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 Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund plays the statutory role to assist the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive service delivery system to the children and families of Kansas and meets every other month. The Secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, the lead agency, serves as an ex-officio member on the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. There is a state Directors’ team that meets every two weeks and is composed of designees from the Children’s Cabinet. The lead agency has representation at these meetings, including the two co-CCDF Administrators. There is a recommendations panel who provide an advisory role to the Cabinet and the lead agency has required membership on the panel and has current members serving a one-year term. The recommendations panel meets monthly. Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment consult with many different groups within the state on areas that connect to the plan content throughout the year. These groups are considered part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure that work together to inform the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and provide recommendations. These groups include, but are not limited to, the Child Care Licensing Systems Improvement Team, Home Visiting Leadership group, the workforce development advisory group, the Kansas Family Leadership Team, Links to Quality Advisory Group, and Maternal Child Health Council. The Lead Agency's goal is to coordinate with relevant groups regarding CCDF reauthorization and topic areas impacted by the CCDBG Act of 2014. Groups address goals for children ages infancy through school age. Policy, licensing regulations, and quality initiatives are all addressed within these groups. The main coordination with the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and the lead agency is done through the overlapping requirements of CCDF and the goals in the All in For Kansas Kids Early Childhood Strategic Plan and the work efforts involved to meet the goals of this plan. Some of the efforts include the building of workforce capacity to provide high-quality early childhood services. The expected outcomes would include the creation of additional degree advancement opportunities for the workforce that align with the Kansas Early Childhood Career Pathway, more resources for contingency plans for operating during and after major disruptions and identify challenges for early childhood professionals to stay in the workforce. The All in For Kansas Kids Early Childhood Strategic Plan includes promoting agreements between public and private sectors to expand early childhood supports and specifically calls out an action that supports the CCDF funded support for early childhood coalitions across Kansas through the Child Care Resource and Referral Consumer Education agreement. A goal to support polices and efforts that increase capacity, enhance quality, improve access to services, and contribute to economic security for families includes the development of an emergency response plan, which aligns with the CCDF requirements around a child care related emergency response plan. Another strategic plan goal is to support the early childhood professionals to reach their professional development goals. These connect to the lead agency CCDF goals of increasing access to quality early education, which is accomplished through many CCDF quality funded agreements that help support all the elements of the Professional Development Framework such as the Core Competencies, the Career Pathway, and support for the registry development. Goals around financial sustainability for early childhood professionals align with the work of the expansion of differential payments through subsidy, the Shared Service Network delivery and the business operation supports that are included in CCDF funded agreements. These are just some of the shared goals and visions between the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and the lead agency. The existing Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure ensures that the state can be responsible to the changing needs and continued collaboration and discussions help inform the work to support early childhood education and families in Kansas. 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 lead agency works with Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation to coordinate the Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program. The lead agency is available and willing to assist in verifying eligibility status to decrease duplication of benefits and services. The lead agency also allows child care assistance, with no family share/co-payment assigned, for tribal members who are subject to requirements under the Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Family Program if child care is not available through that program. This ensures that members who are participating with Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families are able to fully participate due to access to affordable child care. The lead agency also has staff in the Prevention and Protection Services program area that join meetings monthly with ACF and with Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, and Sack and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska. At the tribe’s discretion, CCDF related topics are discussed. [ ] 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: In the state of Kansas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment oversees Part C of IDEA, and the Kansas State Department of Education oversees Part B of IDEA. On-going planning and consultation occur between the lead agency, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas State Department of Education representatives. All three agencies have ex-officio members on the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the designated Early Childhood Advisory Council, which is directed to advise, evaluate, and support the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children’s Initiative Fund and the Children’s Trust Fund. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is also directed to assist the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive delivery system to serve children and families in Kansas. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet oversees grants for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, and the Early Childhood Block Grants. There is a state Directors’ team with members from Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas State Department of Education and Kansas Children’s Cabinet staff that meets every two weeks to lead efforts to implement the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan and oversee other Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five funding. As part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure, there is an Early Childhood Recommendations Panel with the role in providing recommendation around the implementation of the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic plan. This Early Childhood Recommendations Panel has panel members from Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas State Department of Education. The recommendations panel meets monthly. Members of the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel had developed a Kindergarten Transition MOU Toolkit, a resource to support active community planning for transitions into kindergarten. This workgroup was comprised of individuals representing our mixed-delivery system, including local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, local providers of early childhood education and development services, Head Start agencies, and other partners. The Kansas Early Learning Standards Core Team also included members from Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas State Department of Education, who updated the standards. The Kansas Early Learning Standards are designed to provide high quality care in the least restrictive environment and ￿reflect the framework from which the general curriculum is aligned and, therefore, provide the starting point from which individual adaptations or modifications can be created to meet the special needs of any child.￿ The All in For Kansas Kids initiative and funding from the Preschool Development Grant has made statewide access to Ages and Stages Questionnaire online system available. The lead agency is part of the Director’s team that helps oversee the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five funding. The lead agency supports the training of providers on how to use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire screening through the CCDF funded workforce development agreement. Shared goals are alignment of state level family engagement practices and increased developmental screenings and services when needed. Lead agency staff participate on the State Interagency Coordinating Council. The goals in the partnership with the State Interagency Coordinating Council is to support and help inform their efforts to ensure that a comprehensive service delivery system of integrated services is available in Kansas to all children with, or at risk of, developmental delays from birth through age five and their families. This coordination is designed to increased knowledge of various support systems for children with or at risk of developmental delays from birth through age five and their families, increased coordination, and an increase in children reaching developmentally appropriate milestones and that would be how future progress may be measured. It has resulted in a significant increase in developmental screenings in the State of Kansas and increase in utilization. Early detection helps children receive necessary services to support their development and allows for targeted supports for early childhood programs regarding the unique care that individual children need to increase both continuity of care and the quality of care that the children receive. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: On-going planning and coordination occurs with the Head Start State Collaboration office located within the Economic and Employment Services Section in the Kansas Department for Children and Families. The Director actively participates in the development and completion of the CCDF state plan. The Head Start State Collaboration Director supports and facilitates coordination between the lead agency, Federal Head Start grantees, and the Kansas Head Start Association. The lead agency staff and the Head Start State Collaboration Director serve on the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, the Early Childhood Workforce Advisory Committee, and to help advise Links to Quality (the QRIS system) when expansion includes Head Start programs. The Head Start State Collaboration Director assists the lead agency in the administration of the Kansas Early Head Start program through supporting the program manager and facilitating information sharing and dialog with the statewide Head Start programs. This coordination helps ensure Head Start representation in decisions impacting the Kansas early childhood system and greater consistency between state and federally funded head start programs. The coordination also helps the overall early childhood system in information and data collection due to existing relationships and connections allowing for better decision around supply and access needs. e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: This responsibility is located within the same agency as child care licensing at Kansas Department of Health and Environment. On-going planning and consultation occur between the lead agency and Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Both agencies have ex-officio members on the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the designated Early Childhood Advisory Council, which is directed to advise, evaluate, and support the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children’s Initiative Fund and the Children’s Trust Fund. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is also directed to assist the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive delivery system to serve children and families in Kansas. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet oversees grants for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, and the Early Childhood Block Grants. There is a state Directors’ team with members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment that meets every two weeks to lead efforts to implement the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan and oversee other Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five funding. In this Directors’ team, the Co-Bureau Directors of Family Health are present, which falls under the Division of Public Health and includes the Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention. As part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure, there is an Early Childhood Recommendations Panel with the role in providing recommendation around the implementation of the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic plan. This Early Childhood Recommendations Panel has panel members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The recommendations panel meets monthly. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment provides resources regarding immunizations through individual consultations with child care providers as requested during licensing surveys, technical assistance visits and the Kansas CCDF consumer education website, Child Care in Kansas. The lead agency and Kansas Department of Health and Environment promote the 1-800-CHILDREN hotline for families who need information on where to go for immunizations or connect to telehealth or health opportunities. This referral source has increased uptake and the continued utilization is part of the Strategic Plan for Early Childhood. To ensure child care immunization regulations are in alignment with federal rules and relevant/applicable state law(s) there is continued coordination between the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Family Health, the Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Department for Children and Families. This collaboration helps families keep their children safe and allows them to attend care more regularly building stronger relationships with their early childhood professionals, which leads to greater continuity of care. f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: One of the Co-CCDF Administrators leads a unit that includes staff that oversee policy for Cash Assistance and Cash Assistance employment services and the other Co-CCDF Administrator is the Director for Economic and Employment Services, which includes employment services. Employment services are provided for Cash Assistance recipients and Food Assistant recipients. Both programs are within Economic and Employment Services. Regular meetings discussing policy occur with the staff actively involved in providing services and regarding the state plan. Resource sharing for families is a key concern for both employment services and the CCDF related consumer education requirements, so these efforts have been combined under the same supervision to ensure families have access to the resources they need through things like the resource navigation work that exists throughout the lead agency offices in the state. There is on-going coordination and resource sharing with the employment services staff, resource coordinators, and resource navigators located within the lead agency to ensure continued support for families engaged in employment services through the Child Care Assistance program and continued resource sharing with families about many available services. This collaboration allows those participating in employment services the opportunity to utilize Child Care Assistance, which allows for greater continuity of care and greater access to full-day services. g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: On-going planning and consultation occurs between Department for Children and Families, the lead agency and representatives of Kansas State Department of Education through Early Childhood Directors meetings, the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel monthly meetings, and many other early childhood stakeholder meetings where Kansas State Department of Education and the lead agency staff are present. The Early Childhood Recommendations Panel has panel members from Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas State Department of Education and many other agencies and organizations. The recommendations panel meets monthly. Members of the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel had developed a Kindergarten Transition MOU Toolkit, a resource to support active community planning for transitions into kindergarten. This workgroup was comprised of individuals representing our mixed-delivery system, including local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, local providers of early childhood education and development services, Head Start agencies, and other partners. The Kansas Early Learning Standards Core Team also included members from Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas State Department of Education, and many other agencies and organizations, who updated the standards. The leads for this work were staff from the Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Kansas State Department of Education. The All in For Kansas Kids initiative made statewide access to Ages and Stages Questionnaire online system available. The lead agency supports the training of providers on how to use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire screening through the CCDF funded workforce development agreement. Staff from both Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas State Department of Education served on Early Childhood Workforce Advisory work groups to update core competencies. Both agencies had members on the Child Care Licensing Systems Improvement team that advises on child care licensing decisions. CCDF funded partners and Kansas State Department of Education staff have served on the Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children Board. Besides the Kindergarten Transition Toolkit development that the lead agency staff assisted with, the same Kansas Head Start Collaboration Office Director staff is focused on increasing Head Start and School District coordination efforts. These coordination efforts reduce barriers for families as they transition into preschool or navigate needed services. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: On-going planning and consultation occur between the lead agency and Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Both agencies have ex-officio members on the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the designated Early Childhood Advisory Council, which is directed to advise, evaluate, and support the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children’s Initiative Fund and the Children’s Trust Fund. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is also directed to assist the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive delivery system to serve children and families in Kansas. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet oversees grants for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, and the Early Childhood Block Grants. There is a state Directors’ team with members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment that meets every two weeks to lead efforts to implement the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan and oversee other Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five funding. In this Directors’ team, the Co-Bureau Directors of Family Health are present, which falls under the Division of Public Health and includes the Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention. As part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure, there is an Early Childhood Recommendations Panel with the role in providing recommendation around the implementation of the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic plan. This Early Childhood Recommendations Panel has panel members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The recommendations panel meets monthly and has several subgroups with members from both agencies working on Early Childhood related activities. There are many opportunities for collaboration for these agencies through shared membership in groups. These include the Anti Racism Community of Practice group with a focus on equitable services in early intervention. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has a Child Care Systems Improvement Team that is attended by the lead agency staff and the work of the team is to lead to outcomes that will increase the effectiveness of the Child Care Licensing Program and increase the availability of quality child care. Both agencies attend Early Childhood Higher-Education Options Consortium to enhance the delivery of programs that meet the Kansas Early Childhood Unified License and work towards greater articulation. Both agencies have members on Hoe Visiting State Workgroup working towards the development and advancement of a unified statewide system. The CCDF funded licensing database is being designed to align with the Workforce Registry. The lead agency provides fingerprinting in their local offices for licensing for early childhood. There is shared membership on the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, the Kansas Early Learning Standards Core Team, Safe Kids Kansas Coalition Meetings, State Interagency Coordinating Council meetings and many CCDF related meetings and technical assistance opportunities. There are many community-based meetings that are also attended by the Lead agency regional staff and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment county licensing specialists and staff, including community Child Care Go Teams where work is done to identify community assets, design child care solutions, assist in the navigation of state and local licensing and building regulations and provide supports for subsidy enrollment. This collaboration results in greater shared visioning, understanding and efforts across the early childhood system and reduces duplication as work is done to increase access to high-quality child care. 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: CACFP staff and the lead agency staff both participation in the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition group. CACFP information is shared on the CCDF consumer education website and promote participation in CACFP with child care providers. This assists more providers in being aware of CACFP, which helps families by offsetting some of the costs related to the nutritional needs of the children in care and provides for healthy options. The lead agency also collaborated with the Kansas State Department of Education to obtain necessary data from the CACFP program to allow for the issuance of Child Care Pandemic EBT benefits. 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 lead agency, Kansas Department for Children and Families, consults with the state McKinney Vento Lead and the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition to review plans from other organizations for services to unhoused families. Lead Agency staff attend the monthly Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition meetings, which includes the McKinney Vento Lead and several school district McKinney-Vento liaisons. The shared information is then used to inform and up-date plans for training for child care providers and providing consumer education on the CCDF consumer education website. This has and continues to increase consumer education regarding services for the unhoused through child care professional development opportunities to better meet the unique needs for these families. k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: One of the Co-CCDF Administrators leads a unit that includes staff that oversee policy for Cash Assistance and Cash Assistance employment services and the other Co-CCDF Administrator is the Director for Economic and Employment Services, which includes Cash Assistance and Cash Assistance employment services. Regular meetings discussing policy occur with the staff actively involved in running the program and regarding the state plan. Resource sharing for families is a key concern for both Cash Assistance employment services and the CCDF related consumer education requirements, so these efforts have been combined under the same supervision to ensure families have access to the resources they need through things like the resource navigation work that exists throughout the lead agency offices in the state. There is on-going coordination and resource sharing with the Cash Assistance employment services staff, resource coordinators, and resource navigators located within the lead agency to ensure continued support for families engaged in Cash Assistance employment services through the Child Care Assistance program and continued resource sharing with families about many available services. There is a shared application, verification provisions, eligibility process, and many shared policies between Cash Assistance and CCDF funded Child Care Assistance and all policy, system, and process decisions are made with staff from all the programs and consideration is made for any impact on other programs. Child Care Assistance is provided to Cash Assistance participants without a family share deduction when they have a qualifying need, and the eligibility is processed by the Cash Assistance employment services staff for those that participate in that program. This coordination helps ensure that families can meet their child care needs as they build on their skills and training to improve their financial situation. l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: On-going planning and consultation occur between the lead agency and Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the administrators of the Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in Kansas. Both agencies have ex-officio members on the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the designated Early Childhood Advisory Council, which is directed to advise, evaluate, and support the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children’s Initiative Fund and the Children’s Trust Fund. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is also directed to assist the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive delivery system to serve children and families in Kansas. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet oversees grants for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, and the Early Childhood Block Grants. There is a state Directors’ team with members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment that meets every two weeks to lead efforts to implement the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan and oversee other Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five funding. In this Directors’ team, the Co-Bureau Directors of Family Health are present, which falls under the Division of Public Health and includes the Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention. As part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure, there is an Early Childhood Recommendations Panel with the role in providing recommendation around the implementation of the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic plan. This Early Childhood Recommendations Panel has panel members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The recommendations panel meets monthly and has several subgroups with members from both agencies working on Early Childhood related activities. There are many opportunities for collaboration for these agencies through shared membership in groups. A workgroup exists that is comprised of representatives from the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, Kansas Department of Corrections juvenile services, Family and Child Well-Being Case Management Providers, and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations regarding Medicaid issues that affect children in state custody, or foster care children. Ensuring these children receive necessary medical/mental health services is critical for their development and helps increase continuity of care with child care providers. The Kansas Maternal Child Health Council is part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure and recommendations from this group filter to the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel or State Directors Team when needed. The CCDF consumer education website shares information with families, providers and the public regarding Medicaid, SCHIP program, and immunization resources and the agencies share an eligibility system for Medicaid, SCHIP, Child Care Assistance, Food Assistance, and Cash Assistance to simplify the eligibility process. These shared systems do allow for the sharing of some documentation that is used for verification, which reduces the burden on families and increases their ability to receive child care assistance to help meet their child care needs. m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The lead agency, Kansas Department for Children and families collaborates with other statewide entities involved in direct mental health services, which includes EHS/HS, Kansas Department of Health and Environment- MIECHV, Part C Infant Toddler Services; KSDE- Part B 619, Parents as Teachers, through the Early Childhood Recommendation Panel work to support children and their families. The lead agency, Kansas Department for Children and Families, has representation on the Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council, which makes recommendations to improve the Kansas public mental health system and ensure the needs of children and families are met. The Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council has a subcommittee on Children’s Mental Health, with annual recommendations made to the Secretary of Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. The goal of the Children’s Mental Health subcommittee is to improve the collaboration and array of behavioral and mental health services offered between the systems of care to children and their families through Kansas Community Mental Health Centers, the education system, and other children’s service systems. The lead agency also has representation on a Zero to Three Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Financing Policy Project with other members representing Part C Early Intervention (Department of Health and Environment), Children’s Services (Department for Aging and Disability Services [community mental health centers]), Medicaid and Children’s Mental Health (Kansas Department for Children and Families), Kansas Association of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (KAIMH), Behavioral Health (Department of Health and Environment), School Mental Health (Kansas State Department of Education), State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC), and the state supported mental health technical assistance initiative focusing on child care providers (supported by CCDF funding). This work focuses on enhancing Medicaid payments for mental health services for children birth to three and their families, expanding those services, coordinating early childhood settings and systems, developing the professionals in this system, and mapping access. A workgroup exists that is comprised of representatives from the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, Kansas Department of Corrections juvenile services, Family and Child Well-Being Case Management Providers, and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations regarding Medicaid issues that affect children in state custody, or foster care children. Ensuring these children receive necessary medical/mental health services is critical for their development and helps increase continuity of care with child care providers. Kansas Department for Children and Families and Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services developed a Mobile Response and Stabilization Services. This is a rapid response, home-and community-based, crisis intervention model customized to meet the developmental needs of children, youth, young adults, and their families. Mobile Response and Stabilization Services de-escalates and stabilizes by responding to youth and families in their homes and communities and connecting them to community-based supports. There is a pilot project in a few locations for any child between 0-20 years of age to be provided on-site, in-person, triage, de-escalation, assessment, and referrals as needed. The mental health center team will provide 6 weeks of post call coordination of services and aftercare. Training and technical assistance is available through the CCDF funded Infant-Toddler Specialist Network to support early childhood professionals in early childhood and infant mental health. The outcomes of the project are to: 1) develop training materials for childcare providers to address mental health/social emotional development, 2) provide training and technical assistance, and 3) support KAIMH in awarding infant mental health endorsements in Kansas. Some related areas of support through this work include challenging behaviors, trauma informed practices, child mental health and wellness, staff mental health and wellness, and attachment. This coordination increases supports for children and early childhood professionals to allow for continuity of care and increase access to care that better meets the needs of individual children and families. 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, Kansas Department for Children and Families, uses CCDF as the primary funding source for the child care resource and referral agencies, child care consumer education organizations, and providers of early childhood education training and professional development. The CCDF funded agreements tie the work for these organizations to the CCDF regulations and goals. All the work that is done is intended to increase access to high-quality child care. The Workforce Development Advisory group is part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure. Recommendations from this team can be filtered to the Early childhood Recommendations Panel or to the State Directors team to help develop and implement coordinated services when the recommendations need elevated, challenges are encountered, or major decisions are needed. This work and recommendations are filtered up to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and the Governor when appropriate as part of the governance structure. As part of this Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure, there is an Early Childhood Recommendations Panel with the role in providing recommendation around the implementation of the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic plan. This Early Childhood Recommendations Panel has panel members from Kansas Department for Children and Families and many of the child care resource and referral agencies, the child care consumer education organizations and providers of early childhood education training and professional development. The recommendations panel meets monthly and has several subgroups with members from both agencies working on Early Childhood related activities. There are many opportunities for collaboration with these organizations through shared membership in groups. The Workforce Development Advisory Group (actively funded through CCDF funds through an agreement with the lead agency) have subgroups concerning the development of a library of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity strategies and resources, work done to revise the core competencies, development of a statewide Individualized Professional Development Plan, work in development of assessment of statewide professional develop needs, collaboration in planning and delivery of training/professional development, and the development of a plan for statewide, collaborative technical assistance referrals. These subgroups consist of many partners throughout the Early Childhood system, including staff among the lead agency and staff with the Child Care resource and referral agencies and child care consumer education organizations. CCDF funding is also being used for the development of a workforce registry for early childhood care and education professionals to access, track, and guide career advancement, which is being worked on and will be used by the Child care resource and referral agencies and the providers of early childhood education training and professional development. The lead agency also has regional staff that participate in various activities that are supported by the different child care resource and referral agencies across the state. These activities include local efforts to discuss child care issues and build supply, support families in applying for Child Care Assistance, and shared Head Start policy council membership. All this coordination helps to increase access to high-quality child care opportunities. 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 Consumer Education website for Kansas CCDF information, Child Care in Kansas, shares information on the Kansas Enrichment Network and their quality improvement efforts. Kansas Enrichment Network is the sole recognized After School Network for the State of Kansas. The lead agency has an agreement with a partner to administer the workforce development agreement, which includes the development of the core competencies. Kansas Enrichment Network aligns their quality guidelines with the core competencies. Kansas Enrichment Network shares resource throughout its network and these resources include CCDF funded activities and initiatives. The Director of Kansas Enrichment Network serves on the Workforce Development Advisory Group, which is a group required through the lead agencies CCDF funded agreement with a partner that delivers the Workforce Development activities. The purpose of this group is to advocate for the interests of the early childhood workforce through conversations surrounding quality, continuing education, industry culture, and workforce equity. Through feedback, the workforce development agreement has created more coursework that is targeted for the school-age providers. A member of the Kansas Enrichment Network Executive Advisory Committee has collaborated with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the CCDF funded licensing agency, to help in the development of the new out-of-school time regulations. These collaborations have helped to ensure that families have higher quality out-of-school time care available for their school age children to help meet their needs. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Staff with Kansas Division of Emergency Management share the goal with the Lead Agency and other agencies to address preparedness, response, and recovery efforts specific to child care services and programs through several processes. The main process used to reach this goal is the development and updating of the Kansas Response Plan, which is the framework for the coordination of emergency management plans at all levels and provides the pre-assigned responsibilities to State agencies and organizations to support local agencies. Kansas Division of Emergency Management develops this plan in coordination with representatives from various agency and organizations, including Kansas Department for Children and Families, the Lead Agency and the child care licensing agency, Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Staff with the Kansas Division of Emergency Management have agreed to aid in the development and updating of the Statewide Child Care Disaster Plan to ensure that the plan accurately reflects the division of responsibility and coordination efforts that have been agreed on throughout the state of Kansas. Kansas Department for Children and Families works with Kansas Division of Emergency Management staff regarding continuity of operations planning and feeding and mass care in response to emergencies and disasters that occur in Kansas. Kansas Department for Children and Families is a member of the Kansas Continuation of Operation Plan Committee which is comprised of representatives of state cabinet level agencies. The committee sets standards for state agency Continuation of Operation Plan plans and provides guidance and assistance to state agencies regarding their Continuation of Operation Plan efforts. Kansas Department for Children and Families is also the state agency lead for feeding and mass care during disasters. Kansas Department for Children and Families representatives travel to the State Emergency Operations Center during State Emergency Operations Center trainings, exercises, and activations. In response to a disaster, Kansas Department for Children and Families coordinates with volunteer organizations such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army, as well as Kansas Division of Emergency Management and county emergency management staff. This coordination helps ensure adequate shelters and other necessities such as food, water and clothing are available to all Kansas citizens impacted by a disaster. The citizens assisted include vulnerable populations such as children and those with functional needs. The goals of this coordination are to ensure that specific emergency actions and responsibilities are clear in the event of an emergency. The expected results better preparation, responses, and recovery efforts for emergencies in Kansas. 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 has a Memorandum of Agreement with The Family Conservancy (TFC), the only federal EHS-CCP grantee in Kansas. Per the agreement, the lead agency facilitates relationships within our other divisions, supports The Family Conservancy and the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership families with a referral process that allows for faster processing of Child Care Assistance cases, waives family share deductions, and provides other assistance as needed to help ensure that these eligible families receive the services they need. ii. [x] State/Territory institutions for higher education, including community colleges. Describe: The lead agency staff participate in the Early Childhood Higher education Options consortium (ECHO) which has the goal to support and enhance development and delivery of programs to meet the standards for the Kansas early childhood unified license. This group consist mainly of four-year university faculty. The lead agency also has staff that participate in Early Childhood Quality Instructional Partners (EQIP), which is a consortium of community college faculty collaboratively supporting articulation and the development of early childhood programs that lead to endorsement or certification. Members of these groups are also on the Early Childhood Recommendation Panel. These groups are also working on articulation agreements as part of the career pathway work that is being done through the CCDF funded workforce development agreement. This work helps create a path for additional degree advancement opportunities for early childhood care and education professional. iii. [x] Other federal, State, local, and/or private agencies providing early childhood and school-age/youth-serving developmental services. Describe: Lead agency staff are members of the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) and agency provides funding to support State Interagency Coordinating Council staffing. This council is responsible for advising and assisting the KS Governor and legislature on matters that impact Kansas families with children, ages birth to five who have, or are at risk for, developmental delays. State Interagency Coordinating Council members include state and local level early childhood special education staff, agencies, community members, governor appointments, elected officials, and parents of children with special needs. This partnership with the State Interagency Coordinating Council supports and helps inform their efforts to ensure that a comprehensive service delivery system of integrated services is available in Kansas to all children with, or at risk of, developmental delays from birth through age five and their families. These shared spaces increase knowledge of various support systems for children with or at risk of developmental delays from birth through age five and their families and increase coordination. iv. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for implementing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs grant. Describe: Lead agency staff are members of the Home Visiting State Workgroup (MIECHV Advisory Group) with the mission goal to develop and advance a unified statewide system of home visiting services to improve outcomes for families and children, prenatal to five years of age. The lead agency continues to support home visiting service options that meet the needs of families either through direct financial support from Cash Assistance funds for various home visitation models or through assistance in the efforts to expand the registry and the coordinated work on the Kansas Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems to assist in the analysis of the impact of the services. v. [x] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: The lead agency staff are members of the Kansas State Interagency Coordinating Council with Kansas State Department of Education-Part B 619 and Kansas Department of Health and Environment -Part C staff during monthly meetings and thru the development and completion of the CCDF state plan work. Lead agency staff are members of the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC), and agency provides funding to support SICC staffing. This council is responsible for advising and assisting the KS Governor and legislature on matters that impact Kansas families with children, ages birth to five who have, or are at risk for, developmental delays. State Interagency Coordinating Council members include state and local level early childhood special education staff, agencies, community members, governor appointments, elected officials, and parents of children with special needs. The goals in the partnership with the State Interagency Coordinating Council is to support and help inform their efforts to ensure that a comprehensive service delivery system of integrated services is available in Kansas to all children with, or at risk of, developmental delays from birth through age five and their families. These shared spaces increase knowledge of various support systems for children with or at risk of developmental delays from birth through age five and their families and increase coordination. vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: The Kansas Department for Children and Families Protection and Prevention Services (PPS) division and the Economic and Employment Services (EES) division has partnered together to offer child care benefits to foster families who have at least one eligible child who is in the custody of the State. A specialized team of eligibility staff in EES works with PPS staff and by extension the Case Management Providers (CMP’s) and Child Placing Agencies (CPA’s) to coordinate benefits for foster families that have an eligible child(ren) and demonstrate an allowable need. The goal is to serve foster care families as quickly as possible since this population is typically more transient by comparison and their needs can shift rapidly. An internal goal of the FCCC unit is to fully process any correspondence received to the unit within three business days. This has increased utilization of Child Care Assistance for foster care families. The lead agency has been working on system changes needed to allow for differential payments to be made directly to providers who care for children who reside with foster families. There is a state Directors’ team with members from Kansas Department for Children and Families Economic and Employment Services and Protection and Prevention Services that meets every two weeks to lead efforts to implement the All in for Kansas Kids Strategic Plan and oversee other Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five funding. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: The lead agency participates in many provider groups across the state and have the goal of engaging with the providers to strengthen their voices in the early childhood systems work. There is regular engagement with the Child Care Provider’s Coalition of Kansas in shared meetings and as various CCDF funded initiatives are discussed or shared in these meetings. Various CCDF funded partners that provide child care provider services also interact with child care providers as part of the Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children Board meetings. Purposeful engagement of these groups is being done to ensure their voice is present and heard and a part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure. This results in stronger support system for providers to develop and find necessary supports. viii. [x] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: Members of the lead agency coordinate with staff from the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC). Kansas Parent Information Resource Center promotes meaningful family engagement at all levels of education and resources to help parents, educators and other organizations promote the educational of every Kansas child. Members of the lead agency also participate on the Family Advisory Council through Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Family First/Kansas Strong Statewide Interagency Advisory Board on a state and local level, Local Interagency Coordinating Councils, and Community and Family Engagement Coalition. The Kansas Family Leadership Team is represented on the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, which is part of the Kansas Early Childhood Governance Structure, and the voices of the families are critical in the decision-making processes and result in improved programs that better serve family’s needs. ix. [x] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: The 21st Century Community Learning Center State Coordinator is in the Kansas State Department of Education agency. On-going planning and consultation occur between Department for Children and Families, the lead agency and representatives of Kansas State Department of Education through Early Childhood Directors meetings, the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel monthly meetings, and many other early childhood stakeholder meetings where Kansas State Department of Education and the lead agency staff are present. x. [x] Other. Describe: The lead agency coordinates within the agency with the Kansas Department for Children and Families employment services program, currently serving families receiving Cash Assistance and Food Assistance. Child Care services are coordinated to ensure supports are available to families working toward the goal of self-sufficiency. The expected results are the reduction of child care as a barrier to families who are working on their employment or training goals.