To assist DHS-certified child care providers in addressing the ongoing workforce crisis, Work Force Support Grants are now available.

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The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is offering Work Force Support Grants to Department of Human Services’ (DHS) certified child care providers using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stabilization and Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) funds. The funds in these grants are being made available to assist providers with current staffing shortages.

ARPA eligible providers will be funded through $27.9 million of uncommitted ARPA Stabilization Grant funds and $70 million of ARPA Stabilization administrative set-aside funds. DHS-certified care providers who are identified as not ARPA eligible will be funded through CRRSA funds. These funds will be distributed through the Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC).

Eligibility

Funds through the Work Force Support Grants are being provided to support the work of ongoing staff in centers, as well as assisting providers with staff recruitment.

All criteria outlined below must be met at the time the application is submitted for a DHS-certified child care provider to be eligible:

• Held a regular or provisional Certificate of Compliance on or before May 16, 2022;

• Be open and actively providing child care to one or more child(ren) in attendance at the provider location;

• Hold a Certificate of Compliance that is not in a Revocation or Refuse to Renew status with OCDEL Bureau of Certification Services;

• Not be under investigation by the Office of State Inspector General for, or previously convicted of fraud; and

• Not had their Child Care Works (CCW) provider agreement revoked due to fraud.

Applications for the Work Force Support Grants are now open and will be accepted through June 17, 2022. 

Attached are both the Application in English (PDF) and the Application in Spanish (PDF). Please email your completed application to grants.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us; drop it off or mail it to 304 Wood Street Commons, Suite 400 Pittsburgh, PA 15222; or fax it to 412.350.3575.

The Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 is gathering information about ways to best support early learning programs in meeting social and emotional learning needs for children.

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The ELRC Region 5 is working on a Social Emotional Learning Support Group that would provide Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals with resources and assistance for children who might be experiencing delays in their social emotional skills.

Social emotional learning is the process through which all people acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted child care programs and children in the way of staff turnover, quick shifts in routines, extended closures, and more — all of which can impact the social-emotional development in children.

ELRC Region 5 invites providers to take a survey to communicate ways in which the ELRC Region 5 can assist — whether it be through on-site technical assistance, professional development, resource materials, or other.

Take the survey.

The 2022 Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic will be held August 5-6, 2022, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

About the Free Dental Clinic

Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh (MOMPGH) is a free, two-day dental clinic for the underserved members of the community who are uninsured or don’t have access to affordable dental care.

This year, the clinic also will offer eye and hearing exams. All services are provided free of charge by local dental professionals, assisted by a strong support team of volunteers.

Services and treatments include full dental exams, cleanings, minor restorative fillings, extractions, root canal treatments on select teeth, oral hygiene instruction, and a limited number of temporary partial dental appliances. Full dentures, root canals on molars, crowns, extractions of unexposed wisdom teeth, orthodontics/braces, implants, and impactions are not included.

Due to limited supplies, time and volunteers, we are limited to one treatment per each individual.

More Information

For details about the MOMPGH free dental clinic or to sign up to volunteer, visit mompgh.org.