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Issue 1—January/February 1995

Health and Safety

Contents

up arrowACF Focuses on Health and Safety

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is spearheading an initiative within the Department of Health and Human Services to promote health and safety in child care. This is an outgrowth of ACF's child care goals, which center on strengthening partnerships with state, territorial and tribal grantees in order to improve services to children and families. The goals emphasize coordination across funding sources to streamline child care operations, increase efficiency, and promote high quality comprehensive services.

The health and safety initiative is based on a twofold premise. First, greater attention needs to be paid to health and safety issues in child care programs. Second, child care settings provide opportunities to promote the health of children. Arrangements can be made to ensure that children are fully immunized and that eligible families have access to Medicaid and WIC (Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children) benefits.

ACF key activities include the implementation of a new inter-agency agreement with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to sponsor a national forum on health and safety in child care and to conduct further analysis of state and tribal health and safety standards. The National Symposium on Health and Safety in Child Care, planned for the spring of 1995, will bring together experts from the public and private sectors to discuss child care health and safety issues and practices. The analysis of child care standards will compare state and tribal standards and Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) health and safety requirements to recommendations developed by the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Health and safety were showcased at the National Child Care Conference, sponsored by ACF, held in Washington, DC in October. The conference included sessions focused on violence prevention, nutrition in child care programs, immunizations, health and child care collaborations, and mental health services.

ACF also plans to conduct 10 regional forums across the country for states, territories and tribes. The goal of these meetings will be to focus on health and safety issues and to forge new partnerships with other federal agencies. ACF child care staff have been working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to develop a five year plan for child care health and safety. They have also been working closely with the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) to stimulate support for integrating children with special needs into child care. Finally, efforts are underway to promote new linkages between ACF and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) around Medicaid outreach to eligible children served in child care.

Please send information on promising health and safety initiatives related to child care to the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care (703-524-7802).

up arrowNCCP's Health Goals, Objectives and Strategies

These recommendations are adapted from a presentation by Karen N. Bell, National Center for Children in Poverty, at the ACF National Child Care Conference to be published in 1995 as "Addressing Child Health Needs in Child Care Programs" (For more information, call 212-927-8793)

The three numbered items are the Goals and Objectives.

The bulleted items under each goal/objective are the Strategies for States, Communities and Providers that relate to achieving that goal/objective.

  1. Assure child health & safety
    • Improve licensing & monitoring & safety and help child care providers meet requirements for health and safety.
    • Work with child care resource & referral (CCR&R) agencies to provide technical assistance and training to child care providers.
  2. Promote prevention and follow-up screenings with diagnosis and treatment
    • Require health screening & immunizations.
    • Facilitate linkages between child care and Head Start programs.
    • Promote linkages between health providers & child care programs.
    • Encourage on-site health care delivery in child care settings.
  3. Assist parents in obtaining health benefits and linking parents and children to a stable medical home
    • Facilitate Medicaid reimbursement for EPSDT case management & outreach.
    • Develop common applications for Head Start, child care, Medicaid & WIC.
    • Encourage community planning to eliminate gaps & promote continuity in health delivery.

up arrowSpotlight on . . .

The Oregon Public Health Service has created a program to integrate child care providers into the public health service system. As part of this effort, last year they instituted "Health Days" to help promote awareness of health and safety issues. Over 900 copies of Caring for Our Children have been given out across the state!

up arrowPromoting Health and Safety in Child Care Programs by Carole Logan Kuhns and Richard Fiene

Promotion of health and safety standards enhances the quality of child care. Monitoring to ensure compliance with such standards is a critical issue. Monitoring serves not only as a means for regulatory oversight, but also as an effective self-improvement tool.

We now have a set of comprehensive health and safety standards developed by the American Public Health Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The standards are outlined in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards--Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care to use as a basis for development of monitoring tools. Unlike regulations, these standards do not carry the force of law, but they reflect criteria for quality health practices that conform to professional standards.

Having such a comprehensive description of standards for quality care is essential, but the comprehensive nature of the standards could pose difficulties for their use as a monitoring tool.

There are two approaches for identifying key standards to use in monitoring. The first is to identify those standards for which noncompliance by the provider places a child at greater risk. The second approach seeks to identify predictor/indicator standards or items that predict compliance with standards overall.

The first approach is the basis for a project funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care. A review panel of 350 experts has been asked to rate each of the National Health and Safety Performance Standards based on relative risk to the child. A higher rating indicates that noncompliance with the standard places the child at greater risk (both physically and psychologically). The project will result in a prioritized ordering of the National Health and Safety Performance Standards that are necessary for reducing injury and morbidity in child care settings.

In a related project, Dr. Richard Fiene of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Day Care Services and the National Early Childhood Program Evaluation Center at the Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg has developed a national database of key child care state regulatory predictor indicators. This approach identifies those standards that discriminate between high- compliance quality programs and low-compliance programs.

Results of the two projects will give insight into particular characteristics of quality child care programs. Findings of the national predictor/indicator databases suggest that 13 focus areas predict compliance with child care standards overall. Preliminary data analysis of the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care project suggests that experts consider many of these same focus areas necessary for reducing injury and morbidity in child care settings. For example, training in pediatric CPR and first aid, immunization of children in care, emergency plans, and proper handwashing procedures were identified by experts as priority health standards and were statistically significant predictors of compliance overall.

The National Resource Center's priority project has yet to be completed. Utilizing either model or a combination of the two promises to assist staff in monitoring provider practices more efficiently and effectively.

Carole Logan Kuhns, R.N., Ph.D., is the Project Director at the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care (703-524-7802) and is an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University.

Richard Fiene, Ph.D., is the State Training Director for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Day Care Services and is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Education at Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg campus.

The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care was established by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to provide a national focal point for information, training and technical assistance. The National Resource Center supports other MCHB-funded projects related to health and safety in child care, and assists states as they implement the National Health and Safety Performance standards. The mission of the Center is to enhance the quality of child care by supporting state health and licensing agencies, child care providers, health care professionals, parents and child advocates in promoting health and safety in childcare settings.

up arrowThe Earned Income Credit and Low Income Families by Helen Keith

Every day, child care programs help families in a variety of ways. This month, they can help by providing important tax information to parents.

The Earned Income Credit (EIC) is a refundable tax credit available to low-income families. It can be claimed after filing a tax return, or can be pre-paid to qualified people in their regular paychecks throughout the tax year. In some cases, the credit is even available to families who do not file a tax return.

The EIC should not be considered as an increase in wages or overall compensation. It is a tax credit that is due to working families to help them stay above water financially. IRS representatives emphasize that benefit levels (for example AFDC, Food Stamps, Medicaid) are not affected by the EIC. The National Women's Law Center has focused their outreach campaign on child care settings. This year the Center hopes that communities will continue to expand the outreach effort to families. Working with the National Women's Law Center, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has taken on an expanded role in outreach, developing a coalition of over 10,000 local organizations.

As of December, the Earned Income Credit Outreach Kit has been available to give programs the information families need to access the EIC. Anyone may obtain the kit by calling the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities at (202) 408-1080.

Helen Keith is a senior researcher for child care programs with Macro International. She recently coordinated a national audioconference on the EIC for CCDBG grantees.

In tax year 1994, those eligible for the Earned Income Credit include:

  • Families with one child who earn less than $23,755 are eligible for a credit of up to $2,038;
  • Families with two or more children who earn less than $25,296 are eligible for a credit of up to $2,528; and
  • For the first time, workers earning less than $9,000 with no children are eligible for a maximum credit of $306 if they are over 25 and their return covers a 12 month period.

up arrowTransporting Children Safely by the Children's Safety Network

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is collaborating with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration on a child occupant protection in out-of-home child care project. This project will be conducted jointly by the Children's Safety Network at the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health and the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care.

The goal of the project is to educate child care centers and family child care providers about the precautions that must be taken when children are passengers in any kind of vehicle. The project will utilize training, technical assistance, and information dissemination to facilitate networking among the maternal and child health, traffic safety, and child care communities.

The project will educate preschool children, parents, and child care providers about child occupant protection. It will also work to ensure that children are transported safely and that child care providers are linked to community resources for child car safety seats and transportation safety classes.

For more information, contact Esha Batia at the Children's Safety Network, National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, 2000 15th Street North, Suite 701, Alexandria, Virginia, 22201 or call (703) 524-7802, fax (703) 524-9335.

The Child Occupant in Out-of-Home Child Care Settings project is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through an agreement with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

up arrowHealth Connections: The First Step in Serving Families by Yasmina Vinci and Renu Shukla

There is a growing recognition among child care practitioners, policy makers, and funders that health and quality child care are inextricably linked. This link is the foundation of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies' (NACCRRA) efforts to create and promote comprehensive service for families.

Experts in maternal and child health and leaders in the child care field want to make health linkages possible for communities in all states. As a result, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) is supporting Health Connections, a project which will explore and develop models of health linkages in CCR&Rs. Health Connections is a collaborative effort between the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and NACCRRA. The Resource Center, also supported by MCHB, maintains a wealth of information and services for improvements in health and safety in child care.

Health Connections will develop a comprehensive source of information and services for the child care community and will promote the development of systemic health linkages from the bottom up. The first steps of this year-long effort include: creating a database of model systemic health linkages in child care resource and referral agencies; providing national and regional forums for providers and CCR&Rs to discuss their needs in developing health linkages; convening sessions on health linkages at NACCRRA'S annual policy symposium in February 1995; and planning a national symposium with the Administration for Children and Families and MCHB on health and child care for spring 1995.

The members of the child care community make health linkages in a variety of ways. Providers may require immunizations before children are admitted, then provide health and developmental screenings, nutrition programs, health consultations, home visits, and referral services. Regulators expect programs to meet approved health and safety standards. Communities provide financial support of public health services in child care settings.

Sometimes these efforts complement each other very well, and sometimes they do not. States, tribes, and local governments may face obstacles due to financing limitations, budgeting issues, and limited administrative capacity. Often what is needed to overcome these obstacles are effective systemic links between these efforts.

Child care resource and referral agencies can provide those connections. They are at the hub of the child care system: they have supported parents in their searches for child care, and child care providers with training and technical assistance. They have worked with state and local governments to coordinate child care initiatives and programs. States and tribes could rely on CCR&Rs to serve as the direct link between child care administrators, providers, parents, and health care professionals.

Take, for example, the case of Louisiana, Just last year, a change in their child care health and safety regulations required providers to have completed three hours of training in health, sanitation and nutrition. Karen Kelso, R.N., M.S.N., of the state Office of Public Health, organized the "Train the Trainer" program, in which nurses, epidemiologist, and hospital representatives collaborated to train providers. She found that resource and referral agencies, with their comprehensive databases of providers, were able to link the health department to the child care community. She says of Louisiana's efforts: "CCR&Rs are the reason why this is going to work."

Child Care Services of Northwest Louisiana, Inc. reacted to last year's regulatory change by holding forums in three areas of the state, at which health department administrators met with providers and discussed the new training requirements and their implications for the child care community. Nancy Alexander of Child Care Services explains, "R&Rs can take the ball and run with it. We're a great group for state agencies to tap into."

Yasmina Vinci is Executive Director and Renu Shukla is the Policy Associate for the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). For more information about the Health Connections project, please contact Renu Shukla at (202) 393-5501.

NACCRRA represents resource and referral agencies in over 400 communities across the country, serving over 750,000 families and 260,000 providers each year.

up arrowEarly Childhood Programs Can Link Children With Health and Nutrition Benefits by Donna Cohen Ross

A national outreach project called Start Healthy, Stay Healthy, spearheaded by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, DC is helping early childhood programs move a step closer to providing low-income families with comprehensive services for their children. The project demonstrates how early childhood programs can use simple strategies that piggy-back on current intake and family assessment procedures to link eligible children with the health and nutrition benefits available through Medicaid and Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

Start Healthy, Stay Healthy is now responding to requests for information and technical assistance from child care resource and referral agencies, child care centers, Head Start and other preschool programs across the country. Programs in Alabama, Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington have expressed interest in launching outreach campaigns in their communities. In addition, 53 state and tribal Child Care and Development Block Grant administrators, as well as federal officials, attended a workshop about the project at the recent Administration for Children and Families National Child Care Conference, where a full day was devoted to making connections between early childhood and health programs.

Why is there such widespread interest and concern, and why are early childhood programs in a prime position to help? The number of uninsured youngsters is a cause for great concern. The Center's recent analysis of Census data indicates that 2.6 million children under age 6 are eligible for Medicaid but are not receiving it. About half of these children lack health insurance coverage; the other half have private insurance, but this coverage is not likely to offer the full range of comprehensive preventive services available under Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program (EPSDT). To a large extent, the gap in Medicaid enrollment exists because families are probably unaware of recent program changes that resulted in their children being eligible for Medicaid. Prior to 1989, health insurance coverage under Medicaid was available primarily to children receiving public assistance through AFDC> Federal law changes have expanded Medicaid coverage beyond AFDC participations so that now children under age six from families with incomes below 133 percent of the poverty line can enroll in the program.

Similarly, parents may be unaware that children under age five from families with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty line can receive WIC. Currently, WIC reaches only about 55 percent of eligible children age one through five; about 2.5 million children are eligible, but not enrolled in the program.

Early childhood programs work directly with these children and families every day. Low-income working parents often have jobs that do not provide health insurance coverage. Yet, because these parents are in the workforce they are often unfamiliar with public assistance programs. The children of these working parents are likely to be cared for during the day in some type of early childhood setting, which means these programs are in a key position to deliver the message about the availability of Medicaid and WIC and how to apply for benefits.

In addition to identification and referral, a Start Healthy, Stay Healthy goal is to make the Medicaid enrollment process less cumbersome. Many states are now allowing Medicaid applications to be mailed, saving parents from making a trip to the Medicaid office. In addition, the project is exploring ways early childhood programs can serve as enrolment "outstation" sites so that parents can file applications in places where they feel comfortable and help from familiar staff is available. Start Healthy, Stay Healthy is also working to obtain clarification and dissemination of rules regarding the range of outreach and enrollment activities for which Medicaid reimbursement can be claimed.

How a Child Care Program Can Link Children to Medicaid

Sara is three years old. She will be attending the Learn and Grow Child Care Center when her mother starts a new job next week. Combined with the money Sara's father earns from his work, the family income will amount to $15,500 a year. Since neither parent receives health insurance benefits from their employer, Sara, their only child, is uninsured.

The Learn and Grow Center is a Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsor. The family counselor at Learn and Grow helped enroll Sara in the program. She found that the family's income is below the 130 percent of the poverty line; therefore the Center can claim the free meal reimbursement rate from CACFP. The family counselor has been trained to recognize that children from families that qualify for the free meal reimbursement are also likely to be eligible for Medicaid. The family counselor finds out that Sara is not already receiving Medicaid benefits and that the family has no insurance to cover Sara's health care. She tells Sara's mother about the Medicaid program and the full range of preventative services and treatment available through EPSDT. She gives Sara's mother the address and phone number of the local Medicaid office and offers her help in applying.

Resources and Technical Assistance available

A user-friendly outreach kit will be available from Start Healthy, Stay Healthy in early 1995. It will contain background information and outreach strategies for program providers and advocates, as well as materials for families with children eligible for Medicaid and WIC. Training and technical assistance for state and local organizations is also available.

Donna Cohen Ross is the Director of Outreach for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. To learn more, call Donna Cohen Ross, Eliana Loveluck or Allison Logie at the Center at (202) 408-1080.

up arrowChild Care Technical Assistance Project by Anne Goldstein

One year after Child Care and Development Block Grant funding became available to the states, territories and tribes, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) entered into a contract with J&E Associates and Macro International to broaden the technical assistance available to grantees. J&E Associates have worked with ACF central and regional office staff to help grantees meet the requirements of the block grant program and to increase the availability, accessibility and quality of child care services. J&E Associates and Macro International will continue their work with ACF and block grant recipients for the next few months.

In October 1994, ACF initiated a new technical assistance project with Trans-Management Systems Corporation (T-MSC) and Collins Management Consulting, Inc. (CMC) to continue the national technical assistance effort to promote coordinated, comprehensive services to children and families. T-MSC and CMC have extensive experience in the child care field, including direct service, resource and referral, training, technical assistance and advocacy, as well as with federal, state and local governments.

The Child Care Technical Assistance Project will continue to convene state/territorial and tribal workgroups to obtain input. These groups will provide the practical and factual background needed to help shape the technical assistance effort. Planned activities include a National Tribal Child Care Conference (tentatively scheduled for August 1995) and a National Child Care Conference for state/territorial grantees (tentatively scheduled for September 1995). The T-MSC/CMC team will also coordinate National Leadership Forums to bring together experts on important topics such as children with disabilities (tentatively scheduled for July 1995) and supporting and involving families in child care programs (tentatively scheduled for January 1996).

T-MSC/CMC will also be responsible for supporting an interagency child care group, regional child care meetings, on-site technical assistance to selected ACF grantees, and other activities.

A major activity of the technical assistance effort is the creation of the National Child Care Information Center. Current research, best practices, and related resource information will be available via computer, fax, and an "800" telephone line.

The National Child Care Information Center is a new mechanism for enhancing program linkages at the national level that will be developed with existing child care organizations to supplement, not duplicate services. The Center staff will solicit input on resource needs from state, territorial, and tribal grantees. Another responsibility of the Center is publication of the Child Care Bulletin, which will be distributed six times a year to federal administrators, ACF grantees, national child care organizations and others interested in child care issues and program practices.

T-MSC's project staff include:

  • Regina Bernard, MSW-LCSW, Project Director
  • Sally Hardy, Ph.D., Senior Child Care Specialist
  • Tribal Child Care Specialist (national recruitment ongoing)
  • Logistics Coordinator (recruitment ongoing)

CMC's project staff include:

  • Ray Collins, Ph.D., Subcontract Manager
  • Anne Goldstein, M.A., Director, National Child Care Information Center
  • Marilyn McGhee, M.G.A., Editor, Child Care Bulletin P
  • Danielle Ewen, M.P.A., Researcher

For more information about the Child Care Technical Assistance Project, see the CCTAP Information Page or call Regina Bernard at (202) 639-4465.

Anne Goldstein is the Director of the National Child Care Information Center. For more information on the Center, call 1- 800-616-2242; TDD 1-800-516-2242 or fax at 1-800-716-2242

up arrowPublic Health and Child Care Linkages

Selected Findings of a Survey of State Agencies Conducted by the American Public Welfare Association (For more information, call Michelle M. Odom at 202-682-0100):

Arizona
Through CCDBG funded child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies, the Public Health Department offers training and resources on nutrition, oral health, and developmental growth. The Department of Health Services offers a 1-800 statewide child care information line available to parents, providers and others.

Florida
Child care and health services are both administered by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. At the local level. Child care staff interact on a routine basis with county public health nurses to license child care facilities, make annual inspections, and respond to outbreaks of illness.

Indiana
At the direction of the governor, eight state agencies worked together to draft a proposal for a Consolidated State Plan for Services to Children and Families. This will remove barriers and result in improved services and greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Maryland
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene made a grant to the Child Care Administration to provide immunization training and educational materials to child care providers.

Missouri
The Department of Health, through its Child Care Licensing Unit, develops health and safety standards for all facilities caring for more than four children.

Nebraska
There are ongoing collaborations between the child care and health agencies on immunization provision in child care settings and for lead investigation and abatement in child care centers.

Vermont
Some areas use local child care sites for WIC and well baby clinics.

Washington
The Department of Health provided regional training to local public health departments regarding child care consultations, including immunizations, nutrition, oral health, and growth and development.

Selected States' Activities related to Child Care Health and Safety, as compiled by the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health:

Kentucky
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department operates a child day care program that assesses needs of child care centers in areas of health, safety and nutrition education. Services include onsite and phone consultation, staff training, parent education programs, children's health education programs and a newsletter.

Pennsylvania
State administered funds support the Early Childhood Education Linkage System (ECELS) program, which provides telephone consultation for early childhood professionals about health and safety issues; training for early childhood educators, licensing staff and health consultants; and links child care facilities to health professionals who volunteered to be listed in the ECELS health consultant registry.

up arrowChild Care and Development Block Grant Data

(excerpted from the First Annual Report to the Congress on State Program Services and Expenditures)

Children Served by Type of Provider

  • Licensed Centers 68%
  • Licensed Family Homes 18%
  • Child's Home 5%
  • Other Providers 9%

An estimated 571,095 children received child care services paid for in whole or in part with Block Grand funds. Over two-thirds of the children were served in licensed centers.

Children Served by Level of Family Income

  • At or below Poverty 68%
  • Above 150% of Poverty 10%
  • Poverty to 150% of Poverty 22%

Over two-thirds of the children served were in families with incomes at or below poverty.

Reasons for Child Care

  • Working 68%
  • Training 16%
  • Education 9%
  • Protective Services 7%

Nearly 68% of all participating children were receiving child care so their parent(s) could work.

Children Served by Age

  • Age 0-1 19%
  • Age 2-3 25%
  • Age 4-5 36%
  • Age 6 and older 20%

Approximately four out of five children served were under six years of age.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant includes a 25% set- aside to increase the availability and improve the quality of child care. Each state sets its own priorities and spends the funds according to its needs.

The bulk of the 25% monies were spent on early childhood development programs and on before-and after-school child care. Many grantees chose to use the funds to expand existing early childhood programs including those administered by Head Start and the public schools.

A major emphasis of these efforts was on child care resource and referral programs. States also developed alliances with community organizations such as the YMCA and YWCA, community centers, churches, synagogues, Kiwanis Clubs, and the United Way.

Others initiated programs through collaborations with organizations that were already active in the child care field, such as public housing authorities, state colleges and universities, non-profit and for-profit child care centers, and local public school systems.

The majority of grantees targeted at least some of their early childhood development programs to specific populations and to meet community-specific needs. More than half chose to develop and expand projects serving infants and toddlers. Many states invested funds in projects to serve children with disabilities. Several states funded early childhood development projects for teen parents, parents attending school and homeless families. Others funded early childhood education curricula and materials to meet the needs of minority populations such as migrant, Native American and Hispanic families.

up arrowSpotlight On...

Successful collaborations grow from mutual needs. After assessing the needs of their licensed, unlicensed and relative child care providers, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma found that their providers had similar training needs. Many of the providers live in rural areas with little access to training and need a curriculum tailored to persons with limited experience as providers and little or no formal training in child care. Together, they began an effort to meet these needs.

To solve these problems, a representative from the Cherokee Nation and Janet Wise, the Child Care Coordinator of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and also the President of the National Indian Child Care Association talked with a number of organizations in the area. They found that the American Red Cross, which offered a basic caregiving course, the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service and the Area Resource Prevention Network, a clearinghouse for substance abuse prevention training, each wanted to expand their training resources in the area of child care.

From these discussions, a successful collaboration was born. A new curriculum is being developed to supplement the existing American Red Cross courses. The program will include sections on Early Child Development, Nutrition, Health and Safety, Tax Reporting, Recordkeeping and cultural activities. The program is scheduled to be completed and used in the first training class by June 1, 1995.

In addition, the Tribal CCDBG program staff will become certified trainers through the American Red Cross. When they have finished the training, program staff will be qualified to train and certify local providers in Infant/Child CPR, First Aid and Child Care Careers. This "train the trainers" model will allow the tribe to provide instruction to providers as it is needed rather than as it becomes available.

Tribal Resources

  • National Indian Health Board
    1385 S. Colorado Blvd.
    Suite A-708
    Denver, CO 80222
    (303)759-3075

    Provides technical assistance to members and Indian organizations on health topics

  • American Indian Health Care Association
    245 E. 6th Street, Suite 499
    Saint Paul, MN 55101
    (612) 293-0233

    Provides training and technical assistance in the implementation of management techniques for urban Indian health care centers.

  • Association on American Indian Affairs
    245 Fifth Avenue
    New York, NY 10016
    (212) 689-8720

    Provides legal and technical assistance to Indian tribes.

  • First Nations Development Institute
    69 Kelley Road
    Falmouth VA 22405
    (703) 371-5615

    Aims to help tribes achieve self-sufficiency through technical assistance and workshops.

up arrowResources in Child Care

With each issue, the Child Care Bulletin will highlight resources available to the child care community. We encourage providers, parents, administrators, and other readers to share your knowledge of what is available so that we can pass it on to the field.

How can local R&Rs and child care centers provide access to high quality information on parenting and working with families, without assembling a costly library? The National Parent Information Network (NPIN), an extensive and growing electronic service for parents, parent educators, and others working in collaboration with families, provides information that can supplement local resources.

Operated by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE), NPIN provides a continually expanding collection of information on parenting, parent education, child care, learning activities at home, and parent involvement for parents and those who work with them. Available at no charge to anyone with an Internet account, NPIN is housed on a "gopher" site (made possible by an equipment grant from Apple Computer, Inc.) that is devoted to child development, care and education, and the parenting of children from birth through adolescence.

ERIC/EECE, one of 16 clearinghouses that make up the federally funded ERIC education information system, works to make the literature on child development, child care and early education available in the ERIC database.

The clearinghouse also offers free print materials to requestors on many topics related to early education and care. For a list of free materials and information on early childhood educators and the Internet, call ERIC/EECE at 1-800-583-4135 [NCCIC Editor's note (03-04-04): ERIC/EECE was discontinued on December 31, 2003. For more information call 1-877-275-3227 or e-mail the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative at ecap@uiuc.edu].

Publications

Model Child Care Health Policies
Susan Aronson and Herberta Smith
Developed by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Comprehensive model health policies and sample forms presented in this report cover nearly every aspect of child and staff health concerns. (Available for $5 from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1426 or call 1-800-424-2460.)

Promoting Access to Quality Child Care: Critical Steps in Conducting Market Rate Surveys and Establishing Rate Policies Prepared for the Children's Defense Fund by Louise Stoney

This report provides technical information for those working to establish rate policies in their states. (Available for $5.95 from CDF, P.O. Box 90500, Washington, DC 20090-0500

MCH Program Interchange: Focus on Health and Safety in Child Care National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health

Information about selected materials and publications from federal agencies, state and local public health agencies and voluntary and professional organizations. (For information, call (703) 821-8955 ext 254.)

Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Child Care

The National Child Care Information Center (1-800-616-2242) has begun planning with ERIC/EECE to become an Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for Child Care. [NCCIC Editor's note (03-04-04): The ERIC system was restructured on December 31, 2003. Therefore, NCCIC is no longer an Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for Child Care.] This will facilitate the efforts of the Center to provide free information and referral services to state, territorial and tribal grantees administering federal child care funds and to others in the child care community.

This page is being maintained on the NCCIC web site for historical purposes. As a result, not all information may be current.

 
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