January 6, 2022 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 Reminders

December Payments Coming Tomorrow. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for December funds on January 7, 2022 via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal.

January 2-15 are the Count Weeks for January applications/updates. The next Application/Update Week is January 17-21, 2022. Make sure your Child Care Provider Portal information is up to date and accurate. See the Child Care Counts Calendar for future Count and Application Weeks. If you receive a payment in December, you must update your application during the January 17-21 Update Week, including open/closed status, temporary closures, and child/staff information.

Child Care Counts and Temporary Closures: Providers who have already been approved for payments for the prior month may continue to be eligible for payments if closed due to COVID exposure during a future Count Week. This includes temporary closures that last through the entire Count Week.

NOTE: Only temporary closure reasons of COVID-19 Exposure of Staff to COVID-19 or COVID-19 Exposure of Child(ren) to COVID-19 may be eligible for payments.If a provider is temporarily closed for the entire Count Week for other COVID-related or non-COVID-related reasons, payments will not continue for that month.
See this Temporary Closure guide for instructions on entering temporary closures in the Child Care CountsApplication, and visit the COVID Guidance section of the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) have been updated this week to address your spending questions. Read the Use of Funds section to make sure you are following the Terms and Conditions for spending. Reminder: Funds received under this program must be spent within 120 days of the date of Payment Letter for the given month.

If you need help or have questions about your Payment Program status, please email DCFDECECOVID19CCPayments@wisconsin.gov or call and leave your detailed questions at 608-535-3650. Check out our Updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to get answers to your questions.

Child Care Counts Información en español.

Historic Wisconsin Shares Rate Increase to Reach Over 28,000 Children

Wisconsin to exceed federal child care subsidy recommendation for the first time in state history.

Many Wisconsin Shares families will see an increase in their subsidy amount this month thanks to a historic rate increase from 35 to 80 percent of the estimated cost of child care. The increase, which went into effect on January 1, 2022, will impact roughly 98 percent of Wisconsin Shares families, with the average increase around $190 per month.

This rate increase is one of many efforts Governor Evers and DCF Secretary Amundson, with the support of the Joint Committee on Finance and other stakeholders, have recently undertaken to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and stabilize the child care industry. Since the start of the pandemic, the state has:

Paid $255 million to child care providers through the Child Care Counts payment program, with an additional $330 million being invested through the program over the next 18 months.
Provided $850,000 in Community Innovation Grants to eight organizations across the state.
Invested $20 million in the Technology Access and Workforce Retention and Recognition Stipend programs.
Funded numerous assessments, studies, and data projects focused on child care access, affordability, quality, and the workforce through the federal Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five (PDG B-5)

Read the complete press release.

Updated: DHS Urges Public Health Practices to Keep School-Age Kids Safe

In a recent press release, DHS is asking parents and guardians to take action as Omicron cases increase. As students (children above age 2) return to school in January, Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is asking all Wisconsin parents and guardians to take action to help slow the spread of Omicron and keep children safe in schools. DHS urges parents and guardians to collaborate with local leaders, school officials, and public health on the following actions:

Note: This guidance is for children above age 2.
Get your child vaccinated for COVID-19, including a booster dose as soon as they are eligible.
Ensure your child properly wears a well-fitting mask in all public indoor spaces, including schools, even if it is not required.
Get your child tested for COVID-19 if they are experiencing symptoms or have had close contact with someone with COVID-19.
Keep your child home from school and other activities to isolate and quarantine if they test positive for or are exposed to COVID-19.

Read the entire press release.

Announcing the New Early Childhood Health Consultation Website

In continued collaboration with UW-Madison School of Human Ecology (SoHE) and the School of Medicine and Public Health’s Department of Pediatrics, and with funding from the Wisconsin Preschool Development Grant, DCF is excited to launch the Early Childhood Health Consultation website. Through this program, child care providers can receive free health consultations, on-demand training, and tailored resources surrounding best practices for health and safety needs at their child care facilities.

While the goal is to offer services state-wide, this program is currently being piloted in Adams County, Rock County, and the La Courte Oreilles Tribe. In the meantime, anyone outside of these areas can still access the Resource Library for free.

The already completed Phase 1 of this project involved a comprehensive scan of child care program policies and procedures related to health, safety, and well-being, and an analysis of gaps and inconsistencies affecting access to ECE programs, which led to the Child Care Health Consultation Needs Assessment. This new consultation service program addresses the needs identified in this report. Information about this program will be shared in Thursday’s Child Care listserv message.

Ensure Your Child Care Provider Portal Information is Accurate

Child care providers are reminded to regularly update their program’s information in the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP) to ensure the individuals listed include only current or prospective employees or household members. DCF conducts ongoing compliance monitoring based on information entered in the Portal, so accuracy is important. Inaccurate information also may impact eligibility for potential funding opportunities in the future.

For more information about updating your CCPP account, review the Child Care Provider Portal Tip Sheet. If you have questions, please contact your licensing or certification specialist. You can also contact the Child Care Background Unit by email to DCFPlicBECRCBU@wisconsin.gov or by calling 608-422-7400.

Reminder: Calling all Family Child Care Providers!!

Did you know that there is a Family Child Care Toolkit designed just for you, that you can access for free? Learn more about tax tips, program policies, financial relief, business basics, marketing, and more using the Family Child Care Toolkit on the WISER website. For access, all you need to do is fill out this simple form to join the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) for free! WEESSN also offers free quarterly trainings to help you maximize the use of 1,600 resources available on the WISER platform. Questions? We are here to help! Contact WEESSN at 608-721-6936 or by email at tieredservices@wisconsinearlychildhood.org.

Reminder: Register for Sleeves Up for the Kids Free Webinar

Sleeves Up for the Kids (WECA, SFTA, WHSA and Dear Pandemic) are hosting a new information session. Public health experts Drs. Malia Jones and Amanda Simanek will be answering all your questions about current CDC guidance on quarantine and isolation, rapid testing, Omicron, vaccines for kids, and more!

Title: “I heard…” answers to your common questions about COVID-19, vaccines for kids, omicron variant, and more.
Presenters: Malia Jones, PhD MPH and Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
Session 1: January 14 at 12-1 p.m. CT – note corrected date
Session 2: January 27 at 12-1 p.m. CT