March 28 Child Care Provider Updates New Provider Feature Added to the Child Care Finder As of Monday, March 20, child care providers now have the option to add their business website to their child care listing in the Child Care Finder. Electing to add a website to the Child Care Finder can help to increase visibility and promotion for your child care program. All program webpages will be validated by DCF staff before being accessible within the Child Care Finder. DCF encourages providers to add their business website to the Child Care Finder. Additional Resources View the step-by-step process for providers who choose to add a website to their Child Care Finder listing is available to view. Access the Child Care Finder. If you have any questions related to the Child Care Provider Portal (CCPP), please see the CCPP User Guide. YoungStar Connect Regional Offices Opening April 3 We’re excited to announce that all five regional YoungStar Connect offices will be opening April 3, 2023. To ensure your needs are met, staff members will be available to support you in person during office hours (find them at youngstarconnect.com). We invite you to stop in and say hi or you can meet the team virtually at youngstarconnect.com! Coming soon: the My YoungStar Connect Knowledge Hub, which will provide 24/7 access to professional resources and supports, including a help desk feature, all designed to give you what you need, when you need it. Questions? Contact the YoungStar Connect team at info@youngstarconnect.com. Reminder: YoungStar Listening Sessions – New Dates and Corrected Links In partnership with DCF, Shine Early Learning will be hosting in-person listening sessions in each region to learn about challenges, needs, and successes. These sessions will help guide statewide and regional program and resource development on both the quality and regulation side of early care and education. The previously canceled session in Milwaukee has been rescheduled and a Milwaukee session in Spanish has been added. Use the corrected RSVP links to register for each session. Milwaukee Spanish Session | RSVPMarch 29 – 6-8 p.m.United Community Center Milwaukee | RSVPMarch 30 – 6-8 p.m.Hilton Milwaukee City Center509 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203Empire BallroomOn-site parking in the garage will be validated Rhinelander Postponed to April 6 – 6-8 p.m.As soon as the venue is finalized, we will send more information. Additional in-person sessions in Spanish will be scheduled in April, as well as a virtual session in late March/early April. New Wisconsin Shares Statewide Media Campaign Funded by PDG, DCF recently worked with a marketing firm, KW2, to help raise awareness of Wisconsin Shares. You may have already seen some of the ads online, on billboards, and on TV, or heard them on Pandora. The goal of the campaign is to get the word out about the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program and how it can support parents, caregivers, and families. In addition to the advertising mentioned above, we also worked with KW2 to develop a media tool kit that our partnering organizations and any organization in Wisconsin that works with parents can use. You can access this tool kit on the DCF website. We hope you will also use this in your work. The tool kit includes the following pieces: Facebook and Twitter feed posts Instagram feed posts Instagram Stories Snapchat Stories TikTok videos Newsletter/blog content Website widgets Embeddable videos In addition to this, we will have a new infographic series coming soon! We will also share that when it is ready. Provider Reminders: About the EBT Card and How to Accept Wisconsin Shares Child care providers who are located in Wisconsin and who are interested in accepting Wisconsin Shares may learn about the process by visiting the Providers Who Want to Accept Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidies webpage. For child care providers who are out-of-state who are interested in accepting Wisconsin Shares, please visit the Out-of-State Providers Accepting Wisconsin Shares webpage. Both webpages offer easy to understand, step-by-step instructions on how to begin accepting families who are eligible for Wisconsin Shares. The final step in accepting Wisconsin Shares is to be set up with Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), the Wisconsin Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card vendor. To learn more about getting set up with FIS, please see the Child Care Counts: FIS Provider Registration PDF. The Wisconsin Shares subsidy is issued to families through the MyWIChildCare EBT Card, and families make payments from the EBT card to their authorized provider. Visit the MyWIChildCare for Providers webpage for more information on how the MyWIChildCare EBT Card works. Additional information for child care providers about Wisconsin Shares may also be found on the Child Care Providers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) webpage. Questions? Please contact your local agency. Child Care Counts March Application Period is Closed The latest payment program application period is closed. Applications for the March Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for funds by April 14, 2023, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The next update/application period April 24-28, 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 speak with a Support Center Specialist at 608-535-3650. Child Care Counts Información en español. Reminder: DHS Radon Training for Child Care Providers As of March 1, 2023, licensed family and group child care providers are required to test for radon and mitigate radon if needed. Radon is an odorless, colorless, naturally occurring gas that increases the risk of developing lung cancer, especially in young children. Providers who are receiving Child Care Counts payments may use Program A funds for radon testing and mitigation services. See the Use of Funds section in the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. If you missed the two virtual trainings last week, the Department of Health Services (DHS) will post the recorded presentation on DHS’s Radon in Child Care webpage. If you have any questions regarding this training, email Amanda St. Martin at amanda.stmartin@wisconsin.gov. Additional Resources DHS – Radon in Child Care DHS – Radon Information for Wisconsin DCF Child Care Rulemaking Projects Radon 101 How to Test for Radon Helping Children Navigate Anxious Feelings Parents Place is offering a new virtual webinar: Helping Children Navigate Anxious Feelings. Participants will learn background information relating to anxiety and strategies to help children manage anxiety, worry, and stress with Dr. Amanda DeSua, a school counselor, author, adjunct instructor, and parent! Wednesday, April 5 – 5:30 -7 p.m.Registration: $10Join us virtually and register today! Call 262-261-6549 or email astjohn@parentsplacewi.org with any questions.
