July 28 Child Care Provider Updates During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) will send updates to everyone who has subscribed to the DCF Child Care listserv. Child Care Counts Deadline July 29 – Only Two Days Left to Apply/Update! Time is running out to apply/update your information for the July Child Care Counts program. The deadline is tomorrow – Friday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m. Do you have changes in children and/or staff for summer programming? Is your facility not operational for a period of time? July applications must indicate if your facility was open or closed during the Count Week and should reflect children/staffing for the Count Week. See the Update Week section of the Frequently Asked Questions for information about: Closures for summer, and how to update your application Changes in children/staffing for summer Don’t forget: You must complete monthly updates to number of children and staff employed during the Application/Update Week, per the Terms and Conditions of the program. If your application(s) status is “Review Needed” this means that you have not completed your update/review. The application status should show as “Submitted” for any applications that have been reviewed and updated as needed during Update Week. Is your correct email address in the Provider Portal? DCF may send important Child Care Counts information via email. Check your email address to ensure you have correctly entered it while you are updating your application this week! If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov. If you are unable to email, please leave your detailed message at 608-535-3650. It may take up to 24 hours to receive a response from the call center. The call center is experiencing high call volumes. We will respond to your question as soon as possible. Email is recommended for a faster response. Please be sure to include your provider ID, location number, and details about your question when calling or emailing. Call center hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Spending Reminder All Stabilization Payment Program Funds must be spent within 120 days of the date of your payment letter. Payments from March (payment letter date 4/8/2022) must be spent by 8/6/22. View this step-by-step Spending Tool training video to learn tips and tricks for organizing and tracking how you spend your Child Care Counts You may download the Spending Tool Excel Spreadsheet to help you keep track of how you spend your Child Care Counts Round 2 Starts in August The Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program Round 2 begins in August 2022. Visit our webpage to see more information about Round 2, including important dates for August 2022 – April 2023, Round 2 Terms and Conditions, Non-Standard Hours Add-On, and more! Child Care Counts Información en español. DECE is Hiring Multiple Positions: Three New Positions Added DCF/Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) is hiring FIVE project Program and Policy Analyst-Advanced (PPA-A) positions in the Bureau of YoungStar. Strategic Planning Policy Analyst-Project will serve as the project lead for the Birth to Five Strategic Plan. The deadline to apply for this position is August 1. Early Childhood Governance Structure Lead will serve as the lead for Early Childhood Governance System work. The deadline to apply for this position is August 2. Two Preschool Development Grant (PDG) PPA-A positions will create, refine, and implement policies and programs developed under PDG funding. The deadline to apply for these positions is August 14. An ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) PPA-A project position will create, refine, and implement policies and programs developed under ARPA funding, including the prominent Child Care Counts program. The deadline to apply for this position is August 14. DCF offers flexibility for predominantly remote work, and staff can report to any of the DCF offices. View all open DCF positions at Wisc.Jobs. Reminder: Complete Your Business Intake Form (BIF) ASAP Your local CCR&R has sent out the annual BIF. This electronic version of the BIF is partially prefilled with your program’s details for ease of updating. Information submitted electronically is updated in the CCR&R referral database. Information such as open vacancies, enrollments, and waitlists are shared with DCF and will be displayed on the Child Care Finder. If you did not receive the email, please check your junk folder. Reminder: Southern Regional Licensing Office is Moving The BECR Southern Regional Licensing Office will begin moving building locations on August 2, 2022, to the Tommy G. Thompson Center, 201 West Washington Avenue in Madison. While the physical address will be changing, the mailing address will stay the same: Bureau of Early Care RegulationSouthern Regional OfficeP.O. Box 8947Madison, WI 53708-8947 Telephone: 608-422-6765FAX: 608-422-6766Email: DCFPlicBRLSRO@wisconsin.gov Reminder: Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality in ECE Facilities After Temporary or Prolonged Closures Building closures lasting for weeks or months result in reduced water usage. This reduced usage can lead to stagnant water inside building plumbing and water coolers. Take proactive steps to protect the health of children and staff by flushing water prior to reopening. For more information and steps for maintaining water quality, be sure to review and use the resources below. EPA Resources Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality in Buildings with Low or No Use Restoring Water Quality in Buildings for Reopening Checklist CDC Resources Reopening Buildings After Prolonged Shutdown or Reduced Operation Lead and Copper in Building Systems with Low or No Use Legionella and Other Biofilm-Associated Bacteria 5 Steps to Minimize Mold Risk During and After a Prolonged Shutdown If you have questions, please contact your licensing specialist or certification worker.
