January 31 Child Care Provider Updates Priya Bhatia Named New Division of Early Care & Education Administrator Priya Bhatia has served as the policy initiatives advisor in DCF’s Division of Early Care and Education since 2020. Since joining DCF, she has played a key role in furthering the Division’s vision of expanding access to affordable, quality early care and education that meets the needs of all Wisconsin families. She also has led policy and programs for numerous initiatives funded through pandemic relief dollars, including the monthly Child Care Counts payment program. Prior to joining DCF, Priya was part of the leadership team at a housing nonprofit to promote homeownership for Milwaukee families. She is an attorney by training and has practiced commercial litigation and immigration law, advocating for survivors of domestic violence and other immigrant families. She has lived in Wisconsin for over a decade and is passionate about creating stronger and more equitable communities in her adopted home state. FBI Fingerprints are Required Every 5 years When is the last time you checked your eligibility status in the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP)? DCF policy requires FBI fingerprints be updated every five years. If any individuals working at your center reside outside of Wisconsin, yearly fingerprints are required. Individuals turning 18 are also required to obtain an FBI fingerprint. Fingerprint-based background checks must be completed using Fieldprint. Check the Fieldprint Wisconsin website for Fieldprint locations near you and to schedule an appointment. See the Fieldprint Desk Aid for tips on scheduling your appointment. Child Care Provider Portal Enhancement A change has been made to the Provider Portal that will mark past due fingerprint eligibility to a status of expired. Expired eligibility may lead to a non-compliance, so please review the Individuals section in CCPP regularly. Review your quarterly notice for upcoming background checks. New Fingerprint Instruction letters will go out for every individual who needs a fingerprint. If fingerprints are not done timely, an overdue and past due notice will follow. Stay in compliance and check your eligibility status today! Learn more about background checks on the DCF website. Background check questions can be directed to the Child Care Background Unit DCFPLICBECRCBU@wisconsin.gov or call at 608-422-7400. Reporting COVID-19: Reminders on Reporting Requirements and Guidance COVID-19 is a communicable disease. Child care providers are expected to follow all communicable disease reporting requirements as dictated by certification and licensing rules. Current CDC guidance recommends that individuals who feel sick should isolate until they are able to take a COVID-19 test. Individuals can end their isolation if test results are negative. If the test result is positive, individuals should stay home for at least five days and isolate from others at home. If you have questions regarding reporting requirements, please contact your assigned Certification or Licensing Specialist. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 guidance, please contact your local public health department. Additional Resources BECR Child Care Regional Licensing Contacts CDC: Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19 New Free, Online Learning Courses Available from PBS KIDS PBS Wisconsin Education is excited to share 11 additions to the PBS KIDS self-paced learning courses available through The Registry! Access all 21 online courses with a free account on The Registry - no membership required! View the PBS Learning Courses flyer for more information. Questions? Email learningforcredit@pbswisconsin.org. 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. Reminder: Child Care Counts January Application Period is Closed The latest payment program application period is closed. Applications for the January Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for January funds by February 10, 2023, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The next update/application period is February 20-24, 2023. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and leave your detailed questions at 608-535-3650. Child Care Counts Información en español. Reminder: Free Early Childhood Health Consultation Webinar February 2 Join the February 2 ECHC Webinar – Fever, Breathing, and Pulse Ox – Oh, My! The Vital Signs That Should Scare You and The Ones That Shouldn’t. The webinar runs from 1-2 p.m. Temperature, pulse, breathing – many become worried when we see “not normal” vital signs, but which ones should we focus on in early childhood care and education settings, and which ones are essential not to miss? In this 60-minute webinar, Dr. Dipesh Navsaria will walk through things to think about when deciding when children need immediate health care attention. Questions will be answered following the presentation. Thank you to all those who submitted feedback on previous month’s post-webinar survey. Your feedback helped identify the topic for this month’s webinar. Join the Early Childhood Health Consultation (ECHC), a Registry Training Sponsored Organization, in exploring best health and safety practices for early childhood care and education, while having the opportunity of continuing education credits for early childhood providers. See the February ECHC webinar flyer for more details. Register for the webinar today! After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details on joining the webinar. Questions? Reach out to the Early Childhood Health Consultation team at echc@sohe.wisc.edu.
