8.5 Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan

Lead Agencies must establish a Statewide Child Care Disaster Plan and demonstrate how they will address the needs of children—including the need for safe child care before, during, and after a state of emergency declared by the Governor or a major disaster or emergency (as defined by Section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5122)—through a Statewide Disaster Plan. 8.5.1 Statewide Disaster Plan updates a. When was the Lead Agency’s Child Care Disaster Plan most recently updated and for what reason? The Michigan Statewide Child Care Emergency Preparedness Plan & Response Plan was developed in May 2023 with approval and posting on the website October 30, 2023. An update to the document was made changing departments from Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to MiLEAP was completed March 2024. b. Please certify compliance by checking the required elements the Lead Agency includes in the current State Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan. i. The plan was developed in collaboration with the following required entities: [x] State human services agency. [x] State emergency management agency. [x] State licensing agency. [x] State health department or public health department. [x] Local and State child care resource and referral agencies. [x] State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care or similar coordinating body. ii. [x] The plan includes guidelines for the continuation of child care subsidies. iii. [x] The plan includes guidelines for the continuation of child care services. iv. [x] The plan includes procedures for the coordination of post-disaster recovery of child care services. v. The plan contains requirements for all CCDF providers (both licensed and license- exempt) to have in place: [x] Procedures for evacuation. [x] Procedures for relocation. [x] Procedures for shelter-in-place. [x] Procedures for communication and reunification with families. [x] Procedures for continuity of operations. [x] Procedures for accommodations of infants and toddlers. [x] Procedures for accommodations of children with disabilities. [x] Procedures for accommodations of children with chronic medical conditions. vi. [ ] The plan contains procedures for staff and volunteer emergency preparedness training. vii. [ ] The plan contains procedures for staff and volunteer practice drills. viii. If any of the above are not checked, describe: On September 29, 2023, the agency received preliminary notice of a non-compliance related to volunteer emergency preparedness drills and training. The agency needs additional time to meet this requirement. The agency rule indicates a staff member is always present with the children thus the volunteers would practice if present on the day of the drill. The agency lacks policies related specifically to volunteer training. With the revisions planned, it is expected that this policy will meet all requirements and be in compliance by January 2026. ix. If available, provide the direct URL/website link to the website where the Statewide Child Care Disaster Plan is posted: https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/early-childhood-education/early-learners-and- care/cdc/providers https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/- /media/Project/Websites/mileap/Documents/Early-Childhood-Education/Child- Development-and-Care/other/MDE-CDC-Emergency-Preparedness-Plan-6-8-23- Final- Draft_ADA.pdf?rev=b0d73663754d416eb15261b2e2faf23a&hash=EEE6E0BB7A70 7E464D6FD03700E9EB92 https://www.michigan.gov/mikidsmatter/providers/license-exempt https://www.michigan.gov/mikidsmatter/providers/licensed 9 Family Outreach and Consumer Education CCDF consumer education requirements facilitate parental choice in child care arrangements, support parents as child care consumers who need information to make informed choices regarding the services that best suit their family’s needs, and the delivery of resources that can support child development and well-being. Lead Agency consumer education activities must provide information for parents receiving CCDF assistance, the general public, and, when appropriate, child care providers. Lead Agencies should use targeted strategies for each group to ensure tailored consumer education information and take steps to ensure they are effectively reaching all individuals, including those with limited English proficiency and those with disabilities. In this section, Lead Agencies address their consumer education practices, including details about their child care consumer education website, and the process for collecting and maintaining a record of parental complaints.