May 29, 2020 Guidance for Businesses in Counties Moving to Green Phase On May 29, 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that a number of Pennsylvania counties will move to the “green phase” of the state’s Reopening Plan beginning June 5. On that date, all counties in the state will be in the “yellow” or “green” phases. This means that all child care programs within the state that can comply with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may reopen. Business Guidance In entering the green phase, all businesses must continue following CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Businesses are also encouraged to adhere to the following guidelines: Continued telework strongly encouraged Businesses with in-person operations must follow updated business and building safety requirements All businesses operating at 50% occupancy in the yellow phase may increase to 75% occupancy Child care may open complying with guidance Congregate care restrictions in place Prison and hospital restrictions determined by individual facilities Schools subject to CDC and Commonwealth guidance Counties in the Green Phase As of May 29, 2020, counties that are in the green phase are Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, and Warren. On June 5, 2020, counties that will transition to the green phase are Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland. Governor Wolf warned that future COVID-19 outbreaks remain possible and if an outbreak occurs, counties might need to revert back to more restricted phases. Because of this, all community members and businesses should continue social distancing, practicing safe hygiene, and limiting contact with others as much as possible. If your county remains in the yellow phase, view a news post from Trying Together about business guidance. To learn more about what the red phase, yellow phase, and green phase entail, visit the Process to Reopen Pennsylvania page. Guidance for Child Care In the green phase, child care providers should continue to follow CDC and DHS guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open (CDC) For more information, please contact the Department of Health at 1.877.724.3258. More Information To learn more about Pennsylvania counties moving into the green phase, read the full press release from Governor Wolf.
May 21, 2020 CARES Act To Fund Nearly 7,000 Child Care Centers In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tom Wolf announced on May 20, 2020 that an initial distribution of $51 million of funding from the CARES Act will support child care providers in Pennsylvania. Distributed in partnership with the General Assembly, this initial funding will reach nearly 7,000 early learning programs. The governor asserted that a healthy child care system was essential as Pennsylvania reopens. Eligibility The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) determines eligibility and the amount of award based on provider type, Child Care Works (CCW) subsidy enrollment, and regional capacity. CARES Act funds will be distributed to eligible, certified child care providers through regional Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs) and will be available in June 2020. Additional actions are required for child care providers. Funding Information In total, PA received $106 million in funding that will be distributed in two waves. The first wave of $51 million will be distributed per the conditions outlined above, to help providers prepare to reopen as counties move to the yellow phase. The remaining funding will be allocated following the completion of a study assessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Pennsylvania’s child care providers. Guidance for Child Care In the Yellow Phase, child care providers are permitted to reopen without a permit so long as they follow CDC and DHS guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open (CDC) For more information, please contact the Department of Health at 1.877.724.3258. More Information For more information about Governor Wolf’s announcement, read the full press release. The attestation form and process for the CARES Act funds for child care providers can be found online.
May 15, 2020 Guidance for Businesses in Counties Moving to Yellow Phase On May 15, Governor Tom Wolf announced that 12 counties in Pennsylvania will be moving to the Yellow Phase of the Governor’s Plan to Reopen Pennsylvania on May 22, in addition to the 37 counties that transitioned into the Yellow Phase on May 8 or May 15. With this, the Governor provided guidance on May 4 that details procedures businesses must follow to conduct in-person operations in counties operating in or slated to move to the Yellow Phase. All businesses, including nonprofits, permitted to conduct in-person operations are subject to this guidance. Guidance for Businesses Under the Yellow Phase of reopening, life-sustaining businesses that could not conduct either all or part of their operations via telework will continue to conduct their operations in-person, and many non-life sustaining businesses will be permitted to restart their in-person operations through the loosening of some restrictions under the stay-at-home and business closure orders. In counties that have been designated as in the yellow phase, all businesses, except those categories specifically listed as remaining closed in the Governor’s Plan to Reopen Pennsylvania, are permitted to conduct in-person operations, as long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of the guidance. The guidance includes specific information on cleaning and disinfecting premises, limiting the number of employees in common areas and customers on premises, providing masks and sanitizing supplies for employees, installing shields or other barriers at registers and checkout areas to physically separate cashiers and customers, and creating a plan in case a business is exposed to a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19, among other provisions. View the full guidance. Counties in the Yellow Phase As of May 15 at 5 p.m., the following counties are in the Yellow Phase of reopening: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cameron, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wyoming, Wayne, and York. Governor Wolf warned that future COVID-19 outbreaks remain possible and if an outbreak occurs, counties placed in the Yellow Phase may need to revert back to the Red Phase. Because of this, all community members and businesses should continue social distancing, practicing safe hygiene, and limiting contact with others as much as possible. For counties in the Red Phase, Governor Wolf encourages individuals to “make choices that will lead to fewer cases and a faster move to lifted restrictions.” To learn more about what the Red Phase, Yellow Phase, and Green Phase entail, visit the Process to Reopen Pennsylvania page. Guidance for Child Care In the Yellow Phase, child care providers are permitted to reopen without a permit so long as they follow CDC and DHS guidance for social distancing and cleaning. Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open (CDC) For more information, please contact the Department of Health at 1.877.724.3258. More Information For more information, read the full press release. Businesses that have questions about whether this guidance applies to them may contact the Department of Health at 1.877.724.3258.
