June 25, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources on How to Support LGBTQ+ Children’s Mental Health As part of June’s Pride Month, the Child Mind Institute has released a list of resources on how to support LBGTQ+ children’s mental health. Learn More One of the most important ways to support LGBTQ+ children is being aware of their mental health and emotional well-being, the Child Mind Institute wrote. Much like other teenagers, LGBTQ+ youths are vulnerable to anxiety and depression, especially if they are under pressure or do not feel accepted. The Child Mind Institute’s resources include information on how to protect the mental health of LGBTQ+ children as well as signs of teen-onset mood disorders of which parents should be aware. Also included among the resources are steps that caregivers should take if they are concerned about an LGBTQ+ youth and advice on how parents can support their children who are coming out or struggling with confusion about their sexual orientation or gender identity. The resources also explore gender dysphoria, an extreme emotional distress that people can experience when their assigned sex and gender identity don’t match up. Lastly, the Child Mind Institute provides some tips for staying in communication with children in the tween and teenage years that can help them feel safer talking about challenging topics, such as sex and gender. The resources include: Mental Health Challenges of LGBTQ+ Kids How to Support LGBTQ+ Children How to Support Kids Who Are Questioning What to Do If Your Teenager is Depressed Quick Guide to Gender Dysphoria Tips for Communicating with Your Teen 10 Parenting Tips for Preteens and Tweens
June 24, 2025 Resource Details the Four Elements Adults Should Utilize When Connecting with Children Connection is the key to building trust and safety, and there are four elements that adults should focus on when attempting to connect with a child. Learn More In its most recent newsletter, the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultation shared a resource titled the Four Elements of Connection from Philadelphia-based education empowerment program Conscious Discipline. The resource describes the four connection elements that can help caregivers or early childhood educators to bond with children they serve – eye contact, presence, touch, and playfulness. The Four Elements According to Conscious Discipline, adults should get down on the child’s level to achieve eye contact for a brief moment. The eyes contain nerve projections that lead directly to key brain structures for empathy and matching emotions. Being present is the moment means that one’s mind and body are in the same place and the mind is free from chatter. Presence is about acceptance as an adult and child relax and enjoy sharing the same moment. Touch creates a hormone that is essential to neural functioning and learning. To allow for smart, happy children, Conscious Discipline writes, adults need to provide more appropriate, caring touch. And playfulness helps to build bonds and create biochemistry in the brain for dopamine, which helps children to pay attention and stay focused. Playful situations help to strengthen the dopamine system, increase attention span, and boost social development. For more information, read the Conscious Discipline resource on the four elements of connection.
Child Mind Institute Provides Sleepover and Summer Camp Anxiety Resources Spending the night at a friend’s house or going away to summer camp can be a fun and exciting rite of passage for children and young adults – but it can also involve anxiety. Learn More The Child Mind Institute has released resources regarding sleepover and summer camp anxiety to help parents in easing their children’s minds when they are going to spend the night away from home. Spending the night at a friend’s house or at a sleepover camp can help children to develop independence, but such occasions can be cut short by a stomachache brought on by anxiety. The Child Mind Institute’s resources discuss how to help children develop the courage to spend the night away from home. One article discusses how one bad experience away from home can lead to anxiety about doing so again, while another involves how parents’ anxiety about their children being away can be passed on to their child. Here are The Child Mind Institute’s resources on sleepover and summer camp anxiety: How to Help Kids with Sleepover Anxiety What to Do When a Child Gets Scared of Sleepovers After Getting Sick How to Help Children Manage Fears 13 Tips for Helping Anxious Kids Enjoy Summer Camp How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids Treating Anxiety in Kids by Working with Parents
CitiParks Operating Cooling Centers Amid Pittsburgh Heatwave CitiParks will operate six cooling centers this week amid temperatures exceeding 90 degrees in Pittsburgh. Learn More With temperatures expected to hit 96 degrees on Tuesday and 92 on Wednesday, CitiParks has activated six Healthy Active Living Centers as cooling centers through Wednesday. The centers will provide residents with a safe, air-conditioned environment to escape the heat and will remain open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Locations include: Beechview (1555 Broadway Ave.) Brighton Heights (3515 McClure Ave.) Greenfield (745 Greenfield Avenue) Homewood (7321 Frankstown Road) Sheraden (720 Sherwood Ave.) South Side (12th & Bingham Streets) Residents are encouraged to take precautions during periods of extreme heat, especially older adults, young children, and those with underlying health conditions. CitiParks typically activates cooling centers when the forecasted highs are predicted to be above 90 degrees.
June 23, 2025 OCDEL Bureau of Certification Services Podcast Covers Topics for Child Care Providers For those seeking news and information on the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) Bureau of Certification Services, a good place to start would be The Confluence Podcast. Learn More Confluence means “a flowing together,” and can often refer to the coming together of ideas or factors. In The Confluence Podcast, listeners can learn about the complexities of the Bureau of Certification Services’ partnership with stakeholders across the state, especially Early Childhood providers, children, and families. The podcast’s latest episode, “Understanding the Complex Differences Between Certification and Quality Initiatives,” explores confusion around what are general health and safety and certification requirements and what are the standards and processes for quality initiatives, both local and national. In this episode, the Bureau of Certification Services’s director, Ruby Martin, and division chief, Chris Loos, discuss complex issues facing the provider community with Luisa Olivo-Wolf, director of OCDEL’s Bureau of Early Learning Policy. To listen to other episodes, visit The Confluence Podcast’s web page.
Public Source Survey Seeks Responses on Federal Cuts to Summer Programs Public Source is calling on Pittsburgh residents to respond to a survey regarding how they are handling federal cuts that are affecting summer and out-of-school time programs. Learn More Public Source says it’s seeking input from area residents to gain insight on how they are handling the summer with federal cuts affecting everything from summer out-of-school programs to parks. The survey asks how the cuts are affecting residents’ summer plans, and the publication notes that responses could be used in future articles. For further context, read Public Source’s recent article, “Pittsburgh After-School Programs Left Scrambling as Federal Funding Cuts Hit the Region.” Public Source’s survey on the matter is available online.
June 18, 2025 OCDEL Makes Announcement About Providers’ Access to First Aid and CPR The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)’s Bureau of Policy and Professional Development has released an announcement regarding providers’ access to free First Aid and CPR training. Learn More According to the announcement for early childhood education professional development organizations, access to free pediatric First Aid and CPR training for providers will no longer be available effective July 1. The focus of professional development organizations, the announcement said, is to provide credit-bearing professional preparation for the early childhood education workforce. Providers are responsible for securing appropriate training in First Aid and CPR. State child care regulations require all staff members to complete professional development in First Aid and CPR within 90 days of hire and renew their certification before the expiration of the most current certification. For more information, read the announcement.
RAD Pass Offering Thousands of Free Admissions to Pittsburgh’s Top Attractions A number of Pittsburgh’s top attractions are offering tens of thousands of free admissions through August 31 for those who have an Allegheny County library card and a Regional Asset District (RAD) Pass reservation. Learn More RAD Summer Staycation reservation spots will be added regularly through August. Users are asked to read offers carefully, as some attractions offer two- or four-packs for admission. Currently, attractions making offers of free visits on the RAD Pass website include: The Andy Warhol Museum Carnegie Museum of Art Carnegie Museum of Natural History Carnegie Science Center Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh The Frick Pittsburgh Mattress Factory National Aviary Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium In the coming months, the following institutions will make offers: Heinz History Center Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum Booking Tickets To book tickets for RAD Summer Staycation admissions, visit the RAD Pass website. Then, users should log in with their Allegheny County library card and PIN and browse for passes by date or venue. Once a pass is reserved, it should be printed or downloaded to a mobile device. Participants are asked to only book a reservation that they plan to use on the selected date. They should also cancel their reservation to open up spots for others if they find out they cannot attend on a day they reserved. For more information, visit the RAD Pass website.
Lt. Gov. Davis Hosts Roundtable on PA Child Care Staffing Crisis Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis recently hosted a roundtable involving the state’s child care staffing crisis, discussing how it is affecting families, businesses, and the state economy. Learn More The roundtable took place at Grandma’s House in Apollo and was attended by Trying Together, the Early Learning Investment Commission, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and Advisory Commission on Women, members of the local business community, early childhood educators, and parents. “This issue is personal for us – and it’s personal for families across the commonwealth, in cities like Pittsburgh and in more rural communities as well,” said Davis, who is co-chair of the Early Learning Investment Commission, a public-private partnership that brings together leaders to make recommendations and policy for early learning. “Having affordable and accessible child care is essential for working families, and it’s essential for the business community.” Holmes Davis said she feels fortunate that her daughter, Harper, has access to affordable, high-quality child care, but that many in the state do not have the same opportunity. “We know that’s not the case in every community and for every family, and that’s why we’re pushing for more state investments to help recruit and retain more child care workers,” she said. Lynda Pozzuto, president of the Alle Kiski Strong Chamber, said the shortage of affordable child care in Pennsylvania affects both families and workplaces. “Without reliable, low-cost options, parents are being forced to leave jobs or turn down employment altogether,” she said. “We can’t solve our labor shortage without first supporting the working families who power our communities.” The 2025-26 state budget proposal includes a $55 million investment in retention and recruitment bonuses of up to $1,000 to increase child care availability, the first new line item for early childhood education in nearly 20 years and the first investment directly for child care teachers. “If my child is going to be with someone for eight hours a day while I’m at work, I want to know that they are safe and cared for and loved – and that it’s someone who understands their needs and their brain development,” said Lindsay Garrison, a parent and director at Thistle Nook Nature Playschool. “In order to do this, we have to pay more. If we are only paying $12 an hour, we are going to get people who don’t have that education because they can go elsewhere.” For more information on the roundtable, visit the PAcast website.
June 17, 2025 Trying Together Exec Director Featured on Women and Girls Foundation Podcast Trying Together’s executive director recently discussed the organization’s mission and the need for an increase in early childhood education workers’ wages on the Women and Girls Foundation podcast. Learn More The podcast, led by host Camila Rivera-Tinsley, frequently features guests who are “working toward a more equitable future” and tackles such topics as gender, racial, and environmental justice. In a recent episode, Tinsley discussed issues surrounding early child care – from parents seeking child care for their children so they can work to those employed in the field in need of higher wages – with Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director. On the podcast, Ciminillo talks about how she got involved in early childhood education, April’s Month of the Young Child, the origin of Trying Together’s name, and the organization’s advocacy efforts during the state budget season. Ciminillo talked about how early childhood education is an overwhelmingly women-led field. “Probably about 96 percent of all early learning experiences and child care experiences are led by and provided by women,” she said. “It is a women-led field and has a high number of women of color who lead the work in this industry. They are brain builders.” Ciminillo said the success of many of the state’s industries is tied to whether communities provide adequate child care options. She added that the state’s early childhood education teacher shortage is caused by the industry’s low wages. “If you want to solve (the problems of) an industry’s workforce, you have to solve for the child care workforce,” she said. “It’s very much a challenge in terms of our collective economic mobility if we don’t solve the economics of child care and the wages they make.” To learn more, watch Ciminillo and Rivera-Tinsley discuss early childhood education on the Women and Girls Foundation podcast.
