6.1 Supporting the Child Care Workforce

Lead Agencies have broad flexibility to implement policies and practices to support the child care workforce. 6.1.1 Strategies to improve recruitment, retention, compensation, and well-being a. Identify any Lead Agency activities related to strengthening workforce recruitment and retention of child care providers. Check all that apply: i. [ ] Providing program-level grants to support investments in staff compensation. ii. [ ] Providing bonuses or stipends paid directly to staff, like sign-on or retention bonuses. iii. [ ] Connecting family child care providers and center-based child care staff to health insurance or supporting premiums in the Marketplace. iv. [ ] Subsidizing family child care provider and center-based child care staff retirement benefits. v. [ ] Providing paid sick, personal, and parental leave for family child care providers and center-based child care staff. vi. [ ] Providing student loan debt relief or loan repayment for family child care providers and center-based child care staff. vii. [x] Providing scholarships or tuition support for center-based child care staff and family child care providers. viii. [ ] Other. Describe: b. Describe any Lead Agency ongoing efforts and future plans to assess and improve the compensation of the child care workforce in the State or Territory, including increasing wages, bonuses, and stipends. The Lead Agency does not have finances that support additional wages above the established market rate for subsidy eligible children. The Lead Agency plans to consider additional funding sources other than CCDF that would be necessary to support compensation grants c. Describe any Lead Agency ongoing efforts and future plans to expand access to benefits, including health insurance, paid sick, personal, and parental leave, and retirement benefits. The Lead Agency does not have finances that support additional wages above the established market rate for subsidy eligible children. The Lead Agency plans to consider additional funding sources other than CCDF that would be necessary to support compensation grants d. Describe any Lead Agency ongoing efforts and future plans to support the mental health and well-being of the child care workforce. The Lead Agency does not have finances that support additional wages above the established market rate for subsidy eligible children. The Lead Agency plans to consider additional funding sources other than CCDF that would be necessary to support compensation grants. If awarded, Missouri will use Preschool Development Grant B-5 Renewal funds to pilot funding for the early childhood workforce to access TeleHealth and TeleMental Health benefits. This TeleMed/Mental Health program provides health and mental health care to the early childhood teacher, their spouse/domestic partner, and their dependents. This program provides 24/7 access to board-certified doctors who can prescribe medications and provide advice on common illnesses and issues. Prescription discounts are offered through GlicRX and a national network of drugstores and retail outlets. Medical coverage includes 24/7 access and unlimited ￿visits’ and $0 copay. TeleMental Health coverage provides up to 10 visits for the teacher and their dependents at $0 copy during a year. This pilot will begin with providing the benefit to Quality Assurance Report participants. e. Describe any other strategies the Lead Agency is developing and/or implementing to support providers’ recruitment and retention of the child care workforce. As part of the early childhood scholarship program, the Lead Agency disseminates various scholarship opportunities, including scholarships for Child Development Associate (CDA), Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees and Master-level certificate in early childhood leadership, as a way to help recruit and retain providers in the child care workforce. 6.1.2 Strategies to support provider business practices a. Describe other strategies that the Lead Agency is developing and/or implementing to strengthen child care providers’ business management and administrative practices. The Lead Agency contracts with a public university to support various workforce development, leadership, and business strategies that support early childhood administrators. b. Check the topics addressed in the Lead Agency’s strategies for strengthening child care providers’ administrative business practices. Check all that apply: i. [x] Fiscal management. ii. [x] Budgeting. iii. [x] Recordkeeping. iv. [x] Hiring, developing, and retaining qualified staff. v. [ ] Risk management. vi. [ ] Community relationships. vii. [ ] Marketing and public relations. viii. [x] Parent-provider communications. ix. [x] Use of technology in business administration. x. [ ] Compliance with employment and labor laws. xi. [ ] Other. Describe any other efforts to strengthen providers’ administrative business: 6.1.3 Strategies to support provider participation Lead Agencies must facilitate participation of child care providers and staff with limited English proficiency and disabilities in the child care subsidy system. Describe how the Lead Agency will facilitate this participation, including engagement with providers to identify barriers and specific strategies used to support their participation: a. Providers and staff with limited English proficiency: The Lead Agency offers a translation contractor so communications between providers, staff, and families can be facilitated in a manner that promotes the use of the native language of all parties. The Lead Agency regularly disseminates informational flyers to child care providers about translation and interpretation services, including over the phone instructions and written materials. b. Providers and staff who have disabilities: The Governor’s Council on Disability promotes full participation and inclusion of Missourians with disabilities in all aspects of community life by educating citizens, businesses, schools, universities, and others of their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Information about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and assistive technology to maximize the productivity of people with disabilities is provided. The Lead Agency provides information and resources annually to child care providers for providers and staff who have disabilities.