California State Budget, Legislature & The Capitol

CALIFORNIA BUDGET UPDATES

To help support you staying on top of the 2024-25 budget process and materials connected to the budget, TFC is hosting everything in one place on its Budget Page.

Upcoming Committee Hearings:

• ASM Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services
• March 13, 2024 @ 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 444
• ASM Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services
• March 13, 2024 @ 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 444

Last week, the Department of Finance released their budget trailer bills. See below:

Budget Trailer Bills & 2024-25 Proposed Budget Trailer Bill Language Tracking

• K-12 Omnibus (2/1/2024)
• WIC Online Ordering (2/1/2024) 
• Bringing Families Home Program (1/25/2024) Housing related supports to eligible families.
• Family First Prevention Services program (1/31/2024) Small counties may be exempted.



Communications released related to the CA Budget:

• CA Budget & Policy Center: First Look: Understanding the Governor's 2024-25 State Budget Proposal
• The 2024-25 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

All of the above information can be found on TFC's Budget Page. Be sure to reach out to TFC staff with any questions.

BILL OF THE WEEK

AB 2343 (Schiavo) Childcare Support for Those Experiencing Homelessness and/or Domestic Violence  

Author: ASM Pilar Schiavo

Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 to represent the 40th Assembly District, representing the Northwest San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. Upon her election, she was appointed as Assistant Majority Whip by the Speaker of the Assembly and now serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. Prior to her election, Assemblywoman Schiavo was a Nurse Advocate and Small Business Owner who worked in the labor movement for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, Assemblywoman Schiavo helped deliver healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, to more than one million people and fought to put critical dollars in the pockets of workers. In the Northwest San Fernando Valley, she co-founded an organization that helped secure housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness, co-founded an organization that delivered more than 50,000 meals to people in need, and increased resources to help keep our communities safe. Assemblywoman Schiavo lives in Chatsworth with her daughter Sofia where they love to hike in the Santa Susana Mountains.



Click here to view more.

HOW TO SUPPORT A BILL

As bills move through California’s legislative process, they are presented to and heard by several committees who may recommend amendments and vote on whether or not the bill should continue through the legislative process.

As legislators decide how to vote, they consider public opinion as expressed through position letters. To support a bill, you can submit your letter through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal.

If you have any questions, contact TFC staff!

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & BILLS

Last Friday was the deadline to introduce new bills. There were 1556 Assembly Bills introduced and 662 Senate bills.

Upcoming Legislative Hearings:

• ASM Education Committee Bill Hearing - March 20th @ 1:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100
• ASM Human Services Committee Bills Hearing - April 2nd @ 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 444
• SEN Education Committee Bill Hearing - March 20th @ 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2100

Recently Introduced Bills to Watch:

• AB 1808 (Nguyen) Childcare and development services: eligibility. Extends 24-month eligibility to CalWORKs child care. TFC SPONSORED
• AB 2476 (Bonta) Childcare services: alternative payment programs. TFC SPONSORED
• AB 1961 (Wicks) Food access: strategic plan.
• SB 1307 (Becker) Childcare and development services: eligibility and priority.

Resources:

• See the full 2023-24 Legislative Calendar here.
• Visit TFC's legislation page to find a comprehensive list of bills of interest.
• Visit TFC's Budget Page for full budget bill details, as well as budget hearing video archive links.
• Visit TFC's dedicated page to find a full list of Senate and Assembly Committee chairs and contact information.
• Click here to view all the bills that the Assembly and Senate introduced this legislative year.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE INFO, RULES & POSITION LETTER DEADLINES

All changes to committee assignments have been reflected on TFC's Committee Information, Rules & Position Letter Deadlines page. This page has been tailored to only include those committees relevant to the field. However, you can find the full, comprehensive and updated list of all committees on this site.

Please reach out to TFC staff if you have any questions.

2024 ELECTION INFORMATION AND UPDATES

Important Dates:

• March 5, 2024 - Presidential Primary Election
• November 5, 2024 - General Election

Qualified Statewide Propositions:

• Proposition 1:
• AB 531 (Chapter 789, Statutes of 2023), Irwin. The Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023.
• SB 326 (Chapter 790, Statutes of 2023), Eggman. The Behavioral Health Services Act.
• SCA 2 (Allen) Public housing projects. (Res. Ch. 182, 2022)
• ACA 5 (Low) Marriage equality. (Res. Ch. 125, 2023)
• ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry) Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval. (Res. Ch. 173, 2023)
• ACA 13 (Ward) Voting thresholds. (Res. Ch. 176, 2023)

Click here to see the Secretary of State's full list of candidates for 2024 elections.

Click here to see more information on elections from the Secretary of State.

Did you know?

Child Care Q&As

Question: According to the Funding Terms & Conditions, how many years must a contractor reconcile a physical inventory with property records?

Answer: Every 2 years.

Question: When is the Program Self-Evaluation due? 

Answer: It is due on June 1st.

Question: What is the threshold amount for an agency to submit the Equipment Purchase Approval (EPA) form to CDSS?

Answer: CDSS approval is required prior to incurring costs when the total amount equals or exceeds $5,000 per unit cost, including tax, and/or $10,000 in sum, including tax. Private agencies are required to obtain and submit documentation of 3 bids for purchases. Public agencies shall comply with the applicable section of the Public Contract Code (PCC). The prior approval is needed if you are using contract funds in whole or in part for the purchase.

Child Care and Development Fund State Plan

The federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is an aggregate of several funding sources that is distributed in block grants by the federal government to the states and territories. The majority of the funds are to be used to provide child care services to families who meet certain income and need criteria. A portion of the funding is to be used for activities to improve the quality of child care. Another portion is to be used to pay for costs of administering the CCDF.

The Plan Preprint for States and Territories is now available for public comment through 3/6/2024. The Public Hearing will be held at the CDSS' Headquarters at the following date, address, and time:



Date: March 6, 2024

Address: 744 P Street; Sacramento, CA 95814

Room: OB9, Rooms 235/237

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.



The focus of the Plan Preprint (formatted in a Google document for you to add your comments) for FY 2025-2027 is to reduce burden, prioritize key policy areas, and facilitate communication of implementation action plans to address non-compliance. Click here to read ACF Overview of FY 2025-27 CCDF Plan Preprint.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is the lead agency for California and it has the flexibility to modify this program at any time, including amending the options selected or described. Thriving Families California (TFC) has formed a workgroup responsible for providing direction to CDSS as they develop the California’s plan. The members of this workgroup are as follows:

·        Christina Acosta – Pomona Unified School District

·        Jolie Buberl – CDA

·        Rick Richardson – CDA

·        Tanya Vega - Child & Family Services (CFS) California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP); Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE)

·        Karen Ramirez – Hively

·        Mona Shirk - Hively

You may provide input to one of the members above or you may enter your comment directly on the Plan Preprint. We encourage you to take this opportunity to envision the possibilities, and not restrict your input based current circumstances. Consider new opportunities and removal of challenges that have not worked.

Click here to see CDSS landing page for all State Plan informtion.

Federal Update

NWLC Federal Update

Federal Government Update:

The Senate and House passed a stopgap measure to fund the government on a short-term basis and avoid a partial government shutdown before the deadline of Friday, 3/1. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.

This stopgap bill shifts the deadlines to March 8 and March 22 to give lawmakers more time to pass full-year FY24 appropriations bills.

NWLC remains wary of a shutdown or the ultimate fallback — a full-year patch that keeps federal funding static into the fall. More: Congress passes stopgap bill to avert government shutdown | CNN Politics Reminder, a full-year Continuing Resolution (CR) would result in deep cuts for federal ECE programs.

It is critical that we continue to make the case that FY24 appropriations and any additional funding considered by Congress includes our ECE priorities. 

⇒ Please urge your Members of Congress to protect and expand funding for child care and early learning programs.

Our country needs Congress to push past the chaos and focus on the basics: keeping the government running and passing funding bills that place the needs of women, families, and children first. 

***

Child Tax Credit

As previously reported, the House passed the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act―the tax package that includes an expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC)―and now it’s on to the Senate. More: NWLC Statement on House Passage of Bipartisan Tax Bill

⇒ Please urge your Senators to pass the expanded CTC.

We know how to end child poverty. That is why we are fighting for this expansion right now, and why we will keep fighting to further improve the CTC.   

More: 

• Child Tax Credit 2024 Resources & Social Media (Coalition on Human Needs)

***

Supplemental Federal Child Care Funding Update:

As the timeline for passing the national security supplemental request continues to draw out, we are now focused on ensuring that any future (likely spring?) domestic funding supplemental that is considered includes $16 billion for child care and early learning.

⇒ Please urge your Members of Congress to support the $16 billion proposal supported by President Biden and many congressional Democrats. 

As previously shared,

• State-by-State Map on Local Impact of Child Care Funding Cliff - National Women's Law Center (nwlc.org)
• The-Child-Care-Stabilization-Act-One-Pager.pdf (senate.gov)

New CCDF Rule & Resources

From the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care (OCC): 

This week, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care (OCC) announced a new rule that will lower costs for families that receive child care subsidies, improve payment practices to child care providers, and increase families’ child care options. The changes make much needed updates to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), which is the nation’s largest funding stream to help families afford child care and improve quality in child care settings. 

The text of the full rule is available here.

Key updates to CCDF include: 

• Reducing costs to families: The rule limits the amount that families pay to no more than 7 percent of their household income and makes it easier for Lead Agencies to eliminate co-payments for many more families.
• Improving payments to providers: The rule requires Lead Agencies to make on-time payments to child care providers and better cover the cost of providing care, common business practices that will make it easier for child care providers to participate in CCDF and will better stabilize their operations. 
• Expanding choices for families: The rule will make it easier for families to find child care that meets their needs.  
• Cutting red tape: The rule clarifies flexibilities for presumptive eligibility to allow more families to start child care assistance right away so they do not lose out on a job opportunity. It also encourages Lead Agencies to streamline enrollment processes to make it easier for families to apply for and receive child care assistance if they have already demonstrated eligibility for another benefit program.

The rule strengthens key policies in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 and builds on the guidance provided in the 2016 CCDF final rule. OCC commends CCDF Lead Agency recent efforts to stabilize and strengthen the child care sector across the country and looks forward to partnering with Lead Agencies to continue to build a child care subsidy program that meets families’ needs and supports a more stable child care sector. The rule published today addresses programmatic and systemic challenges in the child care system.

OCC is hosting a webinar for all interested parties outlining the final rule on March 7, 2024 from 12 to 1pm (Eastern Standard Time). A registration link will be distributed at a later date.

OCC is hosting a second webinar with a specific focus on the impact of the rule for Tribal CCDF programs on March 7, 2024 from 3:30 to 4:30pm (Eastern Standard Time). A registration link will be distributed at a later date.

The recordings for both webinars will be posted on the new OCC rule resource page for those unable to attend. OCC will post additional resources related to the rule and encourages you to check the resource page regularly.   

Also:

• Please find a video message from the Vice President’s X, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads accounts.
• A fact sheet from the White House can be found here,.

From NWLC: This is important progress for families! We look forward to working with the Administration, Congress, and states to pass robust, sustainable funding to make affordable child care a reality for all families.

New Resources - How schools and districts can expand access to high-quality preschool

From the US Departments of Education and Health & Human Services:

For the first time in more than ten years, ED has released guidance on how Title I funds can support access to high-quality preschool services, including in our Head Start programs. The guidance makes clear that these funds can also be used to support our early educators, including through boosting compensation. It also reaffirms school and district leaders’ ability to use Title I funds to support infants and toddlers.

ED also released a Dear Colleague Letter encouraging state, local, and school leaders to ensure early school success by aligning programming between early childhood settings and the early grades.

ED and HHS released a joint Dear Colleague Letter reaffirming the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of ensuring that we grow a system of mixed delivery as we invest in preschool expansion.

These actions were taken in response to directives made as a part of the President’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-quality Care and Supporting Caregivers.

Survey Data - “We Are NOT OK” 

From the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC):

In January 2024, more than 10,000 early childhood educators (ECE) from all states and settings—including centers, family child care homes, faith-based programs, Head Start, and public preschool programs—responded to a new ECE field survey from NAEYC. The survey results and accompanying stories illustrate the ongoing challenges facing this field, the exhaustion of providers, the clear benefits of public funding, and the need for additional support following the loss of federal funding that helped stabilize the sector before it expired in September 2023.

• Read the Press Release
• Read the National Brief (February 2024)
• Find your state-specific survey data (February 2024)
• Child Care Is an Industry on the Brink - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Take Action - State of the Union Address on March 7th 

From Child Care Aware of America:

The 2024 State of the Union will take place on the evening of Thursday, March 7th. We are hopeful that the President’s speech will highlight the importance of child care and push for additional investments.  

If you would like to add your voice to those urging the White House to address the urgent needs of parents and child care providers, you can use the below resources leading up to and during the State of the Union.  

We have sample social media posts and downloadable graphics. Be sure to follow and use the hashtags #ChangeChildCare, #SOTU, and #StateOfChildCare to join the conversation. 

Looking for ways to stay engaged with the State of the Union? Check out these resources!

Case Study - Ahead of the Game: How the American Rescue Plan Act Rescued One Maryland Family Care Program, and What Comes Next

From the National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC) and New America’s A Better Life Lab:

Ahead of the Game: How the American Rescue Plan Act Rescued One Maryland Family Care Program, and What Comes Next - Early Learning Nation

Since the pandemic, and thanks to ARPA funding, the racial makeup of Jones’s class transformed. “For 15 years,” she says, “I didn’t have one Black client. Child care is very expensive, and in Rockville it’s just really hard to find high-quality, affordable care. But when I started to accept pre-K funds, that was the first time that I had a client of color.”

The expanded space she secured helped her qualify for the pre-K expansion funds. On the day I visited, Margie Ryan, the pre-K coach assigned to Jones by the Family Child Care Alliance of Maryland, was there to observe class. (Read about Maryland’s Prekindergarten Expansion Grant Program.) “Tiffany is way ahead of the game,” Ryan told me, praising her vocabulary-building games centered on everyday household objects. Jones serves on the board of the Montgomery County Children’s Opportunity Alliance and received a Montgomery County Innovative Leadership Excellence Award in October 2023.

Erica Phillips, executive director at the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), praises Jones for “taking full advantage of ARPA to upgrade her program.” Thanks to the pre-K expansion and other factors, Phillips explains, Precious Moments is a more sustainable business today, which matters for Jones and her family, for the families she supports and for the local employers and economy that rely on her. Jones is the Maryland State Representative for NAFCC as well as an NAFCC policy fellow.

Updated Resource - Hurting the Families that Need it Most: Child Support Enforcement in Child Care Subsidy

From ZERO TO THREE:

We have updated this resource to reflect the Maryland and Mississippi progress:

Hurting the Families that Need it Most: Child Support Enforcement in Child Care Subsidy

This brief outlines why states should strongly consider removing any child support enforcement requirements from state child care assistance policies. States funded under the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) are currently able to require child care subsidy recipients to cooperate with the child support program as a condition of eligibility. However, recognizing the barriers that this policy inflicts on families that simply want to return to work, most states have chosen not to adopt it or have removed child support enforcement from the subsidy process. In addition to adding burdensome family requirements, this policy can negatively impact young children and potentially damage healthy relationships that are so essential to early brain development.

Investigation - Her son died in day care. Ten years later, the system that could’ve saved him is still failing.

From The 19th News Network:

Who can you trust with your child’s safety?

A 19th investigation found more than a dozen states are failing to meet child safety regulations 10 years after the law was created. In this series, we explore why a rule designed to ensure children’s safety is taking so long to implement — and share resources on finding quality child care.

This series looks at the reporting requirements in CCDBG on deaths, serious injuries and abuse at child care programs. Ten years out from that regulation, the 19th found more than a dozen states that are out of compliance with some portion of it (and six more that changed have already updated their data because they asked about it). 

The 19th also created a dashboard that has a breakdown state-by-state of the compliance or missing data issues, and we wrote a guide for finding child care answering some common questions. All of the stories live here.

FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Announces Action to Lower Child Care Costs for More than 100,000 Families

Vice President Harris is announcing key steps to lower the cost of child care for working families and better support early educators, consistent with the President’s historic Executive Order on Care. Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a rule strengthening the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program, which supports over a million children and their families each month with child care assistance.

Specifically, this landmark rule will:

• Cap co-payments for families participating in CCDBG to no more than 7% of income, saving families in states that do not yet cap co-payments over $200 a month on average
• Encourage states to eliminate co-payments entirely for families of children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, children in Head Start, and families at or below 150% of the federal poverty level
• Direct states to pay child care providers more fairly and on time, improving financial stability for 140,000 child care providers and incentivizing more providers to participate in the CCDBG program
• Make it easier for families to access CCDBG subsidies by encouraging states to streamline eligibility and enrollment processes and reduce red tape that can disrupt parent employment, training, and education

Read the entire fact sheet here.

Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund

 This final rule makes regulatory changes to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). These changes lower child care costs for families participating in CCDF, improve the program’s child care provider payment rates and practices, and simplify enrollment in the child care subsidy program. The final rule also includes technical and other changes to improve clarity and program implementation.

Click here to read the full final rule.

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1. H.R.7024 [118th] Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
2. S.1409 [118th] Kids Online Safety Act
3. H.R.2 [118th] Secure the Border Act of 2023
4. S.596 [117th] Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2021
5. H.R.2670 [118th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
6. S.1323 [118th] SAFE Banking Act of 2023
7. H.R.82 [118th] Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
8. S.3589 [118th] Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024
9. H.R.815 [118th] National Security Act, 2024
10. H.R.431 [118th] Life at Conception Act

Thriving Families CA Events

To better support our field, Thriving Families CA will be hosting an informational training for our field in Pomona. We will be offering 3 tracks- one for AP's, one on Strengthening/Engaging Families and one for Executives. More details coming soon.

This Statewide Meeting will be very interactive and bring our field together to share insights and experiences, explore ideas, shape policy, and discuss best practices.



We hope you can join us!

Learn More & Register Here.

Social Media Spotlight

Field Highlights

Op-ed: My Family Struggled With Hunger. If Congress Won’t Fully Fund WIC, Millions More Will, Too

Growing up, I was an A student, president of the Student Council, and poor. However, benefits my mother received made me ineligible for free lunch. As a result, I often went without breakfast or lunch entirely. I would find myself eating leftovers from other people’s plates.

One day, I decided I wasn’t going to be hungry anymore. I got in line in the cafeteria and filled my tray with food. I then made a defiant move. I got to the cash register and said, “I am going to eat today.” No one stopped me. That day, I ate lunch, and from then on, I never had to skip lunch again for lack of money. The cafeteria school staff left me alone. It was my own hunger protest.

But not everyone has that choice. And many of today’s families are struggling to get enough food in school and out. That is why, as a member of Congress, I work passionately to fight food insecurity. At the center of that work is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)...

Click here to view the full article.

About 16 Million Children in Low-Income Families Would Gain in First Year of Bipartisan Child Tax Credit Expansion

The bipartisan Child Tax Credit expansion in the tax bill negotiated by Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith takes an important step toward making the credit work for children in families with low incomes. While smaller than the American Rescue Plan credit expansion that expired at the end of 2021, the proposal’s top priority is getting more of the credit to most of the roughly 19 million children who currently get a partial credit or none at all because their families’ incomes are too low. The bipartisan proposal pairs corporate and small business tax provisions with Child Tax Credit improvements that cost a similar amount, reportedly about $35 billion for each set of proposals. With the exception of a modest indexing proposal, all of the benefits from the Child Tax Credit improvements go to children left out of the full credit because their families’ incomes are too low...

Click here to view the full article.

Field Happenings

California Budget and Policy Center is hosting their Policy Insights conference on Tuesday, April 16th in Sacramento!

The dynamic workshops will cover some of the most important issues facing our state, including:



• Building Wealth, Building Futures: Strategies for Fostering Economic Opportunity and Mobility for Children
• Advancing Racial Equity in California: From Policy to Progress
• Dream Big: Increasing State Revenues Through Corporate Tax Fairness
• Expanding Child Care Access: Analyzing Supply Gaps and Policy Opportunities

Click here to register.

Advocacy Foundations Training with Head Start CA

Welcome to Advocacy Training in Collaboration with Head Start California!

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming training session, designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently navigate the California legislative process and effectively advocate for positive change in the early childhood education field.

Event Details:

Monday, March 4, 2024

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Zoom Webinar

Hosted by: 

Melanee Cottrill, Executive Director, Head Start California

Nina Buthee, Executive Director, EveryChild California

Justina Erpelding, Advocacy Organizer, EveryChild California  

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

Upcoming Webinars

PIN 24-04-CCP - IN-PERSON AND LIVE VIRTUAL ORIENTATIONS FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES

PIN 24-04 -CCP announces upcoming orientations for prospective Family Child Care Home (FCCH) providers to attend either an in-person session or a live virtual orientation.

An electronic copy of PIN 24-04-CCP - IN-PERSON AND LIVE VIRTUAL ORIENTATIONS FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES is available for viewing/downloading by clicking on the following link: PIN 24-04-CCP - IN-PERSON AND LIVE VIRTUAL ORIENTATIONS FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES

Previous PINs are available at the CCLD website:

If you have any questions regarding this PIN, please contact your local Regional Office.

Beginning Together Webinar: Using Play to Support Inclusion

The California Department of Social Services, Child Care and Development Division, in partnership with WestEd, is offering another inclusion webinar opportunity! Join us virtually on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for the Beginning Together webinar, Using Play to Support Inclusion!

Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission[er] for Human Rights as a right of every child (Ginsburg et al. 2007, 183). Building on Chapter 5 from the California Department of Education publication, The Powerful Role of Play in Early Education, this workshop highlights the importance of play experiences and social inclusion for children with disabilities and delays. Participants will learn about the laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities, identify ways to use Universal Design for Learning to create inclusive play environments, and explore strategies to promote access to play and encourage children’s participation through modifications and adaptations.

Technical Assistance sessions will be offered regionally in April.

To register, visit Using Play to Support Inclusion.

Child Care Program licensee, provider, and interested partner webinar on March 26, 2024

The Child Care Program (CCP) has released a new Provider Information Notice: PIN 24-05-CCP - CHILD CARE LICENSING WEBINARS.

Primary Audience: ALL COMMUNITY CARE PROVIDERS

Summary: PIN 24-05-CCP provides Zoom registration information for the statewide Child Care Program licensee, provider, and interested partner webinar on March 26, 2024.

An electronic copy of PIN 24-05-CCP - CHILD CARE LICENSING WEBINARS is available for viewing/downloading by clicking on the following link:

PIN 24-05-CCP - CHILD CARE LICENSING WEBINARS

Previous PINs are available at the CCLD website

If you have any questions regarding this PIN, please contact your local Regional Office.

Information & Updates

RELEASED February 8, 2024: Public Hearing Announcement for the Child Care and Development Fund 2025-2027 State Plan

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will hold a Public Hearing to receive public comments on the draft 2025-27 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) State Plan. Every three years, states and territories receiving CCDF funds must prepare and submit to the federal government a State Plan detailing how the State will allocate and expend these funds. A draft version of the plan is available on the CDSS’ Child Care and Development Fund State Plan webpage for review prior to the Public Hearing.

The Public Hearing will be held at the CDSS’ Headquarters at the following date, address, and time:

Date: March 6, 2024

Address: 744 P Street; Sacramento, CA 95814

Room: OB9, Rooms 235/237

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

When you arrive at CDSS, sign in at the security desk and wait for a Policy Team member to escort you to the hearing room.

At the hearing, any person may present statements, orally, relevant to the draft 2025-27 CCDF State Plan. Persons who make oral comments at the Public Hearing may also submit a written summary of their statements until March 6, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. to the dedicated email box statepln@dss.ca.gov if they choose, but it is not required. No oral statements will be accepted subsequent to the end of the Public Hearing on March 6, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.

If you have any questions about this Public Hearing, you can submit them to the dedicated email box statepln@dss.ca.gov.

RELEASED February 7, 2024: CDSS 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW

This CDSS 2023 Year in Review highlights key achievements for the year, which we could not have accomplished without the tremendous efforts and unwavering support from our many partners and the dedication of our extraordinary staff.

Among our many milestones from 2023, we continued to support the delivery of much-needed food and cash benefits to families, issued additional housing supports to help older adults and adults with disabilities, saw the launch of the first pilot programs designed to provide guaranteed income to former foster youth and pregnant individuals, welcomed and supported newcomers, and continued to provide funding for direct services and support to victims of hate incidents.

To see the full report, click here.

Happening This Week, March 4th - 8th:

Tuesday, March 5th: -TFC Weekly Member Connections Meeting @ 1:00pm. Email to register. -Beginning Together Webinar: Using Play to Support Inclusion, 6:00-8:00pm

Wednesday, March 6th: Public Hearing Announcement for the Child Care and Development Fund 2025-2027 State Plan. Address: 744 P Street; Sacramento, CA 95814

Room: OB9, Rooms 235/237

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 7th: TFC Public Policy Committee Workgroup: Funding @ 1:00pm

Thriving Families California (formerly CAPPA) is committed to supporting our field with a coordinated calendar. Click here to see current calendar of events. If you have an event to add, email us and it will be added.

The Weekly Good

An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.

During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field.