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 New Jersey Council for Young Children was created in 2010 by an Executive Order to serve as the Governor's State Advisory Council for Early Childhood Systems as authorized under the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007. The Council is in the Department of Education and represents all state agencies with oversight of programs serving families and children from birth to thirteen. Head Start agencies, advocacy groups, child care organizations, school districts, universities, and foundations also are represented on the Council. The Early Care and Education Workforce Committee provided support and recommendations regarding the professional development framework. DHS/DFD is an active member of the Council. To further support the Child Care Program and ensure timely feedback loops from stakeholders, DHS/DFD has formed a Child Care Advisory Group that meets periodically. Established in Fall 2018, the Child Care Advisory Group complements the work of the NJ Council for Young Children. The advisory group consists of a significant number of existing NJ Council for Young Children stakeholders including all the State agencies. The major goals of the advisory group are to help DHS/DFD better engage providers, solicit input on how to strengthen services for children and families in the Child Care Assistance Program, and provide recommendations on how to improve quality child care, and help to outreach and communicate the benefit and importance of Grow NJ Kids. 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: DHS/DFD works closely with the Part B and Part C authorized entities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to discuss and coordinate services across program settings [Department of Education (DOE) Offices of Special Education Part B, Section 619 for Preschool, and Department of Health (DOH) Part C for Infants and Toddlers]. Both DOE and DOH are part of the Interdepartmental Planning Group (IPG) and Child Care Advisory Group, which meet quarterly to update and exchange information regarding early childhood and child care services. The IPG meetings are attended by representatives from five state agencies and the Head Start Collaboration Office. The IPG provides opportunities to stay informed of cross-agency priorities and collaborate on common projects. DHS/DFD also contracts with the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) to work with child care, community-based and public pre-k providers, and parents. SPAN provides information, resources, technical assistance and training that covers topics relating to children with special needs, such as￿screening, early identification, family rights and inclusion. In addition, print and digital materials were developed and funded through DFD as a collaborative effort of the New Jersey School-Age Care Coalition and the SPAN/NJ Inclusive Child Care Project (NJICCP) to provide parents and the public with information regarding the various agencies and organizations associated with specific disabilities. Additionally, SPAN supports families as advocates and partners in improving education, health, and mental health outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth to enable them to become fully participating and contributing members of their communities and society. This collaboration of key stakeholders addresses systemic challenges and creates a statewide sustainability process to problem solve, standardize practices and develop innovative ways to support programs that better meet the needs of families. Lastly, through a state funded initiative through the Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) within the Department of Human Services, children who are deaf or hard of hearing have access to early language instruction and are provided with an American Sign Language (ASL) associate for language development in early childhood care and education settings. The DFD coordinates these services with DDHH through the CCR&Rs. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The DHS/DFD Child Care Administrator and the Head Start State Collaborator Director jointly convene quarterly meetings with the Head Start Grantees and community partners to discuss child care and Head Start services. The goals of these collaborative meetings are to: improve coordination efforts between Child Care and Head Start, maintain an open communication channel to resolve issues quickly, and explore ways to increase the supply of quality slots to ensure more children can easily access comprehensive services. These meetings provide an opportunity to collectively review program and policy updates, strategize to strengthen coordinated efforts between Head Start and the Child Care Subsidy Program, and explore ways to better align the two programs. As a result of these meetings, DHS/DFD issued revised policies, implemented procedures to streamline the enrollment process for grantees, and expedited eligibility determination for children enrolled in Head Start. e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Department of Health (DOH) is the lead agency responsible for overseeing immunization and public health. DOH is part of the IPG and the Child Care Advisory Group, which meets quarterly to discuss cross-agency services and policies that impact the health and safety of children in licensed child care centers and summer youth camps. Licensed centers regulated by the DCF Office of Licensing, along with summer camps are required to meet the State immunization regulations. DHS/DFD contracts with both DOH and OOL for certain health and safety requirements, which include informing youth camps about CCDF requirements, and monitoring and conducting inspections to meet CCDF compliance effectively. This was achieved through collective statewide provider information meetings. Clarification of policies was critical to ensuring a seamless process and continuity of care for school-age children transitioning from the school year to summer camp. DHS/DFD, DOH and DCF/OOL continue to meet regularly to discuss ways to improve communication across agencies, especially for programs required to meet both camp and licensing standards. The goal of these meetings is to effect change for smooth transitions from one program to another. As a result of these focused discussions, DOH revised its monitoring instrument to capture data to share with OOL to enhance communication across both DOH and OOL resulting in improved continuity of care for school-age children. f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) is responsible for Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) client work activities and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training activities (E&T). Employment related activities are administered at the local level by the One Stop Career Centers (OSCC) under LWD supervision. LWD also organizes community career fairs and information events in which DHS/DFD and its partners participate. LWD is part of the Child Care Advisory Group, which meets quarterly and works closely with DHS/DFD on an ongoing basis to coordinate the implementation of two-generation activities, and discuss strategies to meet the child care community’s workforce needs. Through the IPG process, LWD and DHS/DFD, along with other stakeholders collaborate on several projects and initiatives. LWD is the lead agency for the NJ Preschool Development Grant, Birth-5 years old. As a part of the grant, DHS/DFD is partnering with LWD in researching and developing a framework for an ECE Apprenticeship Program. Through that work, NJ is reviewing the current wages of the ECE workforce and including wages as a discussion within the framework of the pilot. The pilot will roll out in late 2024. g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Through a partnership and collaboration with the Department of Education’s public pre-K program, child care before and aftercare services are available to families who meet CCDF child care eligibility requirements, such as income threshold and work activity number of hours. Eligibility determination is coordinated with CCR&Rs and in-district pre-k and community-based pre- k partners. The goals of this collaboration are to ensure children have full-day care and continuity of high-quality services through a streamlined process. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The DCF Office of Licensing (OOL) is the regulatory agency for child care centers and registered homes and coordinates licensing and inspection activities. DHS/DFD contracts with DCF/OOL to perform inspections and monitoring, including review of compliance with CCDBG background checks to ensure the health and safety of children in child care settings. Through this partnership, OOL and DFD have developed a joint licensing provider management system, the New Jersey Child Care Information System (NJCCIS). Representatives from both OOL and DFD meet weekly to share updates, discuss mutual challenges and collaborative solutions, and establish working hubs to implement and manage the system. This joint agency governance yielded an effective mechanism to streamline decision paths, leverage resources and enhance communication across agencies with each respective role implementing CCDF requirements. Additionally, this collaborative project has created an integrated system that shifted from autonomous silos to a shared data model aligned with priorities across systems. This change in approach has established new and better ways to review trends to identify gaps and implement initiatives, such as grants, to increase access and improve the quality of programs. The shared child care information system consists of the universe of licensed centers and registered family child care providers, coupled with a workforce registry and GNJK quality improvement system, which provides an effective process to enhance and align the quality of services for infants and toddlers through school age children. 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: The NJ Department of Agriculture, Division of Food and Nutrition administers the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). CACFP provides meals to children residing in homeless shelters and snacks to youth participating in afterschool programs. These meals are vital to the children in child care settings. The child care program and NJ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are both under the authority of DHS/DFD. At the State level, joint meetings between the two programs are held regularly with the goals of improving coordination in the delivery of services, sharing information about policy and program changes, and collaborating to achieve shared goals. Both programs are county administered; SNAP is managed by the local Boards of Social Services, and child care through the CCR&Rs. The two agencies have a close working relationship. Two CCR&Rs are within county government and some CCR&Rs are co-located within the County Social Service Agencies, while the majority are community-based agencies that offer additional supportive services to the same families receiving child care assistance. Additionally, in many instances, CCR&Rs also serve as the vendors for the Child Care Food Program (CCFP). A major role of the CCR&Rs is to encourage Family Child Care Providers to participate in CACFP. At the local level, there are several coordinated efforts, which effect seamless and streamlined processes for childcare services. During the intake process across both agencies, families are informed and screened for both SNAP and child care. DHS/DFD also coordinates child care services through the integration of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT). Families that receive both SNAP and child care can use the same benefit card to access services and benefits. This cross-functional process helped to identify families with children eligible for the COVID-19 Pandemic EBT food assistance program quickly. 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 McKinney-Vento homeless liaison is housed within the Department of Education and is part of the DHS/DFD Child Care Advisory Group. In 2019, DHS/DFD assembled a workgroup comprised of local governments, homeless services providers, a shelter operator representative, CCR&Rs, Head Start State Collaborator, as well as the DOE McKinney-Vento homeless liaison to develop a policy to make access to child care easier for families experiencing homelessness. McKinney-Vento liaisons provided training to CCR&Rs to provide better support and guidance on how to more effectively serve families experiencing homelessness. Additionally, DHS/DFD provided technical assistance to the CCR&Rs regarding policy implementation and how to help community-based homeless service agencies understand how to assist families in accessing child care services quickly. The workgroup involvement contributed to a new policy in alignment with DOE and Head Start, (i.e., priority group and services) and led to statewide standardized practice across CCR&Rs related to outreach, collaboration, coordination and referrals to and from social service agencies and shelters. k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: DHS/DFD is also the State agency responsible for TANF. The 21 County Social Service Agencies determine TANF eligibility and child care services through referral to the CCR&Rs. The County Social Service Agencies also refer parents to the CCR&Rs to provide consumer education about the different child care provider options available, and how to look for and locate quality child care programs. Some CCR&Rs are co-located with the County Social Service Agencies allowing for greater coordination for services to families. TANF families are a priority group and receive priority services. DHS/DFD staff responsible for administering the CCDF and TANF programs established a systems workgroup committee to make system modifications to improve and streamline the process; to expedite child care services for TANF families; and, eliminate data entry duplication for CCR&R staff responsible for creating child care agreements. This system revision integrated all child care programs into one system, allowing for better coordination of services and enhanced efficiency. This IT solution improved coordination and alignment between the TANF and CCDF programs. It also promoted continuity of care for children in high-quality child-care settings, allowing their parents to focus on their goals for employment success and economic mobility. l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) is the Medicaid lead agency. DMAHS is responsible for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health coverage for children. The programs allow children to get routine checkups, immunizations and dental care. DHS/DFD and DMAHS are co-located, work closely together and jointly facilitate monthly collaborative meetings with the County Social Service Agencies responsible for administering the health insurance programs. This coordination provides timely information dissemination and updates about policy and program changes, and streamlines approaches to resolve cross-agency issues and/or barriers related to families involved in both systems. The County Social Service Agencies implement these programs locally and assist families in the enrollment process, using an integrated system to screen and identify other services, such as TANF and child care. County Social Service Agencies and CCR&Rs work closely together and provide information regarding services available through their respective agencies, as well as making referrals for families that need health and child care services. By coordinating social services with child care referral services, opportunities for linking children to comprehensive services are maximized. Through the County Social Service Agencies and CCR&Rs intake processes, families are screened for child care services. m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) falls under the Department of Human Services. The DMHAS serves adults with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The continuum of care ranges from prevention and early intervention to treatment and recovery support services. The overall system of care, inclusive of State and county partners, as well as local community-based providers, works to enhance the health and wellness of individuals and communities by preventing co-occurring substance use disorders and mental illness, and providing treatment and recovery support services. Child care services for families receiving mental health services are coordinated through collaborative partnerships, including Behavioral Health partners, County Social Service Agencies, CCR&Rs and other community organizations at the local level. The partnerships are designed to increase capacity, provide technical assistance and awareness to address the complex needs of individuals with some type of serious mental illness or substance use disorder. Local level screenings at the County Social Service Agencies provide an opportunity to address the child care needs and coordinate with CCR&Rs to help families identify and locate child care providers to ensure continuity of child care. 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: Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&R) are located in all 21 counties, and contract with DHS/DFD to determine eligibility for families participating in the Child Care Assistance Program, which includes CCDF, TANF, Public Pre-K, Head Start, before and after care, and families involved with Child Protection Services. Bringing these collective services through a central point allows for continuity of care to help children transition from one type of care to another. CCR&R monthly meetings are opportunities to share updates and provide guidance on program policy and administration, and the workgroups with CCR&Rs allows for troubleshooting, program policy clarification, and promoting administration best practices. CCR&Rs also work closely with local government agencies and other community-based social services agencies. CCR&Rs employ different communication methods, platforms and outreach methods to make sure families and the general public are aware of the different types of child care services, resources and supports available; and serve as a bridge to link families to comprehensive services. As part of the DHS/DFD professional development and quality improvement system, CCR&Rs manage initiatives designed to improve and expand the quality of child care programs. In this role, CCR&Rs provide services (i.e., training, technical assistance, and coaching) to increase the supply of quality child care services and support goals in alignment with Grow NJ Kids, which is designed to improve the quality of services of children from birth through preschool. DHS/DFD also contracts with the local CCR&Rs to employ quality improvement specialists who provide targeted technical assistance, monitoring and coaching. Through this partnership, CCR&Rs work with four (4) regional technical assistance centers to provide ongoing and intensive support to programs enrolled in Grow NJ Kids to continuously improve their programs and provide quality services. In addition, they also employ infant- toddler specialists to support technical assistance, coaching and professional development for the programs and providers serving infants and toddlers. They also have lead trainers to support basic health and safety training, business practice training, and ongoing progressive training for early childhood providers. o. Statewide afterschool network or other coordinating entity for out-of-school time care (if applicable). Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: NJ's Statewide Afterschool Network, NJ School-Age Care Coalition (NJSACC) works to build and support quality afterschool programs across New Jersey, and is affiliated with the National Afterschool Association (NAA). The goals of NJSACC are to build a strong network for afterschool program professionals in NJ, provide training conferences, workshops and information services, and offer technical assistance, for the development, expansion and improvement of afterschool programs throughout NJ. NJSACC’s implementation of the New Jersey Quality Afterschool Standards promotes and supports the development, quality continuity, and expansion of out-of-school time programs. NJSACC works closely with state and local governments, establishes PD opportunities, and develops public awareness of afterschool issues. NJSACC contracts with DHS/DFD to provide support, technical assistance, training and outreach services to the school-age care providers. Through this partnership, NJSACC support helps providers, at no cost, to improve and develop the supply of quality school-age care, and guides the implementation of strategies to better prepare children for transitions into their school-age programs. Participation with the DHS/DFD Workforce Registry has helped to expand the school-age program professional development offerings. The goal is to increase families' accessibility to extended child care services. Furthermore, DHS/DFD has worked with NJSACC to capture data (via the NJCCIS) not only the training they provide, but also their coaching and technical assistance sessions. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: In situations where a major disaster may be imminent, the Governor of New Jersey or his designee may declare a State of Emergency. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is the Lead Agency responsible for planning, directing and coordinating emergency operations in the State of New Jersey. The State OEM coordinates with other State departments, county and local OEMs responsible for emergency planning and response. This coordinated effort takes into consideration child care needs and operations and plays a critical role in supporting and assisting DHS/DFD with its responsibilities to assist and support child care providers￿both in emergency situations and planning and preparations, as well as with recovery efforts. The relevant OEMs work with all county and local agencies during emergencies and disasters. DCF/OOL requires regulated centers to notify local law enforcement or OEM of their written emergency plan and procedures through N.J.A.C. 3A:52, for licensed childcare centers, including Head Start programs, and N.J.A.C. 3A:54 for family child care providers. DHS/DFD requires providers to comply with state and local laws and standards. All contracted providers are required to have an updated emergency preparedness plan and identify contact leads to coordinate with OEM to collectively communicate and quickly address and respond to emergencies. The goal of this cross-functional multilevel governance and partnership is to have a sustainable process in place before, during and after a disaster. State agencies and contracted community-based providers are required to annually review and, if applicable, update the disaster plan. 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: Collaborative meetings with EHS and CCR&Rs are held to discuss, update and share common concerns. Revised policies and procedures were implemented to better align child care policies with EHS to increase high quality enrollment of infants and toddlers. Through this partnership, ongoing discussions continue to resolve systemic issues quickly and partners are informed of updated policies. Opportunities to identify infant and toddler needs to increase the supply of high-quality slots continues to be realized through this process. DHS/DFD participates and is present at the Head Start annual conference. ii. [x] State/Territory institutions for higher education, including community colleges. Describe: The DHS/DFD has contracts with community colleges to provide educational coaching services to help the workforce achieve childhood development credentials (CDAs) successfully. The DHS/DFD also works closely with two- and four-year colleges with the development of standards, competencies, and workforce preparedness to increase the number of high- quality programs. The DHS/DFD also works in partnership with the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges and Office of Higher Education. This coordination and collaboration with higher education institutions ensures that adult learning principles are incorporated into course development and training. In addition, three (3) major state universities are embedded in the professional development framework. Those institutions are Rutgers, Rowan, and Montclair State University. iii. [x] Other federal, State, local, and/or private agencies providing early childhood and school-age/youth-serving developmental services. Describe: DHS/DFD contracts with the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) to support programs and providers with resources to support families of children with special needs. SPAN provides technical assistance and training for programs on various facets of the ADA and supports parents in understanding their rights for child care services for children with special needs. iv. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for implementing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs grant. Describe: New Jersey’s Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting programs are implemented by the NJ Department of Children and Families (DCF). DHS/DFD’s partnership with DCF includes not only supporting the content of training on home visiting for our child care community, but also ensuring connections to child care for the families served in the home visiting program. This is seen specifically in two areas of the Home Visiting Program. First, at the time of goal planning for families, at least one goal focuses on family self-sufficiency. If the family is returning to school or work, the home visitor will work with the family to identify a quality child care program that meets their needs. Second, at the time of transition from the home visiting program, a part of the transition plan is also providing additional resources that include quality child care. These two areas are identified in the home visiting policy and procedures manual. v. [x] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: DHS/DFD works closely with the NJ Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program (EPSDT) and other state and local child care partners to promote screening and follow-up for infants and children. DHS/DFD added the Family Engagement Specialist (FES) position to each CCR&R to encourage regular developmental screening and support the Strengthening Families Protective Factors. Each CCR&R FES coordinates four Books, Balls and Blocks (BBB) events each year. The BBB events are community-based and bring together partners that support early childhood education and family wellness. At the BBB events, caregivers have support from the FES and CCR&R to administer the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) Developmental Screening Tool. If a child needs additional support, caregivers are referred to the appropriate intervention support based on the age of the child. In addition, the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired within the Department of Human Services, provides eye health screenings and early intervention services to children with vision loss. vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: Child welfare comes under the authority of the Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCF/DCPP). DHS/DFD and DCF/DCPP work together to make sure that children receiving protective services have access to comprehensive, CCDF-funded child care services, including full-time care. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: DHS/DFD recognizes that the Child Care Workers Union (CCWU) is the exclusive majority representative for all Registered Family Child Care providers (FCC) and Approved Homes. DHS/DFD policies are shared with the CCWU representatives, and collaborative meetings are held regularly to discuss providers’ concerns and inform them of new policies and/or regulations, as well as new initiatives. viii. [x] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: SPAN Parent Advocacy Network: Supports families as advocates and partners in improving education, health, and mental health outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth so they can fully participate, contribute and thrive in their communities. SPAN's foremost commitment is to children with the greatest need due to disability; poverty; discrimination based on race, sex, language, or immigrant status; involvement in the child welfare or juvenile justice system; geographic location; or other special circumstances. ix. [x] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: The 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) is a federally funded program supported by the New Jersey Department of Education for out-of-school-time programs in New Jersey, which include those before school, after school or in the summer. Currently, there are sixty-four (64) 21st Century Community Learning Center programs across the state. DHS/DFD, through its partnership with DOE and NJSACC, has had preliminary discussion with the NJ 21st Century Coordinator to identify opportunities and strategies to coordinate services and identify ways to ensure seamless transition of school-age children. x. [ ] Other. Describe: