20 and the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) seek skilled and qualified Department of Human Services licensed/registered child care entities to provide comprehensive, high-quality early care and education services to eligible children, birth through kindergarten entry. The information from this pilot activity will help to design Hawaii’s Child Care Classroom Contracts Pilot Program. v. Establishing or expanding a statewide system of CCR&R services. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services contracts for services with People Attentive To Children for the statewide Child Care Resource and Referral (CC R&R) program. CC R&R promotes coordination among early childhood partners and programs while identifying and focusing on making child care and child care resources more accessible to underserved families and children. The statewide CC R&R agency provides outreach to rural areas on child care resources and assistance. Additionally, CC R&R collaborates with both public and private community partners on child care resources including: Parents and Children Together, Honolulu Community Action Program, Maui Economic Opportunity, Aloha United Way, Head Start, Easter Seals, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Department of Education, Hawaii Department of Health, and the University of Hawaii system. The statewide CC R&R program was expanded in 2023 as the child care subsidy program is now facilitated through the Department and not a contractor. Expansion of CC R&R services included additional statewide CC R&R staff to be hired to assist families and providers statewide with understanding available and quality child care, health and safety standards, providing guidance on completion of child care subsidy, and provider health and safety forms and direct coordination with the department’s child care subsidy unit. The statewide CC R&R units conduct a needs assessment with families to identify and assist families in understanding available and appropriate quality care including non-traditional hours, respite care for children with disabilities and care for ill children. One of the quality initiatives through the CC R&R contract is shared resources which is developing the offering of Tele Health and Mental Health Consultation for Family Child Care providers. Through the department’s CC R&R contract, shared resources continue to be developed and expanded to build the benefit packages for Family Child Care providers. vi. Facilitating compliance with Lead Agency child care licensing, monitoring, inspection and health and safety standards. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x]Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. CCDF funds are partially used to fund part of the licensing positions. Licensing workers are trained in health and safety standards and work with providers to facilitate compliance with health & safety standards. People Attentive To Children provides the Family Child Care (FCC) recruiter service within the service works with FCC providers, to ensure they meet the licensing requirements. vii. Evaluating and assessing the quality and effectiveness of child care services within the State/Territory. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. viii. Accreditation support. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) accreditation support for Family Child Care providers that are interested in becoming accredited. Technical assistance accreditation program for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation for centers that are interested in becoming NAEYC accredited. ix. Supporting State/Territory or local efforts to develop high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services contracts with the Department of Health for a Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract. The Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract provides quality improvement and training in areas of general food and nutrition education and resources for Family Child Care providers. The Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract also provides assistance and support to non-USDA Group Child Care facilities in meeting licensing requirements with regards to nutrition services. Menu review services and quality improvement of menu/nutrition reviews are provided for child care facilities (Group Child Care Centers, Group Child Care Homes, Infant and Toddler Child Care Centers and Before & After School Child Care Facilities) through this Nutrition Consultant and Menu review contract. The Department of Human Services is working on providing mental health consultation services to licensed and registered providers to support them in their delivery of child care services. x. Other activities determined by the Lead Agency to improve the quality of child care services and the measurement of outcomes related to improved provider preparedness, child safety, child well-being, or kindergarten entry. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Department of Human Services contracts with the University of Hawaii/Windward Community College, Learning to Grow program to provide educational outreach services to the legally exempt (Family, Friend, and Neighbor) child care providers/families and registered Home-Based Family Child Care Providers with the goal of improving access to quality child care and improving quality within the registered Family Child Care (FCC) homes. Learning to Grow provides low-income parents with consumer education regarding their child care options and the importance of quality care and training to early childhood and family service professionals to support their efforts to help families and their providers to provide quality care. The Department of Human Services contracts with People Attentive To Children to maintain and implement on-going training in early learning and developmental guidelines, professional development, health and safety, and more to child care providers and families to improve the quality of child care. 8 Lead Agency Coordination and Partnerships to Support Service Delivery Coordination and partnerships help ensure that the Lead Agency’s efforts accomplish CCDF goals effectively, leverage other resources, and avoid duplication of effort. Such coordination and partnerships can help families better access child care, can assist in providing consumer education to parents, and can be used to improve child care quality and the stability of child care providers. Such coordination can also be particularly helpful in the aftermath of disasters when the provision of emergency child care services and the rebuilding and restoring of child care infrastructure are an essential part of ensuring the well-being of children and families in recovering communities. This section identifies who the Lead Agency collaborates with to implement services, how match and maintenance-of-effort (MOE) funds are used, coordination with child care resource and referral (CCR&R) systems, and efforts for disaster preparedness and response plans to support continuity of operations in response to emergencies.