Page 2 - Child Care Resource Center

A message from CCRC’s President and CEO
Dear Friends,
This year began the way last year ended – a lot of uncertainty. But thanks to the tireless
work of the Child Care Providers United Union and child care advocates, including our CCRC Government Relations team, we finally have some stability in the form of state funding. Among the many new streams of funding for child care providers and families, we’re celebrating the first increase in five years to provider reimbursement rates. This is huge news! While it’s been obvious to us that providers needed and deserved a rate increase, that fact is finally being noted by our state leaders. We’re looking forward to additional child care slots and funding for provider training.
Knowing the pandemic would have a lasting psychological impact on children, we demanded legislators include dollars in the state budget for youth mental health. Our proposal outlined the same concerns child care providers like you have been warning about for years and we developed a comprehensive plan to address mental health issues among children. We’re proud to say the legislature approved $10.6 million for mental health supports through the California Inclusion and Behavior Consultation (CIBC) project and allocated $4.4 billion dollars over five years to create a modernized and innovative behavioral health system for youth. Now we have to make sure youth includes children 0-5.
Our efforts to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines for child care providers proved successful and many of you took advantage of early appointments at vaccine pods. Whether its Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson, the vaccine is
safe, effective and now available to anyone who wants it. The rate of new COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties has substantially decreased and, as a result, our communities have reopened and we’re excited that children will be returning back to school in the fall.
Throughout the pandemic and the state’s reopening, CCRC staff have been adapting to the ever-changing health and safety guidance to continue bringing you uninterrupted support and services – we’re actually expanding services to reach even more families and providers. Know someone interested in making an impact in the lives of children? We recently secured two grants to expand our Home Visitor Apprenticeship program. Through this program, which is something local workforce development authorities have never before supported, apprentices will actually be paid while they learn. Thank you to L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to enroll all 4-year-olds in transitional kindergarten by 2024. I’ve called on his office and other policy leaders to consult child care advocates like us before implementing a universal program. As I argued, the legislature agreed in its budget outline that Universal TK should allow for parent choice when
it comes to state preschool programs, private child care or Head Start. The plan has been slowed and now won’t be fully implemented until 2025. We’ve got a long way to go before the governor’s plan appropriately addresses the individual needs of families, but CCRC and other advocates will continue the fight to address the needs of both working parents and their children.
In closing, we recognized in June many outstanding child care providers and early educators for your commitment to excellence. We know that there’s always more to be done to support you in this essential work but we hope you feel our sincere gratitude and know that we are in your corner.
Regards,
Michael Olenick, PH.D.
President & CEO, Child Care Resource Center
2
PERSPECTIVES NEWSLETTER