Child Care Advisory Committee

Sunbeam Family Services

December 13, 2017

Members Present:

Members not Present:  

Others Present:

• Meeting Notices:
• The Agenda and Meeting Notice were posted  12/06/17 on publisher@ecapitol.net  with a  list of all CCAC meetings for 2017 previously submitted to the Secretary of State on 12/15/2016
• The Meeting Notice was posted at Sunbeam Family Services on 12/11/2017

• Call to Order:
• Debbie Medley called meeting to order at 10:00 am

• Reflection:
• Eloise Locust provided words of reflection

• Introductions

• Approval of Minutes:  
• September 13, 2017 minutes approved

• Standing Membership Subcommittee Report:
• Members have not meet in the last quarter
• Next meeting is January 2018
• Still working on recommendations to fill two vacancies:
• Rural Family Child Care Homes
• Private Citizen
• Please send any recommendations for these vacancies to Lesli Blazer
• Three new members attended orientation today:
• Kay Floyd
• Ari Conner
• Rose Jackson

• Standing Subcommittee Reports:
• Child Care Facilities (centers) Standing Subcommittee
• There still isn't a chair for this subcommittee
• Subcommittee has not met in the last quarter
• Family Child Care Homes Standing Subcommittee
• There still isn't a chair for this subcommittee
• Subcommittee has not met in the last quarter
• QRIS Standing Subcommittee
• Rachel Proper provided report
• Members last met on October 25, 2017 and has been trying to meet on a monthly basis because they have been looking at the current STARS standards to see where there is potential room for growth

• Also discussed how to alleviate the burdens that some programs are having with finding qualified master teachers
• One suggestion was to allow a director to count not only as the director but also as one of the master teachers -- This has now gone into effect
• Also discussed allowing another level within the professional development ladder for master teachers that would open up some more flexibility within the master teacher qualification
• Currently in the professional development ladder Level 3 states that you can have a degree essentially from an Oklahoma career tech that will count as a master teacher or 6 hours of college credit – one counts as a master teacher and one doesn't – this is causing some confusion with providers
• A request was submitted to DHS to basically change that line item to say 6 hours of college credit along with 1 year of employment experience could then qualify for master teacher

• Next meeting is today, December 13 from 1 – 3 pm at Sunbeam
• Residential Standing Subcommittee
• Jason Charles provided report
• Subcommittee members met at the last Oklahoma Care Fall Meeting
• Discussed the new law that was passed and the need to change the committee to meet the new requirements:

• Shall include, at a minimum, a representative of a statewide organization representing children in care arrangements outside their home
• A representative  of a statewide organization providing residential services to youth in state custody
• A former recipient of youth services for children in state custody
• A representative of a statewide organization promoting adoption services
• A parent or guardian providing foster care to youth in state custody
• A representative from a non-profit long-term residential care facility for children in state custody
• A representative from an organization promoting the interest of Native American children in state custody
• A pediatrician
• A practicing behavioral health services provider
• A representative from an agency providing child placing services
• And other appropriate representatives at the discretion of DHS or the OCCY

• They will be meeting again today after CCAC and talk about how they are going to make that work.
• Residential Revision Subcommittee
• Brent Thackerson and Mitzi Lee provided report
• The agency has reviewed the new Family Style Licensing addendum, it is moving forward, and the effective date is 11/1/2018. It will proceed through legislation process this spring, the public hearing on the agency rules has not been confirmed yet, typically that is in February for permanent rules

• Legislative Update:
• Linda Whaley provided report
• There were two interim studies related to Child Care
• House Interim Study 17075 brought forth by Rep. Todd Russ
• Related to legally exempt programs being able to operate without having costs and safeguards of licensing requirements
• House Interim Study 17098 brought forth by Rep. Cindy Munson
• Related to reducing childhood obesity by increasing licensing requirements for physical activity, nutrition, and increased limitations on screen time
• The Governor has called a second special session that begins December 18, 2017 and the 2^nd legislative session of the 56^th legislature begins February 5, 2018

• Licensing Sanctions Report:
• Kristi Simpson provided report and handout

• Old Business:
• Subcommittee vacancies
• Rikki Cosper and Angie Clayton have been appointed as co-chairs of the Child Care Facilities (centers) Standing Subcommittee
• Ari Conner has been appointed as chair of the Family Child Care Homes Standing Subcommittee
• Amy Cornelson, OBI
• Currently working 2-3 days out
• Livescan mobile unit is traveling to about 8 counties every month
• Morphotrust is now Idemia, they are opening up sites in Ardmore and Watonga and are still looking  for partners in Alva and Woodward
• One of the biggest changes from Senate Bill 723 that was passed
• If an individual has lived out-of-state within the past 5 years (used to be 3 years) they are required to provide an out-of-state named based search as well as a child abuse and neglect registry search from that state
• OBI can provide the information on where to go to get these searches
• 5 year reassessments – individuals who have worked in your facilities/programs for 5 years will be required to resubmit for a background check reassessment. It will not include being re-fingerprinted; OBI will use the same ones and will check for Rap Back's.
• Child Care Locator
• Rikki Cosper – Is there a way to add which schools the facilities provide transportation to/from?

• New Business:
• No new business

• Public Comments:

• Tammy Maus, Licensed Child Care Association
• Child care programs of all classifications are struggling and continue to close. A lot of the children are moving into unlicensed care. People are trying to find ways to circumvent the overwhelming burden of requirements that have been put on centers without an increase in resources. She would like to encourage everyone to think beyond the metro areas there are several rural areas and counties that do not have any licensed child care programs in those areas and that is a significant burden that they will continue to worry about those children in those areas.
• She would like to commend and thank licensing to the swift changes to the Master Teacher requirements that several programs advocated for.
• Fingerprinting – they recommend moving to the same system as public education.
• There remains a significant burden that is being placed on centers by requiring all of their employees to be on the registry when licensed child care homes are not required. They believe if it's good enough for those children, they're being cared for in those homes without multiple people there, it's good enough for all children in Oklahoma and they should have the same rule about the registry. They recommend that it be an option and not a requirement.
• They implore consideration of complaint investigation policy revisions.
• They urge the committee and DHS to take a hard look at this feedback and work with them to make changes that will strengthen our industry for children, families, and Oklahoma businesses that they support and their board would like to remind the committee that they make it possible for thousands of Oklahomans to work.

• Meeting adjourned at 10:38 am

• Next Meetings:
• Wednesday, March 14, 2018 – Catholic Charities
• Wednesday, June 13, 2018 – Catholic Charities
• Wednesday, September 12, 2018 – Catholic Charities
• Wednesday, December 12, 2018 – Catholic Charities