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: Per KRS 200.700, the Kentucky State Child Care Administrator is a statutorily mandated, voting member of the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), as is the CHFS Secretary. The ECAC meets at least quarterly and at other times upon call of the chair or majority of the council. The ECAC is charged with making recommendations to CHFS. Members of the ECAC will be asked to serve on a stakeholder group that offers feedback to the development of the CCDF plan. Other selected members of the ECAC will be asked to participate in work groups that create the new draft of the state plan. All ECAC members will receive a personal invitation to the public hearing of the CCDF plan, and feedback generated from the public hearing will be incorporated into the final draft of the plan. Kentucky also has a Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC). This council is consulted for continuous feedback during its quarterly meetings. Additionally, council members were asked to serve on the stakeholder group. Citation: Kentucky Child Care Advisory Council (https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=53316 KRS 199.8983) Citation: KRS 200.707 Community early childhood councils (https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=42145) Citation: Executive Order (2018) Relating to the Reorganization of Various Education Boards and Councils- (Pages 7, 8, and 13) http://web.sos.ky.gov/execjournalimages/2018- MISC-2018-0581-256431.pdf EO 2018-0581 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: DCC coordinates with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services: Kentucky Early Intervention System (KEIS), Formerly known as "First Steps". Kentucky Early Intervention System is a statewide early intervention system that provides services to children with developmental disabilities from birth to age 3 and their families. Kentucky Early Intervention System is Kentucky's response to the federal Infant-Toddler Program. Kentucky Early Intervention System provide delivery services that actively involve families in the visits where the child spends time, such as home and at child care centers, and may differ from services proved in a therapy clinic or medical center. KEIS providers use a coaching approach to help families and other care givers including child care providers support a child's learning and development. KEIS does collect data for federal annual reporting. The data is the number of children who receive most of their services in one of three settings: home, community location, or other (a setting specifically for infants and toddlers with disabilities like a clinic). Kentucky children typically receive their services in a home or community setting, but the data collected does not separate the community settings. However, based on Medicaid claim data and service notes provided, the majority of services delivered in a community setting are child care settings. KEIS reported 99 (2.17%) of children served in a community setting for the calendar year 2022-2023. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) coordinates with the Kentucky Head Start Collaboration Director from the Governor's Office of Early Childhood (GOEC) to work with families and early care and education providers to provide healthy environments and developmental experiences that promote growth and learning to ensure that all children enter school eager and excited to learn. This collaboration leverages partnerships and resources to remove barriers so every child enters school ready to grow and learn. Additionally, The Department for Community Based Services (DCBS)/Division of Child Care (DCC) works closely with the Kentucky Head Start Association through the GOEC Head Start Collaboration director in an intentional effort to align goals and activities. DCC participants in the Early Childhood Advisory Council with GOEC and other members to discuss topics relating to accessibility for working families. The Division of Child Care works with GOEC to encourage Head Start programs to become state licensed and regulated through the Division of Regulated Child Care, and to participate in the KY ALL STARS program for quality improvement of Head Start programs across the state and to be able to receive CCAP funding for children in their care. Recent partnerships with Head Start includes the Pyramid Model trainings and Practice based coaching to Licensed Head Starts and Child Care centers. DCC's cabinet approved training agencies were contracted to provide the PM training to 138 infant and toddler teachers in both licensed child care programs and licensed Head Start Programs, and 80 preschool age teachers in both licensed child care programs and licensed Head Start Programs during the project. In addition to the training, infant and toddler teachers will receive a minimum of 8 hours of coaching, and 13 hours of coaching for school age teachers. This project is ongoing currently with a projected end date of December 2025. These initiatives are to help with retention and training for teachers, and to improve SEL frameworks for children in care. Weblinks: ECAC/Head Start Collaboration Director: https://kyecac.ky.gov/about/Pages/Leadership.aspx GOEC- Head Start Collaboration: https://kyecac.ky.gov/community/Pages/head-start.aspx Pyramid Model: https://challengingbehavior.org/pyramid-model/overview/basics/ e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Division of Child Care coordinates with the Department of Public Health (DPH), Division of Maternal and Child Health, which includes the KEIS and the Health Access Nurturing Development and Services (HANDS) program. The Division of Maternal and Child Health also supervises the Child Care Health Consultants and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists that are charged with supporting child care programs through training and technical assistance. The Division of Child Care coordinates with each of these programs through shared training, information exchange, and committee work groups. The Strengthening Families initiative through the Department for Public Health (DPH) is utilized throughout state agencies and represents a multi-disciplinary partnership of more than 20 public and private national, state, and local organizations dedicated to promoting six research-based protective factors into services and supports for children and their families. Kentucky Strengthening Families is part of the nationally-recognized Strengthening Families: A Protective Factors Framework initiative coordinated by the Center for the Study of Social Policy. Compliance of immunizations are monitored by the Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC) and is part of our regulations as they pertain to Health and Safety for Licensing requirements. This requirement is built into our regulations, in that providers are required to obtain a current immunization certificate for each child in their care within 30 days of the child’s enrollment start date. Citation: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/922/002/090/ f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: DCC is in the early stages of coordinating with the Office of Employer and Apprenticeships which is an office within the Department of Workforce Development to better align the existing Director's Apprenticeship pathway, and for possible future apprenticeship pathways relating to early childhood education. According to the GOEC data, there are 130 active apprentices in the current program across Child Care Development Specialist, Early Childhood Educator, and Early Childhood Administrator Director programs. GOEC also reports to having 36 registered apprenticeship employer partners. Website: https://kyecac.ky.gov/workforce/Pages/Apprenticeships.aspx Website: https://elc.ky.gov/Initiatives/Pages/Kentucky-Apprenticeship-Programs.aspx The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) connects Kentuckians to employment, workforce information, education, and training. The agencies of the department, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Office of Employer and Apprenticeship Services work together to provide services through the Kentucky Career Center. Also, under the direction of DWD is the Office of Adult Education. Website: https://elc.ky.gov/Agencies/Pages/Department-of-Workforce-Investment.aspx g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is a major partner with DCBS, as both entities work collaboratively to assure children are ready to succeed in school, including wrap-around service coordination with providers. KDE and DCBS serve on multiple advisory committees (ECAC, CCAC, Pyramid Model, Universal Pre-K Council) and meet regularly to coordinate services. Also, DCBS and KDE have a joint QRIS system to classify quality early childhood programs on a one-star to five-star rating system. Both partners use the same tiered characteristics to rate all early childhood classrooms and programs. Website: https://www.education.ky.gov/specialed/earlylearning/Pages/ECRsrcs.aspx As Kentucky continues to explore solutions for early childhood education, DCC and KDE regularly discuss each entity's federal requirements and standards and try make alignments where possible. DCC and KDE are both active participants in workgroup convened by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood and the Early Childhood Advisory Council to ensure the needs of both agencies are considered. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: DCBS contracts with the Cabinet’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC) for the inspection, licensing, and certification of licensed child care centers and certified family child care homes pursuant to Kentucky statutes and regulations. Regional DRCC staff are responsible for conducting on-site visits and investigating complaints of all Kentucky licensed child care programs, certified family child care homes, and registered providers to ensure compliance with applicable child care regulations. 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: Child care programs can participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program independently or through a sponsoring organization that accepts full administrative and financial responsibility for the program. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) parents with child care centers, licensed Head Start programs, and family child care homes to provide healthy meals to Kentuckians. The CACFP contributes to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children by providing institutions monetary reimbursement for serving healthy meals. This USDA program, administered by the Kentucky Department of Education, provides teaching on the principles of good nutrition throughout the state. The Lead Agency ensures that technical assistance staff and providers are aware of CACFP guidelines and how they intersect with child care regulations. Information on the CACFP is presented as part of the new provider training. Technical assistance staff are trained to make referrals for providers who are interested in enrolling in the CACFP. Coaches integrate CACFP resources into technical assistance visits when appropriate. Citation: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/922/002/120/ SPAN Grant- CDC- Go NAPSACC Program: The Kentucky Department for Public Health supports Go NAPSACC through cooperative agreement NU58DP007561, State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Go NAPSACC program supports compliance with state regulations along with evidence-based practices for nutrition, physical activity and screen time at no cost to providers. Over the past several years, more than 300 child care programs have participated in Go NAPSACC training and one-on-one consultation. Programs receive training in a variety of related areas, ongoing support, and even resources to support Spanish speaking providers and staff. Child Care Aware of Kentucky coaching staff also serve as consultants for KY All-STARS and the Go NAPSACC program. Website: https://gonapsacc.org/ 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: DCBS works in collaboration with the McKinney-Vento State Coordinator housed in the Kentucky Department of Education to identify children experiencing homelessness and prioritize services to those families. Those experiencing homelessness applying for child care assistance are eligible for expedited services. They are entitled to immediate approval and enrollment with a child care provider. Families experiencing homelessness have up to three calendar months from the date of application to return the other documentation. Website: https://www.education.ky.gov/federal/progs/txc/Pages/default.aspx k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The agency responsible for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF) is also located in DCBS. Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) is the monetary assistance program established using the federal funds from the TANF block grant. The Division of Family Support is responsible for administering and determining eligibility through the Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment System (IEES), a single access point for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP), Kentucky Works Program (KWP), Medicaid, and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). The Division of Child Care staff have daily interaction and coordinate services with the Division of Family Support. If a family is applying for CCAP, SNAP and Medicaid, then they are given information about KCHIP. This create a "one-stop-shop" for families. DCC also considers any other implications for other DCBS service public assistance program. Website: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dfs/fssb/Pages/ktap.aspx l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: DCBS coordinates with the Department for Medicaid Services and the Department of Public Health to include access to comprehensive services to children in child care settings. Both agencies are housed within CHFS and work closely together on a daily basis. As noted above eligibility for Medicaid programs is also determined in conjunction with eligibility determination for all other public assistance programs including child care. The Department of Medicaid Services has also collaborated with the Division of Child Care to make sure that child care providers have access to medical care if they do not have the opportunity to be on a group plan through their place of employment. State workers have contacted every child care program, through phone calls, emails, and the DCC listserv, to let them know that they may be eligible for medical care through Medicaid. If a family is applying for CCAP, SNAP and Medicaid, then they are given information about KCHIP. This create a "one-stop-shop" for families. DCC also considers any other implications for other DCBS service public assistance program. Website: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dms/member/Pages/children.aspx m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: DCBS and the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities work cooperatively to ensure effective delivery of behavioral health and disability services to Kentuckians. The Division of Child Care coordinates with this agency through shared training, information exchange, and joint steering committees with common goals. Website: DPH- Maternal and Child Health: ECMH Specialists: https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dmch/Pages/default.aspx For Families/Providers/Public: The Early Childhood Mental Health Program is co- administered by the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and the Department for Public Health. ECMHP supports Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist staff positions in all fourteen of the CMHCs. The goal for the Early Childhood Specialist is to build regional capacity to better meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of children birth through five and their families. Some trainings that are offered by ECMHP: Strengthening Families, Connect the Dots, and others. ECMH Specialist can also provide program and child-level observations/consultation, assessments/screenings, individual and/or group therapy. The ECMH specialist as a result of the coordination between DCC Licensed child care programs have met with a total of 4467 clients across 15 regions of the state in the calendar year of 2023. ECMH specialist have hosted a total of 111 trainings for child care providers around mental health topics for birth-school age groups with 1934 total attendees. ECMH have also hosted 25 Parent Cafes with the Kentucky Strengthening Families initiative to teach families about the Protective Factors and how they relate to families. Citation: https://www.kentuckycchc.org/parent-cafe Website: https://dbhdid.ky.gov/dbh/ecmh.aspx 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: CHFS contracts with the University of Kentucky’s Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute (UK-HDI) to provide coordination and leadership to support the professional development of child care providers and trainers throughout the state of Kentucky. These supports include a statewide regional network of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) services, which at a minimum include CCR&R services and coordination of professional development delivery, attainment, and content initiatives to support CCDF programs. The University of Kentucky’s Child Care Aware Health and Safety Coaches and Quality Coaches offer technical assistance to programs throughout the state. The Training Coaches support Kentucky’s early care and education credentialed trainers, and the Professional Development Coaches provide guidance to child care providers that would like to obtain a higher credential or degree in the field of early childhood education. These coaches have access to knowledge and training to develop and enhance their skills as trainers of adults who work with young children and families. The Professional Development Coaches also help develop programs pertaining to Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) scholarships, non-college scholarships, mini-grants, and the development of individual professional growth plans for early care and education professionals participating in the scholarship program. Coordination of quality and health/safety initiatives to support CCDF programs is also accomplished through this partnership. Local training agencies will also play a pivotal role within the professional development growth of Kentucky early childhood educators. Family Child Care Network: The Family Child Care Network of Kentucky is comprised of an experienced and devoted group of Family Child Care Specialists who have been selected to visit and work with providers in their home (place of business). The Specialists will be there to support the provider and offer one-on-one technical assistance. The support offered varies from home to home and it is all individualized for each provider. https://www.fccnky.com/ Cabinet Approved Training Agencies: The Cabinet and Division of Child Care coordinate training services and scholarship offerings through Cabinet Approved training agencies. These 10 agencies are located throughout the state and provide training and professional development opportunities to child care providers. They also overlap with the Family Child Care Network, offering localized and regionally based services and technical assistance. 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 Division of Child Care coordinates with the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance (KYOSA) to: (1) review and address supply gaps; (2) establish out-of-school time (OST) quality standards; and (3) develop and increase the supply of relevant training and professional development opportunities for staff working in OST settings. A member of the DCC management team currently sits on KYOSA’s Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) and regularly brainstorms with KYOSA’s staff and SLT to develop new school-age child care initiatives. Some recent results of coordination with KYOSA have been: (1) a stakeholder work group to develop the Kentucky School Aged Youth Development (SAYD) Digital Badge and Credential (launched in January 2024); (2) partnering with KYOSA on the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) Peer Learning Group (PLG) for Developing Equitable Systems and Strategies for SEL/Mental Health in Out of School Time (OST); and (3) attending the OCC School-Age Child Care Institute 2024 (June 12-13) in partnership with KYOSA to develop additional state-level strategies for building and enhancing OST opportunities. To address the current shortage of state-approved training and professional development opportunities for staff working exclusively with school-age youth, the Lead Agency will explore contracting with partners to develop and pilot pathways for Out-of-School Time (OST) Professionals aligned with the requirements of SAYD Credential and Digital Badge. This will enable more school-age professionals to achieve a SAYD Credential and/or Digital Badge. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Kentucky’s Division of Emergency Management is responsible for coordinating the state’s emergency management and response. The Lead Agency partners with Emergency Management to ensure state and county level planning efforts are reviewed and updated in regular intervals. Kentucky’s Division of Emergency Management Authority: KRS 39A.050 2(c) designates responsibility for coordinating disaster and emergency services. Planning guidance ensures that local, regional, and state emergency operations plans meet minimum federal and state requirements for standard content, format, and usability in the development and integration of Emergency Operation Plans Both the Division of Emergency Management and the Department for Public Health staff emergency operates centers during these times and coordinate with the Lead Agency for emergency social services, child care, and public assistance as needed. In 2021, the Lead Agency worked with partner agencies, including the Division of Emergency Management, to create new regulations for emergency licensure and certification of child care programs during emergencies. Citation: (http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/statute.aspx?id=21699) KRS 39A.050 Responsibility of division for coordinating disaster and emergency services Web Link: (https://kyem.ky.gov/programs/Pages/County-ESF-and-EOP.aspx) County ESF and EOP Web Link: https://eec.ky.gov/Energy/Programs/Documents/Emergency%20Operation%20Plan.pdf State ESF and EOP: Updated 2020 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: Under the direction of the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), the Lead Agency collaborates with system-level partners to promote scholarships administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Association Authority (KHEAA). Child Care Aware Professional Development (PD) Coaches disseminate scholarship information, recruit potential scholars, and assist individuals with professional development planning and enrollment procedures. The scholarships are awarded to individuals who take college- credit courses to earn the Child Development Associate Credential, Director’s Credential, or pursue degrees in early childhood development. Faculty and staff at approved universities and colleges deliver a planned program of instruction that aligns with current research and promotes quality practices. After courses are successfully completed, scholars may apply for education-related expense reimbursement at the amount specified by the ECAC. Based on funding availability, scholars may also apply for milestone achievement awards upon completion of their program of study. These awards are paid jointly with state funds (90%) and by the scholar’s employer (10%). Child Care Aware PD Coaches are available to support individuals to realize their professional development plans and achieve their goals. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Pages/professionaldevelopment.asp x iii. [ ] Other federal, State, local, and/or private agencies providing early childhood and school-age/youth-serving developmental services. Describe: iv. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for implementing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs grant. Describe: Efforts between DCBS and Department for Public Health- Division of Maternal and Child Health are geared toward joint screening and training of practitioners. Home visitors are also provided updates to child care rules and regulations as a means of helping first-time parents choose quality arrangements for their children. v. [x] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: DCBS coordinates with the Department for Medicaid Services and the Department of Public Health to include access to comprehensive services to children in child care settings. These agencies are internal to CHFS. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dpp/cpb/Pages/default.aspx vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: DCBS coordinates with the Department for Medicaid Services and the Department of Public Health to include access to comprehensive services to children in child care settings. These agencies are internal to CHFS. DCC coordinates with the Division of Protection and Permanency to maintain the Child Fatality/Near Fatality annual report which is used to report annual child fatalities/near fatalities including in provider child care. The Lead Agency collaborates with the Division of Protection and Permanency (DPP) and is active with aligning policies across programs to identify any areas where policy enhancements could be made to increase collaboration, efficiencies, or simply to improve our service delivery to families when multiple programs/agencies are involved. All in an effort to further assist families determined by Protection and Permanency staff as needing child care to alleviate safety issues, mitigate risk or prevent future maltreatment of the child/ren. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dpp/cpb/Pages/default.aspx The Lead Agency is also partnering with the newly created Division of Prevention and Community Well-Being (DPCWP) which works in tandem with child welfare. The Lead Agency has been meeting with both DPP an DPCWB on a monthly basis to discuss updated the child care service array and training available to front line staff. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: The Lead Agency participates in meetings with different provider advocacy groups by invitation from the advocacy group. The Lead Agency participation with advocacy groups is mostly initiated only by invitation to attend a meeting directly from the advocacy group. Lead Agency is typically invited when the advocacy group is working on an initiative that directly impacts child care. A representative from the Lead Agency attends the Kentucky Out of School Alliance (KYOSA) School Age Child Care Advisory Council (SACC) quarterly meeting or by invitation. (https://kyoutofschoolalliance.org/school-age-child-care-sacc-advisory-council/) The State Administrator meets with the Pritchard Committee to discuss topics relating to child care by invitation. (https://www.prichardcommittee.org/about) A DCC representative attends advocacy meetings with the Kentucky Youth Advocates by invitation. (https://kyyouth.org/). A representative from the Lead Agency attends advocacy meetings with Children Inc. by invitation. (https://childrenincorporated.org/region/kentucky/) viii. [x] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: The Lead Agency engages with parent groups and organizations through membership in or attendance of the Kentucky Child Care Advisory Council. Unlike the Early Childhood Advisory Council, this statute includes child care providers and parents among membership to offer their expertise and guidance from working as a provider in the field of early child care. The Child Care Advisory Council convened for the first time in October 2017 and meets quarterly. Citation: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=53316 ix. [ ] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: x. [ ] Other. Describe: