News

September 17, 2020

Allegheny County Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Plan

In September 2020, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Office of Behavioral Health released a plan and guidance on in-person Early Intervention (EI) services for infants and toddlers in the county. These documents were developed to inform EI program providers and participants of the strategies that will be implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as in-person services resume.

About

Because in-person Early Intervention services are provided in people’s homes and communities, the successful implementation of in-person services relies heavily on the team effort or EI professionals and participating families to follow the health and safety guidelines detailed in the Allegheny County Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Health and Safety Plan for Resuming In-Person Services. Program staff will work with families to offer quality Early Intervention services in the safest manner feasible.

In addition to this plan, Allegheny County EI Providers and the EI SC Entity are expected to follow the Allegheny County Guidance for Conducting In-Person Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Services which outlines how and when EI in-person service provision will be carried out in Allegheny County during the Red, Yellow, and Green phases of reopening in Pennsylvania.

These plans and guidelines were informed by existing best practice guidance from numerous sources, including the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of Governor Tom Wolf, and local Allegheny County government officials.

Featured Topics

The Allegheny County Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Health and Safety Plan for Resuming In-Person Services features information on numerous topics, including the following:

    • required training and education;
    • health screenings and responses;
    • conducting in-person visits; and
    • EI Intervention Therapist and Provider caseload and staffing reviews.

More Information

For more information, read the full plan and guidance. Early Intervention providers are encouraged to share this document and its content on their websites and social media platforms.

News

September 14, 2020

Hello Baby: A New Website for Parents in Allegheny County

For many new parents, particularly those with limited resources and support, welcoming a child to the family can be both a joy and a challenge. That’s why the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) created Hello Baby, a voluntary program for any Allegheny County family with a newborn or young child.

What is Hello Baby?

Hello Baby is a voluntary program for parents of new babies that is designed to strengthen families; improve children’s outcomes; and maximize child and family well-being, safety, and security.

Every new mother in Allegheny County will receive information about Hello Baby and may receive an initial visit from a nurse to talk about the program in more detail. Information will be available at primary birthing hospitals, obstetrician/gynecologist offices, and pediatric practices, and will be mailed to new mothers as a postcard.

Hello Baby will reach families with moderate to high levels of need through the existing network of Family Centers. However, any family can request services from a Family Center through the Hello Baby website, 2.1.1 warmline, or texting service. All services are voluntary.

Featured Information

The Hello Baby website was created for parents to quickly and easily find local resources and information on the following topics:

To learn more and view the full range of services, visit the Hello Baby website.

More Information

Hello Baby is a collaborative effort among family-focused organizations in Allegheny County including Allegheny County DHS, Health Department, Healthy Start, Family Centers, NurturePA, and the United Way of Southwestern PA. For more information, visit the DHS website or view answers to frequently asked questions.

News

August 6, 2020

School-Age Funding Opportunity in Allegheny County

If your Out-of-School-Time program needs funding support, check out this new school-age funding opportunity in Allegheny County.

About

With many Allegheny County schools starting the year full or partially remote, families with school-age children will face several challenges this fall. The critical work of Out-of-School-Time programs in supporting children and families is more important now than ever.

The Allegheny Department of Human Services (DHS), Trying Together, and United Way’s Allegheny County Partners for Out-of-School-Time (APOST) joined forces to support your work. Funding is available for both in-person Community Learning Hubs, as well as Virtual Pods and Programming. Interested applicants should review the information below and apply by Friday, August 14.

Funding Details

    • Funding can be requested from Community Hub programming through December 31, 2020 for staffing, learning materials, personal protective equipment (masks), cleaning supplies, technology for staff only, building upgrades (wifi), transportation, and additional partners to provide enrichment activities and/or tutoring support.
    • For Virtual Pods and Programming, funding will not exceed $50,000 per program for programming through December 31, 2020. This funding may be used for staffing, learning materials, online learning platforms, technology for staff and/or students, and additional partners to provide enrichment activities and/or tutoring support.

Eligibility

To receive funding, programs must meet a list of requirements, including requirements related to, but not limited to, staffing, enrollment, health, safety, and reporting. Before submitting an application, please review the full list of requirements carefully.

Only apply if this is something you are committed to pursuing. If this is not the right fit for your program, there are many other ways to support children and families this year.

Apply for Funding

If your program is interested in providing this expanded service, please complete this online application form and submit a budget by Friday, August 14. Submit your budget to Amy Malen via email at amy.malen@alleghenycounty.us.

Please note that there is no guarantee that funding will be available for all agencies that are interested in providing this service. DHS, Trying Together, and the United Way will review all applications submitted and assess how to best match interested agencies with specific needs and available funds. Funding will be available for both in-person and virtual offerings, however, priority will be given to in-person requests given child care needs.

More Information

For more information, please review this document.

News

July 15, 2020

T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Fall 2020 Deadline

Early childhood education professionals interested in attending college for the fall semester can submit applications to receive a T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) Scholarship.

Eligibility

The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a variety of T.E.A.C.H. scholarships to meet the needs of the early care and education workforce in center and home-based settings. Eligible applicants must:

    • work a minimum of 25-30 hours per week directly with children in a DHS-certified child care program;
    • make $19 or less an hour ($25 or less per hour for directors); and
    • be interested in pursuing coursework at a participating college toward a degree or credential in early childhood.

Scholarship awards are dependent upon the availability of funds and priorities of funders. Other eligibility criteria may apply are subject to change without notice. See the brochure.

Application Details

To be considered for the Fall 2020 semester, T.E.A.C.H. applications must be completed and submitted with all required documentation by Friday, August 7, 2020. PACCA will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis, however, incomplete applications and applications received after this date will not receive priority for consideration. New scholarship awards for the Fall 2020 semester will be dependent upon funding availability at that time.

Interested applicants should also begin the college admissions process now and contact an early childhood education (ECE) advisor at their intended college/university. This helps to ensure that scholarship applicants are admitted to their college/university and can register for courses if/when they receive a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. T.E.A.C.H. can provide contact information for early childhood education advisors at partnering institutions if needed.

Submit an Application

To download a scholarship application, visit the PACCA website. Completed applications must be submitted to PACCA by Friday, August 7 through one of the following methods:

    • Fax: 717.657.0959
    • Mail: 20 Erford Road, Suite 302
      Lemoyne, PA 17043

More Information

For questions about scholarship eligibility and requirements, contact a T.E.A.C.H. Counselor at 717.657.9000.

News

July 10, 2020

COVID-19: Updated Guidance for Child Care Programs

To maintain the health and safety of their staff and the families they serve, all child care facilities and programs that continue to remain open or that are preparing to reopen in Pennsylvania should follow the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH). With this, programs are highly encouraged to implement additional health and safety procedures as soon as possible.

About

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released a revised announcement that outlines recommended steps child care providers can take to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. This guidance was developed based on recommendations from the CDC and the DOH and is subject to change. To access the full list of recommendations, read Announcement: C-20-06 Revised: Interim Guidance for Certified Child Care Facilities operating during the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic.

Additionally, in Announcement C-20-08: COVID-19 Operations for Licensed Child Care, OCDEL issued clarification regarding health and safety compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic to licensed child care providers and child care certification representatives employed by the Department of Human Service (DHS).

For examples of required and recommended policies and procedures, continue reading below.

Required Procedures

Announcement C-20-08: COVID-19 Operations for Licensed Child Care states that child care providers are required to do the following:

    • Child care staff must wear face coverings indoors; they must also wear face coverings outside where staff are unable to maintain a six-foot distance from others unless a medical reason prevents the staff from wearing a face covering. This includes anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance.
    • Child care programs must have a written health and safety plan that aligns with CDC guidance to minimize the risks of COVID-19. The safety plan must be communicated to staff and enrolled families. At a minimum, the safety plan must address screening procedures; child drop-off and pick-up policies; sick policies; mask policies; and cleaning and sanitation procedures. Providers can see the “Child Care Facility COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan Template” for developing a health and safety plan.
    • Child care programs must adhere to the reporting of suspected or confirmed cases of enrolled children or staff with COVID-19 and complying with follow-up guidance pertaining to remediation, quarantine, and directive for temporary closure to address additional cleaning and sanitation.

Effective July 17, 2020, child care certification representatives will cite child care programs operating out of compliance with the previously described Critical Elements derived from CDC guidance. Child care programs failing to comply with acceptable plans of correction may be subject to further action that impacts the child care programs’ Certificate of Compliance, ability to continue to operate, and eligibility for distributions of supplemental financial supports.

For more information, view the full announcement or FAQ document.

Drop-Off and Arrival Procedures

Child care programs are strongly recommended to:

    • greet children outside as they arrive;
    • stagger arrival and drop-off times and plan to limit direct contact with parents as much as possible;
    • post signage in drop-off and arrival areas to remind staff and children to keep six feet of distance whenever feasible; and
    • set up hand hygiene stations at the entrance of the facility so children, families, and staff can clean their hands before they enter.
Screening Procedures

The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to prevent it from getting inside the facility. Child care providers should:

    • conduct a daily health screening of any person entering the building, including children, staff, family members, and other visitors to identify symptoms, diagnosis, or exposure to COVID-19 (any person with a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or above, or other signs of illness, should not be admitted into the facility);
    • not allow staff and children to enter the child care facility if they have tested positive for COVID-19, are showing symptoms, or have had potential exposure to a person with COVID-19; and
    • immediately isolate a child or staff member that starts to display symptoms and send them (and any family members) home as soon as possible.
Routine Disinfecting and Sanitation

To reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their program, child care providers should:

    • post signs in highly visible locations that promote everyday protective measures and describe how to stop the spread of COVID-19 (washing hands, wearing masks, disinfecting, etc.);
    • develop a schedule for cleaning and disinfecting;
    • routinely clean, sanitize, and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched (toys, games, tables, toilet training potties, chairs, nap pads, etc.); and
    • keep all cleaning materials secure and out of reach of children.
Bedding and Toys

Child care providers should:

    • not use toys and bedding that cannot be washed, cleaned, and sanitized;
    • not share toys with other groups of infants and toddlers unless they have been properly washed and sanitized before being moved from one group to the other;
    • set toys that need to be cleaned aside and out of children’s reach;
    • keep each child’s bedding separate and stored in individually labeled bins, cubbies, or bags; and
    • clean bedding that touches a child’s skin weekly or before use by another child.
Face Masks

Child care staff are required to wear cloth face coverings. Children two years old and older are required to wear a face covering unless the child fits one of the exceptions included in Section 3 of the Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Order for Universal Face Coverings.

    • If a child is outdoors and is able to consistently maintain a social distance of at least six feet from others who are not a part of their household, they do not need to wear a mask.
    • If a parent, guardian, or responsible person has been unable to place a face covering safely on a child’s face, they should not do so.
    • If a child two years old or older is unable to remove a face covering without assistance, the child is not required to wear one.
Social Distancing

If possible, child care providers should:

    • limit individual classes to the same group of children and same child care providers each day;
    • consider creating a separate classroom or group for the children of healthcare workers or other first responders;
    • limit the mixing of children, such as staggering playground times and keeping groups separate during special activities; and
    • maintain space between each child’s naptime mat or crib (ideally six feet or more) and place children head to toe during naptime to reduce potential virus spread.

More Information

For additional information, including information on what to do if a person at your facility tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to someone with COVID-19, view the full guidance from OCDEL.

To stay up-to-date on the most recent COVID-19 information, visit the Department of Health or Centers for Disease Prevention and Control websites.

News

June 19, 2020

Public Discussion: Services for Families in Allegheny County

What does your community need? How can the Allegheny County Department of Human Services help meet those needs? You are invited to share your ideas and suggestions at a virtual Human Services Block Grant Public Meeting. All input will inform the 2020-21 Human Services Block Grant Plan.

Available Sessions

Join a Session

There are three ways to participate in a virtual meeting:

  1. To hear the live audio, see the live video, and participate in the Q&A, join on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. You may be instructed to download an app called Microsoft Teams. If prompted to sign in, you may choose whether to do so or join anonymously.
  2. To hear the live audio only, call 267.368.7515. The access code for Monday’s meeting is 172 596 105# and the access code for Tuesday’s meeting is 746 312 327#.
  3. To watch the recordings at your convenience, visit the Allegheny County website. The recordings will be posted within 24 to 48 hours after the meetings.

More Information

Allegheny County DHS makes reasonable efforts to accommodate people with disabilities or limited-English-proficiency. Closed captioning in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic will be available when joining the meeting on a PC or Mac.

For questions, comments, or ideas, contact DHS-Ideas@AlleghenyCounty.US.

News

May 7, 2020

Help Allegheny County Plan for the Future

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of all Allegheny County residents. While we cannot be certain what the future holds, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) is looking to prepare for different contingencies. By beginning their preparation now, ACDHS seeks to ensure its systems are ready to adapt quickly as the situation continues to progress.

With this, ACDHS is seeking community survey responses to better understand residents’ experiences and challenges during this difficult time.

Survey Opportunities

ACDHS has created several opportunities for community members to share their ideas on how to help people in Allegheny County during COVID-19 and beyond. Opportunities include the following:

More Information

To learn more, visit their survey webpage. For more information on COVID-19, please visit our regularly updated COVID-19 news-feed.

News

December 16, 2019

PDO Needs Assessment Survey: Upcoming Deadline

Early care and education professionals in southwestern Pennsylvania are being asked to take the Professional Development Organization (PDO) Needs Assessment Survey.

About

From now through December 31, 2019, PDOs are performing a needs assessment with early childhood professionals by region and will develop a strategic plan and timetable for each. The survey will take approximately 10 – 15 minutes. Responses will be used to finalize the work plan and timeline for the Southwest and other regions that Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania will serve. Following this period, community outreach will begin. Click here to take complete the survey.

During this transition, professionals who wish to obtain their Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential can find credit-bearing coursework through Westmoreland County Community College and Harrisburg Area Community College.

PDOs

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) announced the selection of its six regional PDOs in October 2019. The PDOs were created to coordinate and facilitate access to credit-bearing coursework and credentials for early care and education professionals in Pennsylvania. PDOs support direct access across each service region for the early childhood workforce to participate in continuing education through a mixed delivery model and coordinate with the Early Learning Resource Centers in improving the quality of early learning programs.

The regional PDO selection for the Southwest region is Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. The Shippensburg PDO also supports the Central, Northeast, and Northwest regions. See the regional PDO map here.

More Information

To learn more about PDOs, read the Pennsylvania Key’s announcement.

*Information provided by OCDEL 

News

October 4, 2019

Changes to Fire Safety Inspections & Standards for Child Care Facilities

Following the fire at a child care facility that claimed the lives of five children, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller announced efforts to enhance fire safety at all Pennsylvania child care facilities and strengthen DHS’s regulatory authority and further protect children.

Updated Standards

Effective Sept. 16, 2019, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) requires its licensing staff to include fire safety checks in every initial inspection, renewal inspection, unannounced inspection, and complaint inspection. Licensing staff will require each facility operator to demonstrate an operable fire detection and prevention system, which includes the presence of operable smoke detectors on each floor of the facility and fire extinguishers in the kitchen or other cooking areas at minimum.

If an operator is unable to demonstrate such a system, DHS licensing staff will complete a complaint and deliver it to the Department of Labor & Industry or local officials. These officials have the authority to act against the facility. DHS also recommends that licensed child care facilities work with their local fire safety officials to meet compliance with fire safety codes. DHS will also cite the provider for a health and safety violation. These changes will also be codified in DHS’ child care regulations moving forward.

In September, DHS conducted a fire safety initiative call campaign to collect information from family child care providers and alert them to the department’s fire prevention efforts. This campaign surveyed family child care providers about their fire prevention systems and emergency plans, including evacuation plans for children in overnight care. DHS will use the information gathered to inform ongoing efforts to enhance fire safety at Pennsylvania child care facilities.

More Information

For more information, read the full PA Key newsletter.

To learn more about child care in Pennsylvania and view inspection history for licensed providers, visit the COMPASS website.

*Information provided via The Pennsylvania Key

News

August 2, 2019

PA DHS Announces KinConnector Helpline

On August 1, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ (PA DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller and Aging Secretary Robert Torres announced a helpline for families in kinship care situations, including grandparents raising their grandchildren because of the opioid crisis.

About

The KinConnector helpline was created by Act 89 of 2018, which established a kinship navigator program for Pennsylvania. KinConnector will act as a bridge that helps families identify resources, including gaining access to local, state, and federal resources. The KinConnector helpline is staffed by Kinship Navigators–compassionate, knowledgeable social service professionals prepared to help families locate, understand, and access resources that may be able to help them. This helpline, however, is just the beginning. A website of resources is set to launch in late 2019.

KinConnector Helpline

KinConnector can be reached by calling 1.866.KIN.2111 (1.866.546.2111). Assistance is available Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Services

Examples of provided services include:

    • connecting caregivers to health, financial, and legal services,
    • connecting caregivers to training and parenting advice,
    • identifying local physical or behavioral services,
    • identifying support groups,
    • helping caregivers enroll a child in school,
    • helping caregivers apply for federal, state, and local benefits such as CHIP and Social Security,
    • and other services designed to support caregivers.

Why Kinship Matters

Kinship care is becoming more common in Pennsylvania, with grandparents, aunts, uncles, or siblings often stepping in to fill the role of parents who are seeking treatment or, in the most tragic cases, have died from the disease of addiction. Kinship care guardians often make a selfless choice to care for a young relative and ensure they receive care and support from a family member they know and trust, even when processing their own emotions around their family’s situation.

Children being cared for by relatives are less likely to end up in foster care and will experience better outcomes when they are living with a relative or someone they know. KinConnector will help ease the burden on these families and give them the tools and resources they need to be successful.

More Information

For more information on resources available for kinship families and grandparents raising grandchildren, visit dhs.pa.gov.

Information provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services