Members Present:

Amanda McClain	Ari Conner	Audra Haney	Brittany Lee
Denny Doyen	Felicia Jackson	Gayla Carnagey	Harold Jergenson
Jill Goyette	Katherine Leidy	LaDona Elder	Lauren Jenks-Jones
Peggy Byerly	Stephanie Lippert	Tammy Maus	Terri Davis
William Alexander

 

Members not Present:  

 

Aimee Ryan	Gayla Ham
Susie Cain	Carrie Coppernoll-Jacobs

 

Others Present:

Susan Kimmel	Linda Whaley	Christy Kastl	Mitzi Lee
Leslie Bradford	Shannon Kaelin	Kristi Simpson	Linda Bradford
Ashley Ousley	Karen Manwell	Paula Brown	Carole Turner
Bonnie Clift	Sandy Grace	Susan Case	Katie Quebedeaux
Denise Anderson	Janell Wheat	Paula Koos	Amie McDaniel
Gabriella Evans	Kelly Harrison	Nickia Greene	Kristina Allen
Lisa Woolsey	Jennifer King	Michelle Spears	Tina Tebbetts
Amy (no last name listed)	Claudia (no last name listed)	Mindy Yoder	Darla Cheek
Dionne Todd	Andrew Norton

Meeting Notices:

·      The Agenda and Meeting Notice were sent on 02/17/2021 to publisher@ecapitol.net  with a list of all CCAC meetings for 2021 submitted to the Secretary of State on 11/13/2020

 

Call to Order:

·      Jason Charles called meeting to order at 10:07 am

Approval of Minutes:  

·      September 9, 2020 minutes were approved

Standing Membership Subcommittee Report provided by Peggy Byerly:

·      New member nominations:

o   Katherine Leidy – Representing Oklahoma Psychiatric Hospital Assoc.

o   Kathy Castleberry – Representing Head Start Collaboration Office

o   Denis Doyen – Representing Residential Care Baptist Children’s Home

o   Tammy Maus approved for 2^nd term

o   All nominations approved

·      Orientation

o   All new member nominations attended orientation

·      Vacancies

o   Family Child Care Homes - Rural

o   Part-Day Programs

o   Private Partnership

o   State Early Childhood Advisory Council

 

Standing Subcommittee Reports:

·      Family Child Care Homes Standing Subcommittee

o   Ari Conner provided report

§  Subcommittee has not met this quarter

§  Still haven’t found any one willing to serve as member for rural homes

§  Soon the subcommittee will be working with DHS going over guidelines and making recommendations for homes

·      QRIS Standing Subcommittee

o   No report

·      Child Care Facilities (centers) Standing Subcommittee

o   Tammy Maus provided report

o   The last meeting was March 4, 2021 via zoom

o   Members discussed:

§  Questions remain with Oklahoma’s plan to allocate CARES funding (funds from Dec. 2020 and Mar. 2021)

ú  Lacking transparency

ú  Communication from DHS to the field and industry stakeholders

ú  Concerns that DHS will find creative ways to spend the funding on new programs rather than support the child care industry that have been licensed by DHS for many decades and has proven outcomes and rising quality levels

ú  Industry needs to have input rather than developing exclusive programs that only benefit select populations such as the Hope Centers, Kithcare, etc.

ú  One member stated what the state does should be in the light and not under the cover of darkness and it was unanimously agreed on

ú  The extra $5/day has made a difference for many in the industry and we appreciate it. We recommend finding a way to implement subsidy on an enrollment vs. an attendance system. The state has always said they can’t afford to pay in this manner but now with the new funding we feel like possibly DHS can begin to do that. The inconsistency in the state paying the daily rate when the industry standard is private pay. So, in other words the industry standard is private pay but the state is paying the daily rate and we feel like there are inconsistencies that are dated and we need to look at fixing that.

ú  One member noted and several agreed that the recent market rate calls asked what the weekly rate was when they called the centers and homes thus indicating that DHS does have an understanding of the concept of pay for enrollment on a weekly basis. Enrollment pay increases quality by having consistent caregivers in our centers and our homes because by doing that it ensures that the quality is there so it does benefit the children and families.

ú  Concern that private pay only centers are being left out of the conversation and funding. There were several centers that addressed this with us and also said funding is supposed to support quality childcare and not just subsidy sponsored children.

ú  Concerns that DHS has decided not to support the licensed childcare industry like it has in the past. It’s a feeling of disappointment and frustration and feels like they’re working against the licensed childcare industry. We are on the same team working to support children and families in Oklahoma. One said we are not the enemy, but it feels as though we’re not working collaboratively any more and it feels like we’re not recognized or supported and that we’ve been put on the back burner.

ú  Concerns that we are deemed an essential industry, but we are considered after teachers to get vaccines. This is not DHS’ call but is the state and something that we need to look at if the pandemic continues or if another strain comes out and gets worse. Many are still waiting to get their vaccine.

ú  There is concern regarding the following items, and we would like more information as the plans and intent, etc. moving forward for the:

o   Hope Centers

o   Kithcare

o   Oklahoma Clearing House

o   200-day review

o   CCAC members deserve to be advised on these as well

·      Residential Standing Subcommittee

o   Jason Charles provided report

§  Subcommittee has not met this quarter

           

Legislative Update: 

·      Linda Whaley provided report and handout

 

Licensing Sanctions Report:

·      Kristi Simpson provided report and handout

 

 

Old Business:

·      Jason Charles – would like an update on the Bylaws subcommittee

o   Mitzi Lee – the revisions have not been drafted yet; this has been put on hold for now. During this time Jennifer Towell stepped down as CCS Director and the new director, Brittany Lee, started a 200-day rule review. There was also some pending legislation about Child Care Advisory in the licensing act.

o   Brittany Lee – the purpose of the 200-day review was to allow time for her to learn more about the complexities of Child Care Services.

·      Tammy Maus – Legislation

o   Would like it to be noted in the minutes that there is still support to revert the legislation back to the previous language before Senator Griffin’s bill; the bill was tabled this year. The language was brought forward to the Oklahoma Child Care Association and Licensed Child Care Association to show support and that we want this to go forward and it had overwhelming support from the members of these groups. They were told that DHS asked that it be tabled to allow for the 200-day review, but it doesn’t have anything to do with that.

New Business:

·      Jill Goyette

o   Would like to remind everyone that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and OSDH is hosting the bi-annual state meeting on April 1.

o   April 1 is the OK Wears Blue for Child Abuse Prevention and she has some T-shirts for $10 if anyone is interested in getting one please contact her.No new business

 

Public Comment

·       No public comments

 

Next Meetings:

·      Wednesday, September 8, 2021

·      Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Meeting adjourned at 10:34 am