Care4Kids Resources and Opportunities for Help

Press coverage included an article in the Hartford Courant on Friday, November 10, and article in the CT Mirror.  NBC Connecticut also covered the story on Monday, November 13. The reporter spoke to a Hartford-area provider and to OEC Commissioner David Wilkinson. You can watch the full story by clicking on the graphic.

MIECHV Reauthorization...Still Waiting

The federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV), has expired and needs to be re-authorized by Congress. The Dalton Daley Group, a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C., recently published a blog post on the current state of MIEHCV, what we as advocates can do, and next steps. One thing you can do on Monday, November 20, at 2 p.m., is participate in a Tweet Chat.  The Tweet Chat will focus on #RenewMIECHV. The panel will feature some key leaders, experts and allies answering questions asked by chat moderator, Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus.
 
Invited Panelists

• Bruce Leslie, First Focus @BruceLesley
• Carol Brady, Florida MIECHV @FloridaMIECHV
• Anna Potere, Ounce of Prevention Fund @theounce
• Mike Brown, Salt Lake City Police Department @ChiefMikeBrown

How to Join

• The moderator will ask eight questions about MIECHV spaced out over the course of one hour to the panelists listed above. Please feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and ideas. Be sure to use #RenewMIECHV! The questions can be found here.
• To maximize participation, be sure you are following each panelist on twitter ahead of the chat.
• Make sure your twitter handle is public (at least for the duration of the chat and until we complete the Storify).

Sample Promo Tweet

Consider helping promote Monday’s Tweet chat: Please share the graphic below with the sample tweet: Help us urge #Congress to #RenewMIECHV and share your stories on how #homevisitingworks!

Connecticut Budget In the Red Already

Less than one month after passing the long-overdue state budget, figures already are showing it to be out of balance for the next two years.  The CT Mirror has MORE. 

Background Check Fee Set to Increase December 1

In case you missed it, the CT Office of Early Childhood sent an email out over the ecelistserve to announce that with the new state budget in place, the fee to process background checks will go from $50 to $75. This brings the total fee for background checks submitted through the OEC for child care providers, child care staff members, and household members of family child care homes to $87 (this amount includes the $12 FBI fee).  The increased state fee, which applies to all background checks of individuals across the state for all purposes, is sent back to the State General Fund. Unfortunately, the state's policy does not allow anyone (including child care providers) to be exempt from this fee. 

The Office of Early Childhood acknowledges the fiscal burden that this fee increase places on early care and education providers and their staff.  While the Office of Early Childhood is legally bound to comply with the new law, it will seek other opportunities to support providers, including approaches to responsibly reduce costs and otherwise enhance provider fiscal sustainability. 

Please refer to the background checks section of the OEC website for more information on this change, which will be effective December 1, 2017. If you have any questions, please contact the OEC Legal Line, 860-500-4466.

CT Early Childhood Cabinet Meeting Scheduled for December 15

Please mark your calendars for Friday, December 15, 2017. The CT Early Childhood Cabinet will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Legislative Office Building (room to be determined). 

New "Zero Weeks" Screenings Planned for Hartford

A sneak peek screening of "Zero Weeks," a documentary on paid family leave, has been scheduled for Hartford. It will take place on Thursday, December 7, at Carriage House Theater. For more information or to RSVP, click HERE.  


Support for the Alliance comes from of our members and our funders: The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Connecticut Health Foundation, Children's Fund of Connecticut, CT Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, a project of CT Council of Philanthropy; The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut; Community Foundation of Greater New Britain; Community Foundation of Greater New Haven; and The Fund for Greater Hartford.