Members		Present		Absent		Designee	Present	Absent
Lynn Anderson		x
Paula Brown		x				Meshel Richmond		x
Peggy Byerly		x
Susie Cain				x
Gayla Carnagey		x				Angela Whisnant		x
Jason Charles		x				Terry Owens	x
Darla Cheek (Vice-Chairperson)		x
Arianne Conner				x
Jana Cornelius		x
Terri Davis (Chairperson)		x
Denis Doyen				x
Jill Goyette		x				Rose Jackson		x
Audra Haney				x
Kourtney Heard				x
Lauren Jenks-Jones		x
Harold Jergenson		x
Jeannie Jones		x				Misty Warfield		x
Keri Laxton		x				Michelle Stasser		x
Brittany Lee (Secretary)	x					Carole Turner		x
Katherine Leidy	x					Nola Harrison		x
Amanda Leonhart	x					Jaremy Andrews
Tammy Maus	x					Janell Wheat	x
Catherine Mure	x
Kelly Rampsey	x
Jennifer Sneed			x
Carrie Williams	x
Shaunda Williams			x			Amie McDaniel	x

 

Others Present:

CCS / DHS		Visitors
Audrey Charlson	Bonnie Clift	Teresa Widick	Christy Kastl
Claudia Monterrubio	Amy Cornelson	Lindsay Insomya	Michelle Glover
Mitzi Lee		Rachel Proper	Katie Quebedeaux
Denise Anderson		Shane Williams	Gabrielle Moons

Meeting Notices:

·       The Agenda and Meeting Notice were sent to publisher@ecapitol.net on 8/8/2022. 

Call to Order:

·       Terri Davis called meeting to order at 10:04 am

·       Introductions.

Approval of Minutes:

·       6/8/2022 minutes.  Carrie made a motion to approve, several seconded the approval.  There were no objections.

Standing Subcommittee Reports:

Membership Subcommittee - Peggy Byerly:

The CCAC Standing Membership Subcommittee met on August 16, 2022.  In attendance: Gayla Carnagey, Peggy Byerly, Terri Davis, Brittany Lee and Harold Jergenson.

Following the Child Care Advisory Committee Bylaws the Standing Membership Subcommittee provided names for recommendation of two new appointments:

1.     Representative for OKAEYC – Jana Cornelius, Vice-President of Membership on the 2022 OKAEYC Governing Board, Quality Enhancement Initiative (QEI) Program Manager at Rainbow Fleet CCR&R.

2.     Representative for OKCARE – Terry Owens, Director of Operations for Westview Boys’ Home, Inc.

The CCS director Brittany Lee, in consultation with the OCCY representative Harold Jergenson will bring the recommendations to Director Justin Brown. Members are then appointed to serve at the pleasure of the DHS Director, based on child care expertise, experience, and leadership.

Officer Opening: Vice-Chairperson

The membership subcommittee would like to nominate Darla Cheek to serve as Vice-Chairperson of the CCAC. Darla is the Executive Director of Mid-Del Youth & Family Center. She became a member of CCAC in June 2021 and has been attending our meetings for years serving in the role as designee for William Alexander, representing Youth Shelters. 

§  VOTE: The subcommittee made a motion to nominate Darla Cheek; it was approved and seconded with no objections. 

Participated in Orientation 9/14/2022: Terry Owens, Kelly Ramsey, Jana Cornelius and

Jeannie Jones. 

Upcoming Terms expiring:

·       Jason Charles - term expiring 11/2022

Vacancies:

·       Someone to represent the Oklahoma Adoption Coalition. 

Family Child Care Homes Subcommittee.

·       Ari was unable to attend.  They did not meet this past quarter but will in October.  Terri shared that Ari said they have had many questions about the QRIS program. 

QRIS Subcommittee – Amie McDaniel provided update in Shaunda’s absence. 

We met on 9/1/2022 with over 100 people on the call.  Some take aways that were discussed:

Why there are not higher levels for centers who are accredited who have gone through the extensive training, several recommended 5 Star + level to recognize those that went above and beyond or an automatic 5 star for those who are already accredited.  A lot of concern was expressed regarding why they would continue with national accreditation if they don’t have to and it was felt to be a loss for Oklahoma kids.  A question on if there were will be a higher reimbursement rate.  Workforce grant discussion if anyone had received them yet.  A lot of questions on director qualifications were asked.  Suggestion was made to round up the master teacher % vs round down.  Next meeting will be 10/12/22. 

Child Care Facilities (centers) Standing Subcommittee – Tammy Maus:

We met on 9/8/2022 on zoom with 25 people in attendance.  We decided to rank (in no kind of order) the top concerns.

1)    Relief from regulation due to the staffing crisis.  No one want to jeopardize the safety of children. Discuss with DHS what can we reduce?

2)    Staffing. 

3)    DHS Subsidy concerns.  Overall, there are problems with the app.  Child care and state employees not getting the subsidy benefit.

4)    Fingerprinting.  We don’t know why this is problem; provided an example of the inconvenience and cost to get this completed. 

5)    Copays.  Concern that the copay waiver will go away. Given the economy, perhaps do it in stages to ease in.  Also, another suggestion is to take the providers out of the collection agency for the state.  Can they pay another place (tag agency?)

6)    DHS paying for slots vs attendance.

7)    Unlicensed exempt programs are becoming a real problem for the programs.  Example: a karate school near my school.  They are doing a child care just like mine but without being regulated. 

8)    Insurance companies do not want to cover providers.

9)    More transparency. 

Tammy spoke directly to DHS.  Public opinion is just that, but it is important.  It is to be valued, not meant to be hurtful.  Somewhere in the middle is where we need to land. If we have a difference in opinion, it needs to be heard and valued.  I want to challenge you again; I can’t recall the last time we as a committee have had a robust discussion.  The child care industry is going to collapse if we don’t have some real heartfelt discussions and listen to everyone.  It shouldn’t matter if you like one group more than another, or you don’t like me

because I say it like it is.  You gotta listen to everybody.  We are here to support.  You all are doing a lot of things to support us; workforce, running ads, lakeshore, etc.  But sometimes we don’t need ‘things’, but come to us and let us have some input on how the money is spent.  Everyone is just trying to survive.  We can’t make business decisions without knowing rates.  I want to see a budget.   When we get finished, there are going to be more 5 Stars than 3 Stars.  In reality, the requirements are unequal with national accreditation.  On behalf of every program in the state that is accredited, it is a sucker punch.  Desert grant; one of the callers said the program size doesn’t matter for payment. 

·       Later Tammy added to her report: at our meeting we came up with a motion to add a work group to look at the licensing requirements in other states and Oklahoma as compared to the child care block grant.  Janelle will chair.  If you would like to join. 

Residential Standing Subcommittee – Jason Charles

·       We have not met since last fall; I did not do my due diligence as I should have in this position.  I know a lot of us are comfortable with residential and we are smaller group.   

Legislative Update: 

·       Report has been included in the handout.

Licensing Sanctions Report:

·       Report has been included in the handout.

DHS FINANCE – Claudia Monterrubio

·       Brittany provided introduction.  Last meeting there were questions and concerns regarding the app, along with other items, so we requested Claudia oin us to discuss. 

·       Claudia went into a lengthy review of the app, how the system came to be, the challenges and the goals for improvement and upgrades.  Claudia answered several questions.

Old Business:

·       Terri stated she had offered a challenge at the last meeting for everyone to bring a solution.  Staffing is an issue.  I had mentioned that I recently hired some high school students who have been great.  I have reached out to the local high schools; unsuccessful so far.  

New Business:

·       Carrie Williams:  Announced round 3 clearinghouse is opening 10/17-28, focus area is on healthy environments and relationships with 3 lanes; innovative ideas, practice based, or evidence based.  If you have not signed up okclearinghouse.org

·       Lauren Jenks-Jones - Imagination Library updates (had shared details on this at our last meeting) – launched in May and looking for affiliates and sponsors.  We now have several partnerships already.  We anticipate having half of our 77 counties covered by December.  Things are moving quickly.  Once the coverage is there, we will want to discuss strategy. 

·       Jill Goyette shared updates and success on five days of action (preventing child sexual abuse). New tshirts will be designed and for sale.

·       Paula Brown – Head Start in collaboration with the State Department of Ed, and Child Care and others held our first Transition Summit in June.  If you did not get invited, please be on the lookout for another one next summer. 

·       Pathway to CDA online; we have like 5-7 people a week and is going really well.  It would be great to get high school drop outs and could find a career path. 

Public Comment:

·       Rachel Proper: 1- Parent copay waiver ends December 31^st; parents are struggling around the holidays, so it would be a blessing if that was extended, and it was communicated ahead of time.  2- Extended hour care – A few years ago DHS allowed a $14 a day to provide care before and after 6 am.  There were a few who abused that.  We are requesting that someone investigate this.  3- The last few months I have assumed the operations of a child care center and I got the experience what it is like to start a new center now, there are lots of challenges and things that could be better.  What surprised me the most the delay in getting the machines, had to have children first.  This seems counterintuitive. 

·       Janell Wheat: 1 – I would like to push forward CDA for high schoolers.  I have a senior working in my facility who is independent and wants to work in child care and CDA denied due to not having a degree.  Dropouts should be allowed as well.  2- Desert grants – are they for new centers only? (someone answered – no).

·       Shane Williams: 1- Fingerprints needs to be figured out.  We are struggling for employees and we lose potential employees due to the delays.  We need to streamline the system.  2-we are going have a conference in October in Norman, everyone is welcome.  150+ providers will be there for training and networking.  You are welcome to join us. 

Next Meetings:

·       Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at the Sequoyah Building

·       Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at the Sequoyah Building

·       Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at the Sequoyah Building

·       Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at the Sequoyah Building

Meeting adjourned at 11:26 am