The Kansas State-Provider Cooperation Committee or SPCC is composed of representatives from the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment (KDHE), the Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services (SRS), and Child Care Providers Together/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (CCPT/AFSCME) per the February 2009 Agreement between these parties. This agreement also reflected the will of the parties to establish a Health and Safety Fund for the express purpose of providing “resources to assist Providers in improving the health, development, and safety of children in child care and to assist in complying with regulatory requirements.” The SPCC’s Health and Safety Fund is currently planning and administering three distinct projects financed by the ARRA/CCDBG funds, including: 1) the Professional Development Campaign; 2) Facility Upgrades Grant and the Equipment and Materials Grant programs; and 3) a Peer Mentoring Pilot Project.
With resources provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Health and Safety Fund is providing Equipment and Materials Upgrade Grants to home based providers who need additional resources to meet required health and safety standards, create or enhance the early learning and development of children in their care, replace damaged or worn out materials, and increase the sustainability of their child care business. The goals of the SPCC are to increase the availability of safe, quality, and affordable child care for Kansas families through the Health and Safety Fund and this grant program.
The Grants listed below are one of the projects being administered by the SPCC’s Health and Safety Fund.
The Facility Upgrade Grant and Equipment/Materials Grant are two distinct grant programs that target home based child care providers who wish to improve the health, safety, and quality of the child care they deliver to Kansas families. The Facility Upgrade grant program will provide up to $2000 per applicant; and the Equipment/Materials grant program will provide up to $600 per applicant. These grant programs will be promoted through the Professional Development Campaign. The selection criteria and administration of all applications will be supervised by the SPCC.
Grants will be awarded to those applicants whose projects closely reflect the goals of the Health and Safety Fund, are well documented in terms of established need, description, and proof of cost estimates, and whose regulatory compliance record and professional development demonstrate a professional commitment to safe, healthy, high quality child care and early learning.
In addition to the Facilities Upgrade and Equipment and Materials Upgrade Grants, the SPCC’s Health and Safety Fund is currently planning and administering two other projects financed by the funds, including: the Professional Development Campaign and a Peer Mentoring Pilot Project.
- The Professional Development Campaign includes Professional Development Days organized at community and four year colleges around the state and in cooperation with local Resource and Referral agencies. Each Professional Development Day event will provide relevant professional development and training opportunities as certified by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for home and center based child care providers in Kansas, including such training and workshops as: SIDS-Safe Sleep, pediatric CPR and First Aid, Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Development, and child care Regulations/Compliance. The Professional Development Days are offered at no cost to participating child care providers. Qualifying child care providers will receive a $100 stipend upon completion of six (6) hours of training at one of the Professional Development Days.
- The Peer Mentoring Pilot Project is designed to assist new and registered providers navigate licensing, obtain professional development assets such as CPR/First Aid, and increase regulatory compliance by connecting them to experienced, successful, and fully trained and supported provider peer-mentors.
For more information about the SPCC/Health and Safety Fund, contact:Alexandra Townsend, Coordinator of the Health and Safety Fund at townsend@afscmecouncil72.org
