July 23, 2024 Report: Hundreds of Thousands Suffer from Food Insecurity in Allegheny County More than 140,000 people in Allegheny County are struggling with food insecurity, which is defined as a lack of access to adequate food that prevents individuals from leading a healthy life, according to a report by Feeding America. Learn More According to the report, food insecurity is associated with numerous social and health outcomes and is considered a critical public health issue. Key drivers of food insecurity include unemployment, poverty, and income shocks – or, a sudden decrease in a household’s income – which can prevent adequate access to food. A total of 142,190 Allegheny County residents – or 11.4% – were found to struggle with food insecurity, according to the report. Additionally, 44% of county residents were found to be above the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threshold, while 56% were below the threshold of 200%. The report’s map includes estimated food insecurity by race and ethnicity for select populations and places. The report’s methodology and data are also available. More Details More information on SNAP can be found on the state’s Department of Human Services website. Residents can apply online at COMPASS, via phone at 1-800-692-7462, or at a local county assistance office, which can be found online. Those applying for assistance will need to provide their name, birthday, address, gross income, and Social Security number. Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh are offering food programs to provide free meals for children while they are out of school this summer. The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center operates a walk-in food distribution program every Monday.
July 10, 2024 PA Launches ELS Website to Replace Management Systems Used by State Agencies Pennsylvania has launched a new website dedicated to the Enterprise Licensing System (ELS) project. Learn More The goal of this project is to implement a single ELS that addresses licensing and certification needs, as well as incident and complaint management, across the following state agencies: Department of Human Services (DHS) Department of Health (DOH) Department of Aging (PDA) Department of Drug & Alcohol Program (DDAP) The ELS will be rolled out by state program offices over the next two years. Stakeholders in impacted program areas will be notified when the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is scheduled for rollout, ensuring they have enough time to prepare. ELS will enable staff to manage and process licensing, permitting, registration, certification, and related inspection or survey activities from initial application through issuance. They will also enable staff to offer extensive reporting capabilities. Additionally, the ELS will be used to record, review, investigate, and analyze incidents and complaints. ELS Project Aims The project’s aims are to: Increase collaboration and communication across agencies Improve scheduling of licensing, permitting, registration/certification inspections, surveys, and timely issuance of licenses/permits/registrations/certifications and renewals Streamline business processes, including electronic sharing and storing of documents and pre-populated forms and templates Reduce maintenance and operations costs from multiple systems to one system The ELS will provide a standardized enterprise-wide solution that is configurable and can provide a limited degree of configurability by each agency to meet specific needs. To receive website and project updates, subscribe to the ELS ListServ or visit the website.
June 10, 2024 DHS Renews Early Learning Resource Center’s Contract for Operation The state’s Department of Human Services has renewed its five-year contract with Allegheny County to operate the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC). Learn More The ELRC’s renewal comes with $39 million in funding over five years to staff and operate the center. ELRC 5 supports quality child care and administers the publicly-funded child care subsidy. During the first five years of the grant, DHS administered more than $200 million in child care subsidies. It also provided $120 million in stimulus funding to support Allegheny County’s child care provider network during the COVID-19 pandemic. ELRCs assist families in locating child care, determine eligibility for the child care subsidy, and provide other resource and referral services in the community. The centers also provide coaching and support to the child care provider network to improve and sustain high quality. Allegheny County was first awarded the contract for the ELRC Region 5 in 2018, which was the first time that the state opened it up for a bid. The county’s DHS partners with Trying Together and The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers to operate ELRC services. “Access to quality child care makes such an important impact on both the parent and the enrolled child,” said Becky Czekaj-Dengler, ELRC Region 5’s director. “During our first five years, we saw significant increases in both the percentage of eligible children living in low-income households taking advantage of the child care subsidy as well as the percentage of those same children attending the highest-quality child care settings. We appreciate the opportunity to build on that success.” Dalton added that DHS recognizes that a lack of affordable child care prevents parents and caregivers from finding and maintaining employment, accessing physical and behavioral health support, finding stable housing, and meeting basic needs. In response, DHS has increased access to crisis child care, hired resource navigators to connect families accessing child care to other resources in the county, and established a rapid response team to support child care providers and families with children at risk of being suspended or expelled from care. To learn more about Early Learning Resource Center 5, visit the center’s website.
April 9, 2024 State Releases Meaningful Family Engagement Tool Kit The state Department of Human Services Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) has released a collection of resources to strengthen engagement in child welfare. The Pennsylvania Meaningful Family Engagement Toolkit is a web-based resource that was developed through statewide quality improvement efforts. It was designed to improve safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children, youth, and families served by the state’s child welfare system. The toolkit includes resources for a variety of topics. Learn More Meaningful engagement in child welfare, as defined by OCYF, is an active, ongoing, and genuine curiosity about an individual’s history, perspectives, challenges, and accomplishments. It involves the proactive partnership between caseworkers and families to increase safety for children by using inquiry to identify service needs and available supports and to work together to define achievable goals. The objective is to develop family plans, address challenges, achieve goals, form new connections, and strengthen existing supports. This involves ensuring that families have an active role by empowering them to make joint decisions to ensure a child’s safety, permanency, and well-being. Topics covered in the toolkit include: Cultural awareness and responsiveness Engagement models and strategies Engagement of incarcerated parents Engagement of out-of-state parents Engaging youth Father engagement Leadership Legal Parenting resources Teaming with extended family and kin The toolkit’s development was guided by data and information gathered through the state’s Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) efforts. These were designed to evaluate and improve how the state’s Child Welfare Practice Model is demonstrated at the system level and through daily practice behaviors and skills of professionals. The OCYF said data provided evidence of the benefits of strong engagement behaviors and skills. However, it also drew attention to populations needing additional support for engagement, such as fathers and incarcerated or out-of-state parents. Explore the Pennsylvania Meaningful Family Engagement Toolkit online.
April 1, 2024 DHS Warns of Potential SNAP Scam The state Department of Human Services (DHS) is warning state residents of a potential scam targeting individuals who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Learn More The SNAP benefits scam involves a social media post directing individuals to an offer for emergency SNAP benefits. It provides a link to a website, where it obtains their personal information, said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. The scam, primarily found on Facebook, includes a link to a Google form, beginning with a “sites.google.com” address. It implies that SNAP recipients may be eligible for $750 in emergency benefits if they fill out personal payment information. The post also states that there is an application deadline. However, SNAP benefits never include such a deadline. “DHS will never ask for personal information on Facebook, on a Google site, in an unsolicited email, text message, or phone call,” Arkoosh said in a news release. “If someone is claiming to be from or affiliated with the department and they are asking you for your personal information, it is a scam.” DHS will send informational texts and phone calls to recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, and other benefits from the number 1-833-648-1964. However, these messages and calls will not include: Details from a person’s benefits, such as the amount of SNAP they are authorized to receive A request for specific personal information Links to unofficial sites; most DHS texts will direct people to dhs.pa.gov, COMPASS, or a site ending in .gov or .org. Reporting Scams Those who have encountered scams of this nature should call the DHS fraud tip line at 1-844-347-8477 (TIPS). Reports can also be made to the Office of the State Inspector General’s. Residents can also contact the Public Assistance Fraud Tipline at 1-800-932-0582. Pennsylvanians with questions about whether a call, text, or other communication is legitimate should contact DHS’s Office of Income Maintenance. Applications for Public Assistance Applications for public assistance programs can be securely submitted online at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass. On-site County Assistance Office (CAO) services are available if clients cannot access online services or need assistance that cannot be accessed through the COMPASS website, the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling 1-877-395-8930.
July 12, 2023 DHS Requests Feedback on Corrective Action Process Resources The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is requesting feedback from child care providers on recently developed corrective action process (CAP) resources through a new survey. About Corrective Action Process Resources & CAP Resources Survey In recognizing the importance of corrective action processes in human services licensing, DHS released its, “Developing a Plan of Correction,” webinar in 2019. That same year, they released a corresponding, “Plan of Correction Quick Reference Guide,” (available as a PowerPoint presentation and PDF). The webinar aimed to assist providers with the successful development and implementation of acceptable plans of correction. The guide, consequently, was issued as a tool to assist providers with this process. Now the department seeks to understand the efficacy of these tools. Survey results will provide needed insight and help determine additionally needed resources. Access and Take the Survey Utilize the following link to access and take the survey: Corrective Action Process Resources Survey The survey closes Wednesday, July 26. DHS must receive all responses on or before that date. Learn More To learn more, visit the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) webpage. Source Trying Together took the information in this post directly from the Department of Human Services announcement. Some text may have been added, paraphrased, or adapted for readability and comprehension. Related Content & Resources PA DHS Accepting Applications for Children’s Trust Fund Grants State Budget Fails to Significantly Invest in Early Care and Education Amid Historic Labor Shortage New Nationwide Report Ranks Pennsylvania 22nd in Child Well-Being ELRC Region 5 Requesting Feedback from Families on Evening Phone Hours OCDEL Releases 2022 Market Rate Survey Report OCDEL Extends Deadline to Order Two Free Carbon Monoxide Detectors
State Departments Extend Insurance Survey Deadline, Add Spanish Option The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) have extended the deadline for child care providers to complete their survey on health insurance in the child care industry. Entitled, “Child Care Liability Insurance Survey,” the questionnaire is aimed at improving state understanding of the insurance market, and will now close on Friday, August 4. (Trying Together updated this article on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 to reflect the extended deadline and addition of the Spanish survey option). About the Child Care Liability Insurance Survey PID and DHS have become aware of difficulties child care providers now face in securing health insurance for themselves and their employees, given the rising cost of care. Though PID previously sent out a similar survey, the limited response inhibited the department’s ability to fully understand the scope of the insurance market. Because of this, they have partnered with DHS to release the Child Care Liability Insurance Survey. This survey will help PID and DHS understand availability and affordability of insurance and assist in determining next steps. Responses are confidential. Also, DIP and DHS will only share general, aggregated results. Access and Take the Survey Utilize the links below to access and take the survey: Child Care Liability Insurance Survey (English) Child Care Liability Insurance Survey (Spanish) The survey closes on Friday, August 4. Please complete the survey on or before that date. Learn More To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website. Please contact Caolinn Martin at caolmartin@pa.gov or Jameekia Barnett at jamebarnet@pa.gov with questions.
July 7, 2023 PA DHS Accepting Applications for Children’s Trust Fund Grants The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is accepting applications for the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) grants to promote primary and secondary child abuse and neglect prevention programs in community-based settings in order to address child and family well-being and prevent abuse and neglect of children in the Commonwealth. The maximum CTF grant award is $50,000 per year. About the Children’s Trust Fund Grants The mission of the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is to prevent child abuse and neglect in Pennsylvania. To do this, the CTF Board of Directors funds community-based primary and secondary prevention programs that support families. The CTF was established in December 1988 by Act 1988-151. It operates under the administration of the CTF Board and is supported by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), a dual deputate of the Department of Human Services (DHS) the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Funds for the CTF are generated from a $10 surcharge on all applications for marriage licenses and divorce complaints. These surcharges are paid into a special non-lapsing fund. Interest, donations and federal funds also contribute to the CTF. The CTF is dedicated to funding community-based programs to prevent child abuse and neglect. Since its inception, the CTF has invested more than $37 million through 295 grants. See the list of current grantees. The CTF also supports the work of the Pennsylvania Strengthening Families Leadership Team. How to Apply Application details and forms are available at the eMarketPlace website. Each Applicant must submit one complete copy of the Submittal via email to ra-pwrfaquestions@pa.gov. The subject line of the email must indicate “RFA 13-23 Application”. Applications are due by 10 a.m. on July 31, 2023. Please refer to the eMarketplace listing for any changes regarding the deadline. Organizations can view the bid online. Awarded contracts are posted to eMarketplace after they become fully executed. Questions? If you have a question, send an email to Robin Lease at RAPWRFAQUESTIONS@PA.GOV. All emails should include the subject line “RFA #13-23 Question” and must be submitted by July 14, 2023 at 10 a.m. Written answers will be posted on the eMarketPlace website on July 21, 2023.
June 13, 2023 Air Quality Tips and Training Available for Families and Educators To better protect adults and children during air quality alerts, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Environmental Health Capacity (EHC) Program are offering tips and training to help families and children stay healthy. About Air Quality Dangers & Alerts Current weather patterns are pushing smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada into communities across the Commonwealth, increasing the average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the air. Air quality can affect your health, especially people who may be at greater risk, including: people with heart disease people with lung disease (including asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD]) older adults children and teenagers (because their lungs are still developing, and they breathe more air relative to their size) people who are pregnant people who work outdoors If you experience symptoms like trouble breathing or dizziness, you should seek medical attention. If you know a family member or neighbor who has one of the above conditions, remember to check in on them. Tips from DHS During air quality alerts, all Pennsylvanians should: avoid strenuous outdoor activities keep outdoor activities short consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them Additionally, to help keep particle pollution lower indoors during air quality alerts: don’t use candles or smoke indoors keep windows and doors closed use an air filter in your home, if you have one clean or replace filters according to manufacturer recommendations make your own portable air cleaner, if you don’t have one (the EPA offers DIY information on how to do so) Training from the EHC Program The EHC Program invites child care professionals to participate in a short nano learning course on air quality. About the EHC Program The EHC Program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded program under the Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology (DEHE) with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. EHC seeks to provide outreach and education on topics related to children’s environmental health. About the Learning Course on Air Quality The nano learning course should take a few minutes minutes to complete and provides an overview of what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) is, why it is important, and how it can be included in your classroom plans and activities. After completing the training, please complete a survey to inform future outreach efforts to childcare providers. The survey is a total of four questions. If you have comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the EHC Program at dehe@pa.gov. Access the Learning Course on Air Quality Interested ECE educators can access the EHC Program learning course on air quality on YouTube. Resources to Support the Course Resources to support the learning course include: Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution Air Quality Guide for Ozone Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance for Schools What Color is Your Air Today? Activity Sheet Air Quality Activity Coloring Sheet Why is Coco Orange book Learn More Visit www.airnow.gov to find the latest air quality levels and recommendations for your location. To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key Tips or Pennsylvania Key Training webpages.
June 5, 2023 Allegheny County Shares Summer Safety Guidance The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) and Department of Health (ACDOH) have published a Summer Safety Guide and Video to help families implement protective practices in the coming months. About the Summer Safety Guide and Video Warmer, sunny days encourage adults and children to get out and enjoy their surroundings. The Summer Safety Guide and Video offer some simple tips that make summer more fun and safe. These resources include information on: basic safety car safety sun safety bug bites and stings safety on wheels (bikes, skateboards, in-line skates, motorcycles, etc.) play safety campfires, grills, and fireworks fire safety water safety open windows/doors chemical/poison safety Access the Summer Safety Guide and Video Access the Summer Safety Guide Access the Summer Safety Video Learn More To learn more, visit the ACDHS website.
