August 22 Child Care Provider Updates Attend an Upcoming Wisconsin Shares Full-time/Part-time Information Session Milwaukee Early Care Administration (MECA) is hosting a Wisconsin Shares Full-time/Part-time Information Session for families utilizing Wisconsin Shares, tonight at 5:30 p.m. It will take place at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum, 2620 W. Center Street, Milwaukee, WI 53206. This session is for current Wisconsin Shares families. There will also be additional information sessions for families across the state regarding this policy change. More information and resources for child care providers will also be forthcoming. Learn more about the Wisconsin Shares policy changes by visiting the DCF website. New Resource Available: Accepting to Maintaining Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Overview for Providers DCF has created a series of infographics that walk providers through accepting families who receive Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy, from eligibility to maintaining your status. If you have any questions, you can also refer to our Providers Who Want to Accept Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidies page or contact your local agency. However, if you live in Milwaukee County, be sure to use our Milwaukee Early Care Administration (MECA) Provider Resources page. Download the resources in English and Spanish using the links below. Is my business eligible to accept Wisconsin Shares? / ¿Es mi negocio elegible para aceptar Wisconsin Shares? How do I become a Wisconsin Shares provider? / ¿Cómo me convierto en proveedor de Wisconsin Shares? How can my business maintain Wisconsin Shares eligibility?/ ¿Cómo puede mi negocio mantener la elegibilidad de Wisconsin Shares? Wisconsin Shares Program Integrity Training for Providers A free training video about Wisconsin Shares program integrity for Wisconsin child care providers is available! As a child care provider, in order to be eligible to receive Wisconsin Shares, you must be certified or licensed, and participate in the YoungStar quality rating system. Watch the Wisconsin Shares program integrity training video or download the Provider Program Integrity Training booklet (DCF-P-5484) to access these resources to help you. For questions about Wisconsin Shares policies, please contact your local agency. Child Care Counts August Application Period is Closed The latest payment program application period is closed. Applications for the August Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for funds by September 8, 2023, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The next update period is September 23 – October 1, 2023. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. Participation Deadline Reminder August was your final opportunity to apply if you wanted to continue to participate in the remainder of Round 3. Providers must have been approved for funding during one of the first four months to be eligible for future payments. The program’s funding will not allow for providers to join the program after the August 2023 payment round. In order to continue to participate in Child Care Counts Stabilization Round 3 (September 2023 – January 2024), you must have submitted an application and been approved for payment during at least one of the May, June, July, or August 2023 payment rounds. This participation deadline also applies to program changes that result in a new provider number or location number. If you have a program change after the participation deadline that results in a new provider or location number, you will not be able to apply with your new provider number. See the Participation Deadline section of the Child Care Counts Updates for more information. How Payments are Determined September – January 2024 DCF has heard from the provider community that stable, set payment amounts are important to help providers plan and prepare for the end of this federal aid. To support this, we have planned to make the last six months of Round 3 payments as stable and consistent as possible. To best support each provider, we will look at each provider’s highest count of children and staff in their May, June, July, or August approved payments. The highest monthly total of children and staff in the first four months will be used to determine the payment amounts for the remaining months. You must continue to update your application monthly to meet the program terms and conditions. For providers who receive the YoungStar Quality Adjustment for Program B based on their Star level, the August Star level will be used to determine future payments. If you need assistance, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650. Child Care Counts Información en español. Wisconsin Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Virtual Conference Don't miss out! Registration for the 2023 Wisconsin Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (WI-AIMH) Virtual Conference is now open! This year's conference will feature a keynote presentation by Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. In this presentation based on her book "The Yes Brain" (co-authored with Dr. Dan Siegel), Dr. Bryson discusses specific strategies for creating Yes Brain opportunities that allow us to thrive in our lives. Virtual conference – October 10, 2023Register today! Due to the generosity of donors contributing to the Donna Harris scholarship fund and our conference sponsors, a limited number of scholarships are available. View the scholarship application.
