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: Coordination goals of the Early Learning Council include: equitable access to quality early learning and development programs; honoring and recognizing tribal sovereignty and creating a strong government-to-government relationship with Tribal Nations, professional development and education for the early learning workforce; P-3 alignment; and identification of and advocacy for state-level policy changes to support family well-being and stability. The Early Learning Council members are appointed by the Governor to guide efforts in streamlining state programs, as well as to provide policy direction to meet statewide early learning goals. The agency directors of the Department of Early Learning and Care, Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Department of Human Services, the Oregon Health Authority, and Higher Education Coordinating Council and Oregon Housing and Community Services serve as ex officio members of the Early Learning Council with the goal of aligning comprehensive services for young children with a focus on the goals listed above. The Council provides input on investments in strategically leveraged partnerships to cultivate an aligned and coordinated early childhood system. The Council focuses on strategies to support children who are over-represented in the academic achievement gap and underrepresented in accessing strong services and support. The Council supports implementation of Raise Up Oregon, the cross-sector early childhood plan for Oregon. This website provides the latest results from the work (https://www.oregon.gov/delc/about-us/Pages/raise-up-oregon.aspx) and is updated on a periodic basis. Through this collaboration, the Lead Agency has gained a deeper understanding of how to engage with Tribal Nations. For example, DELC has initiated discussions on vital issues such as funding, compliance, policy and program development, legislation, and rule changes related to the tribes through a structured tribal consultation process. Additionally, the Lead Agency has a clearer comprehension of the needs within tribal communities and the systemic obstacles they encounter. Consequently, DELC is addressing these challenges by considering non-competitive funding avenues, revising or creating new policies and procedures that better accommodate the unique requirements of the tribes, and striving to respect tribal sovereignty within the Lead Agency's strategic framework. With direction from the TAC, DELC is also supporting the tribal perspective in adjusting the existing Tribal Early Learning Hub statute. DELC and the tribes are in the early stages of developing a new Tribal Early Learning Plan and Fund, which would replace the Tribal Early Learning Hub. This necessary change will enhance the respect for tribal sovereignty and strengthen the government-to-government relationship with the tribes. It will support tribal self-determination more effectively, allowing Tribal Nations to allocate spending in areas that are most needed or desired in their communities. As a result of this coordination, the Council provides input on investments in strategically leveraged partnerships to cultivate an aligned and coordinated early childhood system. The Council focuses on strategies to support children who are over-represented in the academic achievement gap and under-represented in accessing strong services and supports. The Council supports implementation and ongoing progress and development of Raise Up Oregon, the cross-sector early childhood plan for Oregon. This website provides the latest results from the work: https://www.oregon.gov/delc/about-us/Pages/raise-up-oregon.aspx, and is updated on a periodic basis. 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 strives to maintain positive relations with the nine federally recognized tribes sharing borders with Oregon state. To reach this goal, the Lead Agency seeks tribal consultation on a regular basis to listen to concerns and make improvements on the system according to tribal input. The Lead Agency’s coordination with Tribes includes meetings such as regular CCDF Tribal Administrators Gatherings, quarterly Government to Government Clusters, and monthly Tribal Advisory Committee meetings. The Lead Agency’s CCDF Administration and Office of Tribal Affairs staff meet with CCDF Tribal Administrators regularly. The Lead Agency and Tribal CCDF Administrators share several coordination goals. Among them are: Tribal members have access to state CCDF subsidy, and state funds are used before Tribal CCDF whenever possible; Coordination of state and tribal emergency preparedness and recovery efforts; Access to state systems for CCDF-compliant background checks; Increasing the supply of infant and toddler care; Training and professional development system opportunities for all licensed and license exempt Tribal CCDF Providers. Processes: The CCDF Co-administrator and the Lead Agency’s Tribal Manager facilitate monthly meetings with Oregon’s CCDF Tribal Administrators to coordinate access to child care subsidy, discuss training for tribal child care providers, and to consult on Oregon’s CCDF State Plan and amendments. Results: Legislation passed to create a Tribal Early Learning Hub as an additional vehicle for more ongoing consultation and collaboration. The Lead Agency’s Director and Office of Tribal Affairs staff participate in SB 770 Cluster Meetings. Senate Bill 770, passed in 2001 and entered into statute as ORS 182.162, requires state agencies to promote communications between the agencies and the tribes of Oregon. The Lead Agency participates in the Education Cluster and the Health and Human Services Cluster. The Legislative Commission on Indian Services established a Health and Human Services Cluster to meet quarterly with the tribes of Oregon to address intergovernmental and tribal issues. OHA is the lead agency for these meetings, which also includes Oregon Housing and Community Services, Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, Oregon Department of Business and Consumer Services, Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, and other agencies. The Government-to-Government Education cluster also meets quarterly with the nine Tribes. The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, Oregon Department of Education, Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, Higher Education Coordinating Commission, Educator’s Advancement Council, and Youth Development Oregon attend the Education Cluster meetings, which are convened by the Governor’s Office. SB 770 meetings allow both administrators from various state agencies and Tribal Representatives to meet quarterly and work on issues together to maintain a cooperative relationship with the Tribes. These meetings are an outcome of Executive Order from the Governor and legislative action, with the expectation that departments within State government form and strengthen relationships with Tribes. Through the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance (OTELA), the Lead Agency maintains ongoing intergovernmental grant agreements with each of the nine federally recognized Tribes within its borders. As part of this work, ORS 417.831 directs the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care to convene a Tribal Advisory Committee to design and make recommendations to the Oregon Early Learning Council on the delivery of early care and education services to tribal communities through the creation of a Tribal Early Learning Hub (known as Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance or OTELA). The OTELA is separate and distinct from the Early Learning Hubs designated under ORS 417.827. The purpose of OTELA also includes supporting participation in the Lead Agency programs, grants, and services while respecting Tribal sovereignty. The Tribal Advisory Committee has successfully maintained monthly meetings with between 16 and 20 Tribally appointed representatives from the nine Tribes. The Lead Agency and the TAC are looking at ways to build out additional funding and infrastructure into future legislative concepts. The TAC operates on a consensus basis and endeavors to make sure that all voices are heard in an effort to move away from colonial- influenced government work. There is time to make sure that representatives have time to create partnerships of their own. The Tribal Advisory Committee has been and will continue to be influential in the Lead Agency’s decision making. The Lead Agency also maintains grant agreements with several Tribes and Tribal organizations through various state funded programs. These include Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten, Preschool Promise, and the Early Childhood Equity Fund grant programs. HB 3198 Early Literacy Initiative Birth-to-Five Grants program will be open to Tribal nations beginning in 2024-2025. The Lead Agency is also contracting with the Northwest Native Chamber to provide professional development and technical assistance to current and future tribal child care providers for HB3005 Child Care Infrastructure Fund. [ ] 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: Early Intervention (Part C) and Early Childhood Special Education (Part B, Section 619) is a unit in the Oregon Department of Education and coordinates with the early learning system with the goal of ensuring that children with special needs have access to the broadest range of inclusive settings and that all early care and education settings are supported to meet the needs of all children, including children with disabilities. This coordination occurs through the Early Learning Council and other committees. Lead Agency staff are represented on the State Interagency Coordinating Council required by the Individuals with Disabilities Act, appointed by the Governor, and convened by EI/ECSE. Raise Up Oregon: An Early Learning Systems Plan describes strategies coordinating efforts to increase funding and access to services for children with special needs. Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education is leading work in partnership with the Lead Agency to expand services to infants and toddlers and create more opportunities for inclusive early care and education settings. The Director of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Services is a member of the Raise Up Oregon Agency Implementation Coordination Team, which tracks and coordinates implementation of the state’s early childhood strategic plan and was consulted in the development of the CCDF State Plan. The Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion State Leadership team supported increased access to inclusive early learning environments for young children with disabilities by increasing and enhancing inclusive practices across the state. Additionally, please review the latest Raise Up Oregon Second edition and the latest progress reports. This coordination led to expanded investment in the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to increase access to and equitable outcomes in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) services for children with developmental delays and disabilities. d. State/Territory office/director for Head Start State collaboration. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Head Start Collaboration Director (HSCO) is involved with a variety of state and federal partners to ensure initiatives, goals, and activities are designed to benefit low-income children from birth to school entry and their families. This includes extended day and comprehensive services, and continuity of care are an ongoing part of the child care policy work of the Division and the Early Learning Council. The Head State Collaboration Director engages with other state initiatives and state partners with the goals of ensuring extended day and comprehensive services for children served in Head Start and other early care and education programs. Additionally, the Head Start Collaboration Director coordinates with partners on early care and education quality improvement efforts including, but not limited to the reduction/elimination of suspension and expulsion; workforce development, recruitment, and retention; and alignment and connection with the K-12 systems. Impact and alignment of policy, program design, and implementation approaches for key priorities such as: suspension and expulsion; sustain and expand the number of Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten/Head Starts funded to provide full-day or full-year services; increase, retain, and sustain a culturally responsive workforce, and increase the programs and services offered and available for infants, toddlers, and their families. e. State/Territory agency responsible for public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Oregon’s goals for its child care system are integrated into the State's Health Improvement Plan as a priority area. Goals also include coordination between Licensing and Public Health around areas such as immunization, public health policies and practices, including COVID related policies. The Director of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) serves as an ex officio member of the Early Learning Council. The OHA Public Health Division - Maternal and Child Health Director as well as OHA Office of Health Policy Director are members of the Raise Up Oregon Agency Implementation Coordination Team (RUOAICT). The Oregon Health Authority, through the Early Learning Council and RUOAICT, has been coordinating support for safe sleep practices across culturally diverse communities and across early care and education settings. The State's licensing system and the Oregon Department of Human Services coordinate with state and county public health departments with the goal of providing information and assisting licensed and license- exempt child care facilities to meet immunization requirements across early care and education settings. The child care licensing unit coordinates with public health on child care rules asking for guidance and feedback. Licensing staff meet regularly with representatives from environmental health with the goal of sharing best practices on health, safety and sanitation and helping guide licensing process. f. State/Territory agency responsible for employment services/workforce development. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Coordination on child care programs, services and system operated by the CCDF Lead Agency and ERDC subsidy program, operated by the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), the state agency responsible for the TANF JOBS program as well as eligibility determinations for ERDC, the child care subsidy program. The primary goal of this coordination is to support low-income parents successfully transition from TANF and other workforce development programs to full-time, middle-wage jobs with subsidized child care. The Director of ODHS serves as an ex officio member of the Early Learning Council. The Program Design Manager for Child Care Policy is a member of the Raise Up Oregon Agency Implementation Coordination Team. Leadership of the ODHS Self-Sufficiency Program and Lead Agency meet weekly to ensure coordination on child care and TANF policy. The written Interagency Agreement between ODHS and the Lead Agency outlines the coordination between the agencies. Child Care Assistance Program staff meet with all other ODHS self-sufficiency program staff twice a month to review and consult on policies, forms, and processes at Eligibility Work Team meetings. CCAP staff also attend an All Analyst meeting for all ODHS programs and ODHS leadership. Families can now receive ERDC while also receiving TANF. Family coaches will discuss ERDC eligibility with all families receiving TANF. Access to high-quality stable child care allows TANF families to focus on their employment, education, and family well-being activities. Individuals receiving TANF with a child care need can receive ERDC for a minimum 12-month certification. ERDC for individuals receiving TANF will be certified with a $0 copay and a part-time hour authorization (108 hours). Those who need more than part-time hours in order to complete eligible activities will be able to receive a full-time authorization of hours. ERDC will remain open for a minimum of 12 months, even if TANF ends. Educational materials have been developed that can be utilized by foster care certifiers and child welfare around ERDC eligibility. g. State/Territory agency responsible for public education, including pre-Kindergarten. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency coordinates with the Department of Education to ensure prenatal through third grade alignment (P-3). Through this collaboration, a shared vision for P-3 in Oregon which focuses on building capacity and strengthening support for local P-3 projects throughout the state, has been developed. Coordination goals include developing shared preschool standards, strengthening the state’s Kindergarten Entry Assessment, implementing child care licensing standards in the context of schools, and developing licensing standards appropriate for School-Age programs. For Prekindergarten specifically, the Lead Agency directs Oregon's Prekindergarten program and Preschool Promise, Oregon's mixed delivery preschool program; Prekindergarten and child care organized and run by the Lead Agency. Meetings as established to meet the collaborative partnership for the focus on prenatal through third grade alignment. Prekindergarten and child care coordination occur in the context of the Lead Agency as an operating organization. The Lead Agency is partnering with the Oregon Department of Education, currently in the pilot process of the newly redesigned Oregon Kindergarten Assessment. In accordance with OAR 551-022-2130 creating a community informed information gathering process at kindergarten to develop an anti-racist information gathering process. h. State/Territory agency responsible for child care licensing. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency is responsible for child care licensing through the Child Care Licensing Division (CCLD). CCLD coordinates with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), the Oregon Health Authority, local public health entities and local CCRRs with the goal of supporting health, safety, and continuous quality improvement in early learning settings. The CCLD leadership participates in a biweekly agency leadership coordination meeting and coordinates internally around child care assistance policies and practices and ensuring health and safety in those settings. CCLD also participates in regular meetings with the directors of the local CCRRs to share changes in licensing regulation or licensing practices, as well as to disseminate health and safety information to child care providers. Coordination on these health and safety goals also occurs through the Early Learning Council, which serves as the rules making body for the CCLD. Oregon’s licensing approach is connected to critical public health and human services, and its rulemaking is overseen by the Early Learning Council, which is accountable for all core programs, services, and systems rulemaking for all of the Lead Agency. Through this, the need for further refinement of child care licensing rules has been identified, and the Lead Agency is engaging these partners in those revisions. 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: Coordination goals focus on sharing information maximizing efforts to provide technical assistance to child care providers and to coordinate communication for providers about changes to the licensing, CCDF and CACFP. The Lead Agency coordinates with the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition programs periodically as well as contractors engaged in administering the Child and Adult Care Food Program to ensure that all eligible child care providers are able to participate, relying upon one another for policy clarifications, differences between federal law and state rules, etc. The intent of this coordination is increased communication and collaboration to maximize program participation in CACFP. 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 Head Start Collaboration Office and McKinney Vento Coordinator have ongoing communication to partner and coordinate initiating access to services for children and families experiencing houseless instability. These ongoing meetings have supported collaboration and support to McKinney Vento Liaisons. An example of this is the creation of informational materials to support liaisons in their efforts to find and partner with their community early learning and care programs. Additionally, supporting liaisons in identifying families with young children that are eligible for state funded early learning and care programs during conversations with families in the public school system. k. State/Territory agency responsible for the TANF program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency coordinates with the Oregon Department of Human Services to provide services for families receiving or transitioning from TANF for successful transition to employment and self-sufficiency. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is the TANF agency. Management and staff from the child care program at the Lead Agency coordinate services. The weekly meeting between Lead Agency and ODHS Self-Sufficiency team staff includes the transition of TANF families to ERDC child care assistance as a topic. Families can now receive ERDC while also receiving TANF. Family coaches will discuss ERDC eligibility with all families receiving TANF. Access to high-quality stable child care allows TANF families to focus on their employment, education, and family well-being activities. Individuals receiving TANF with a child care need can receive ERDC for a minimum 12-month certification. ERDC for individuals receiving TANF will be certified with a $0 copay and a part-time hour authorization (108 hours). Those who need more than part-time hours in order to complete eligible activities will be able to receive a full-time authorization of hours. ERDC will remain open for a minimum of 12 months, even if TANF ends. Educational materials have been developed that can be utilized by foster care certifiers and child welfare around ERDC eligibility. l. State/Territory agency responsible for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The goal of this coordination is to better enhance and align comprehensive services to children and families. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) are responsible for Medicaid and the state Children's Health Insurance Program. OHA is represented on the Early Learning Council and has joint goals in the Raise Up Oregon system plan Child care policy goals are also embedded in the State’s Health Improvement Plan. The Lead Agency is working with statewide Coordinated Care Organizations to identify vulnerable children and families and connect them to high- quality child care and other early learning programs. The Oregon Health Authority is developing an incentive metric for Coordinated Care Organizations focused on improving the social- emotional health of children under the age of six. OHA established continuous health insurance coverage through the Medicaid 1115 waiver which established continuous health coverage for children birth to age six through the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). m. State/Territory agency responsible for mental health services. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The Lead Agency works to help ensure the full spectrum of mental health supports for young children through collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority. The Oregon Health Authority is responsible for a full range of Medicaid-funded mental health services, including prevention services and treatment services. The Oregon Health Authority convenes an Early Childhood Leadership Team meeting of state leaders involved in supporting the mental health of young children. The Lead Agency is involved in these meetings to enhance coordination and collaboration between the Oregon Health Authority and the Lead Agency. The Lead Agency is developing an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation model to serve as a resource for early care and education programs seeking support to prevent the use of suspension and expulsion of children birth through five. Oregon has an Infant-Toddler Mental Health Certificate Program, a program of Portland State University, which provides graduate-level training in infant mental health. The Oregon Health Authority provides scholarships for participants in this program, which supports the growth of the workforce for the Lead Agency’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation model. Oregon has an Infant Mental Health Endorsement (IMH-E) and an Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement (ECMH-E) to recognize and document the development of infant and family professionals across the continuum of infant-toddler and early childhood service providers. With the passage of new legislation to authorize the creation of infant and early childhood mental health consultation for child care and early learning, and to assure appropriate coordination with OHA, the current result is intensive planning for implementation of the services authorized and funded with the new legislation. 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: Use of these systems supports parents as well as providers in accessing services they need. The Lead Agency funds a comprehensive Child Care Resource and Referral system including 211info and an early childhood education training and professional development system. The partners within the CCRR system coordinate with the Lead Agency and other partners to ensure that parents have access to updated information on child care, that child care providers receive timely information on changes to child care licensing rules, and that providers have access to support for quality improvements. The Lead Agency co- hosts bi-monthly calls with the partners in the Child Care Resource and Referral system to facilitate this coordination. Additionally, consumer education on quality child care information is updated in collaboration with partners in the CCR&R system. Parents have a 211 system to gain information and support access to child care services, parents receive information and education on quality child care indicators, and providers have timely information on changes to child care licensing, updated profile information in the child care referral database, and support for quality improvement services. o. Statewide afterschool network or other coordinating entity for out-of-school time care (if applicable). Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: Coordination supports an afterschool network that advances work on connections of partners, supporting policy, and providing professional development. The Lead Agency provides Oregon ASK with CCDF Discretionary funds as a match for a Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grant. Oregon ASK is a collaboration of public and private organizations and community members seeking to address common issues and concerns across all expanded learning areas. The combined funds support Oregon ASK, the statewide afterschool network, to create more high-quality expanded learning opportunities through connecting partners, supporting policy change, and providing professional development. To accomplish this, Oregon ASK convenes a quarterly meeting for expanded learning providers and partners; provides direct training, technical assistance, and coaching opportunities (including an annual conference) to afterschool and summer programs; actively participates in the statewide STEM Council (science, technology, engineering, math); represents and advocates for the School-Age expanded learning workforce at statewide meetings; and provides educational materials to statewide and national policymakers. Coordination creates advances in connections, policy and professional development through the processes described above. Based on feedback from this collaboration the Lead Agency built a child care licensing rule set for School-Age care that addresses the specific needs of this age group. The Lead Agency has a representative from the Inclusive Partners program attending regular Oregon ASK advisory meetings and the professional learning office is meeting on a quarterly basis with Oregon ASK leadership to discuss opportunities for collaborative partnership and connection between the current professional learning projects statewide. p. Agency responsible for emergency management and response. Describe the coordination and results of the coordination: The State Office of Emergency Management, working closely with the Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority, is the entity responsible for coordination of emergency preparedness and response in Oregon. The Lead Agency coordinates with the Office of Emergency Management to improve the quality of child care services by providing guidance on the statewide early learning emergency preparedness and response plan and to coordinate efforts with local emergency management personnel to better prepare early learning programs in the event of man-made or natural disaster. The Lead Agency develops a Continuation of Operations Plans that includes how coordination with the State Office of Emergency Management will operate during an emergency. Effective coordination has occurred between the Lead Agency and Oregon’s statewide emergency public agencies through Lead Agency contribution to the statewide emergency 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: Administrative processes that ensure EHS CC partnership agencies are part of the both the state subsidy program and the EHS CC partnership. This coordination results in successful implementation of EHS CC partnerships in Oregon. ii. [x] State/Territory institutions for higher education, including community colleges. Describe: Coordination facilitates access to credential and degree pathways. The Lead Agency has been working with the HECC to ensure great access for the early learning workforce to credential and degree pathways. The Higher Education Coordinating Council (HECC) (https://www.oregon.gov/highered/about/Pages/commissioners.aspx) is a 14- member volunteer commission appointed by the Oregon Governor, with nine voting members confirmed by the State Senate. The Commission develops and implements policies and programs to ensure that Oregon’s network of colleges, universities, workforce development initiatives and pre-college outreach programs are well-coordinated to foster student success. The HECC is the primary state entity responsible for ensuring pathways to postsecondary education success for Oregonians statewide and serves as a convener of institutions and partners working across the public and private higher education arena. The Director of the HECCC serves along with the Early Learning System Director as a member of the Governor’s Education Cabinet. Oregon has had two successful efforts to ensure early learning professionals, particularly those from minority racial and ethnic groups and individuals who speak English as a second language, are offered supports proven to help students succeed. The Early Learning Professional Development Consortium grant funded by Oregon Department of Education’s Network of Quality Teaching and Learning, two consortiums in Southern Oregon and Central Oregon have implemented strategies to connect the Early Learning Workforce with college credentials, degrees, and certificates. Consortia were expanded through a planning grant and subsequent implementation grants. Oregon now has one university and 8 community colleges across the state. 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: To assure coordination across the multiple home visiting programs in Oregon, some of which are operated through the Oregon Health Authority and one through the Lead Agency. Processes: The Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority implements the Maternal and Child Home Visiting Program, and a representative serves on the Early Learning Council. The Maternal and Child Health Director of the Public Health Division serves as a member of the Raise Up Oregon Agency Implementation Coordination Team. The Lead Agency works with the Public Health Division to ensure coordination across Oregon’s home visiting programs, including the programs administered by the Lead Agency. The Oregon Health Authority is in the process of implementing a new Universally Offered Home Visiting Program for the parents of all newborn children. In addition to providing support for parents of newborn children, this program will also screen families for additional needs and refer families to additional services, including the more intensive home visiting services provided by through MIECHV. All of Oregon’s home visiting programs are represented on the steering committee for Universally Offered Home Visiting. DELC and OHA leadership staff meet on a monthly basis to enhance the coordination between DELC and OHA home visiting programming, with a particular focus on the support and coordination of the rolling out of the Universally Offered Home Visiting. DELC program leads participate in a group dedicated to supporting the coordination and collaboration across all DELC, OHA, and ODHS home visiting models. The group, the Home Visiting Collaborative, meets monthly. Recently, the Early Learning Council’s subcommittee on home visiting bolstered the coordination efforts of the collaborative by making them a key part of the Home Visiting Coordination Center that was created from the subcommittee’s findings. DELC leadership and staff also serve on the steering committee for the Home Visiting Coordination Center. v. [ ] Agency responsible for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Program. Describe: vi. [x] State/Territory agency responsible for child welfare. Describe: Coordination includes referrals to CCDF subsidy programs for certain categories of families involved in protective services when the ERDC wait list is in effect. Oregon Department of Human Services - Child Welfare is responsible for child welfare services and the referral pathways were developed in coordination with the ERDC programs. The referrals allow families to access child care subsidy when the care is needed in order to allow a child to remain in the home with their parent, to be placed with a known adult relative or to be returned home to their parent. The Lead Agency conducts tandem investigations with local child welfare staff for child care facilities where concerns or complaints related to child abuse are presented. vii. [x] Child care provider groups or associations. Describe: Coordination is done with the goal of working effectively with providers to support their work in the delivery of affordable, equitable, quality child care services. Child care resource and referral programs work closely with their local child care provider groups and associations and provide training and technical assistance as necessary. The Early Learning Council includes a provider representative among its 11 members. The Lead Agency routinely includes providers in its Rulemaking Advisory Committees and consults with providers in the development of its programs and services. There are two child care provider unions who have collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with Oregon. The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Child Care Providers Together (CCPT) Local 132 union represents licensed in-home child care providers (Certified Family Programs and Registered Family Programs), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503 represents license-exempt family child care providers. The Lead Agency has a Child Care Labor Liaison who is responsible for ongoing communication and coordination with both unions; including quarterly labor management meetings, resource, and information sharing, and ensuring union participation in Rulemaking Advisory Committees, workgroups, and listening sessions. This coordination results in multiple methods to serve providers and to partner with them in the development of programming and policy. viii. [x] Parent groups or organizations. Describe: Coordination ensures effective parent education services are available. Children, parents and early learning and care programs benefit when parents take on leadership roles. State and Federal Head Start programs establish policy councils which invite and promote parent leadership and advocacy. The members help lead and make decisions about their Head Start Programs with parent voice as its core. Early Learning Hubs have the following agreements related to parent leadership: Include a Parent Leadership Council within the Hub governance structure, Ensure membership and active engagement in the Parent Leadership Council from families who represent the Hub Coverage Area Priority Population, Participate in ongoing technical assistance with Agency staff and Agency contractors to assure the effective operations of the Parent Leadership Council and the integration of the Parent leadership council within the overall Governance structure for the region, Provide the necessary financial, logistic, and professional learning support and conditions to ensure that Governance and Parent Council members, especially families from Priority Populations, can fully and authentically engage in all phases of the work. These supports and conditions must include understanding barriers to system goals, designing and implementing strategies, and learning for continuous improvement. Head Start created the Policy Council as a formal leadership and policy-making role for parents. Today, every Head Start and Early Head Start program must have a Policy Council as part of its leadership structure. Through the Policy Council, parents have a voice in decisions about how the program spends money, what children do in their classrooms, and how the program works with community partners." OPK/HS programs are not funded without parent policy council signatures on applications. They act as a central function of leadership for the organization. Through this coordinated effort, Parents can become more confident, gain skills, and connect with other parents and staff. Program staff learn about the strengths, interests, and needs of the children, families, and community they serve. ix. [ ] Title IV B 21st Century Community Learning Center Coordinators. Describe: x. [ ] Other. Describe: