News
The Center for Community Resources, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, is providing free winter coats for children.
Beginning Wednesday, October 4, families can visit the ELRC Region 5 main office (304 Wood Street Suite 400 Pittsburgh, PA 15222) during normal business hours to receive winter coats for their families while supplies last.
For details, view this flyer (PDF).
News
The Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 is asking Allegheny County families and child care providers to complete a brief survey on evening phone hour offerings.
ELRC Region 5 currently offers evening phone hours from 5 – 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. However, center leaders seek to find the best day and time to offer evening service to county families and child care providers. By completing the survey, respondents allow ELRC Region 5 to better serve the community.
The survey is just five questions. All responses are confidential and will not be shared.
Access and take the survey on SurveyMonkey.
To learn more, visit the ELRC Region 5 website or call 1.888.340.3572 or 412.350.3577 for assistance.
News
Did you know the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 offers an interactive, online tool to help families navigate area programs and services?
The Allegheny County Family Resource Map provides caregivers of young children and other residents in Allegheny County the opportunity to locate available supports closest to them.
Launched in 2020, the map highlights the addresses, phone numbers, and websites of a variety of family supports, including those on:
Through the map, families can find countywide resources and services closest to them, such as senior community centers, family centers, early learning programs, public schools, WIC offices, parks, libraries, food pantries, diaper banks, clinics, public housing, Port Authority bus stops, and more.
Access the map here or visit the ELRC Region 5 website.
For questions or to submit a map suggestion, please contact ELRC Region 5 at 412.350.3577 or elrc5@alleghenycounty.us.
News
The main office of the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 in Downtown Pittsburgh is now an infant formula bank location of the Greater Pittsburgh Infant Formula Bank.
Managed by Beverly’s Birthdays and their baby division, Beverly’s Babies, the Greater Pittsburgh Infant Formula Bank is a resource to support families in need of baby formula during a personal, situational, or financial emergency/crisis.
A baby can receive up to 12 cans of formula or the liquid (RTF) equivalent in his/her first year.
There are seven formula banks available for the public to directly access for support:
ELRC Region 5 (Main Office)
304 Wood St, 4th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412.350.3577
The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center
7219 Kelly Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
412.545.5039
McKeesport Family Center
339 5th Avenue
McKeesport, PA 15132
412.672.6970
Hilltop Family Center
1630 Arlington Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15210
412.432.1635
11065 Parker Drive
North Huntingdon, PA 15642
724.590.5106
415 Fourth Avenue
Tarentum, PA 15084
724-224-9006
412 Reed Avenue
Monessen, PA 15062
724.684.4370
Find location hours and details on the Beverly’s Birthdays website.
Details about the program are available online. Families in need can call 724-590-5106 or text pghformula to 844-511-1544.
To learn more, visit the Beverly’s Birthday’s website.
News
Trying Together and ELRC Region 5 are partnering to provide First Aid, Pediatric First Aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automated external defibrillator (AED) training.
This single course is available in multiple sessions. It emphasizes hands-on learning and provides life-saving skills in alliance with The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Best Practices for Workplace First Aid Training Programs.
Certification will be issued upon successful completion of the course. This certification is valid for 2 years.
Instructors:
Location:
Trying Together, Training Room
5604 Solway Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Registration:
Register
Registration closes June 1 at 11:55 p.m.
Instructors:
Location:
The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center
7219 Kelly Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
Registration:
Register
Registration closes July 18 at 11:55 pm.
Instructors:
Location:
Trying Together, Training Room
5604 Solway Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Registration:
Register
Registration closes August 4 at 11:55 p.m.
Instructors:
Location:
Western Allegheny Community Library
181 Bateman Road
Oakdale, PA 15071
Registration:
Register
Registration closes August 24 at 11:55 p.m.
The cost for this course is $36.
This course is PQAS certified and must be paid for in full before registrants can participate. Registered individuals will receive additional course information prior to the start of the course. Please make sure to read all information before the start of the course.
For questions about the sessions, contact Holly Cessna at holly.cessna@alleghenycounty.us. For credit questions, contact Paige Kizior at paige@tryingtogether.org.
News
Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 makes resources and information available on social media. With an active presence on Facebook, ELRC Region 5 provides families, early learning service providers, and communities support for their child care needs in real time.
Social media managers post to the ELRC Region 5 Facebook page at least once a day, providing the most up-to-date early childhood news, professional development opportunities, family events, ELRC Region 5 office hours, Child Care Works (CCW) information, family assistance opportunities, and more.
Facebook users interested in receiving daily information from ELRC Region 5 should like or follow the ELRC Region 5 page.
For additional resources and information from ELRC Region 5, subscribe to the monthly ELRC Region 5 Family Newsletter, or weekly ELRC Region 5 Providers Newsletter.
News
The ELRC Region 5’s main office in downtown Pittsburgh is now a Diaper Bank location in Allegheny County.
Emergency diapers and wipes are available at the ELRC Region 5. Families can receive up to 50 diapers and two packs of wipes per month. Opened diapers and wipes may not be returned or exchanged.
The office is located at:
304 Wood Street, Suite 400
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Call 412.350.3577 for more information.
News
The Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 is offering several Pediatric CPR and Pediatric First Aid training sessions in May and June 2022 to assist Allegheny County child care providers with recent changes to training requirements.
Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR is a required health and safety training topic that must be completed before a child care staff can care for children unsupervised. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Bureau of Certification Announcement C 22-01 requires staff to complete professional development in Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR within 90 days of hire and renew their certification in Pediatric First Aid and CPR on/or before the expiration of the most current. In addition, effective April 29, 2022, the Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR training must be conducted by an approved Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) Instructor using an OCDEL-recognized curriculum.
Details are available on Appendix A – Health and Safety Training Certification Requirements: FAQs and OCDEL Guidance Chart.
ELRC Region 5 will offer trainings with approved PQAS Instructors and OCDEL-recognized curriculums at no cost to educators who meet the following requirements:
Currently working in a DHS Regulated Child Care setting in Allegheny County.
Have a valid CPR/First Aid Certificate from a training that was not conducted by a PQAS certified instructor and/or the curriculum used was not OCDEL approved.
Are not considered new hires.
A list of available sessions is on the ELRC Region 5 website and will be updated regularly.
News
ELRC Region 5 offers Communities of Practice (COP) for early learning professionals to discuss topics of interest, current trends in the field, and offer insight and inspiration to one another.
In March, ELRC Region 5 will provide information about several of the behavior and mental health resources available to support their programs. We will briefly discuss with participants the importance of behavior, emotional, and mental health support for our youngest children to thrive as well as their ideas to help a scenario classroom. Representatives from the Rapid Response Team, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC), the Alliance for Infants and Toddlers, and DART will share information about their programs with the participants in breakout rooms. Participants will have the opportunity to rotate through the breakout rooms to ask specific questions and learn about each organization.
Registration is required for this session. 1.5 PQAS credit hours will be available. To receive credit, participants must complete the PD Registry Credit Request Form (in addition to the registration form).
Thursday, 03/17/22
For questions, please contact Holly Cessna at holly.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us or 412-812-1544. If you have any questions about receiving credit, please contact Allison Hritz at allison@tryingtogether.org.
News
Join ELRC Region 5 on March 3 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for their online discussion, “ELRC Region 5: Ask the Coaches (Behavior Supports – The Rapid Response Team).”
Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 Quality Coaches will host two discussions for Allegheny County early learning program and child care owners, directors, and administrative staff to learn about a new provider/family/child support program – the Rapid Response Team. The director of the team will be a guest speaker to describe the program, the process of referral, and support that can be provided. Coaches will discuss the importance of behavior, emotional, and mental health support for our youngest children to thrive. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about available resources, ask questions, and network with fellow peers.
Registration is required. One PQAS credit hour will be available.
To receive credit, participants must complete the PD Registry Credit Request Form (in addition to the registration form). If you have any questions, please contact Holly Cessna at holly.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us or 412-812-1544. Questions about receiving credit should be directed to Allison Hritz at allison@tryingtogether.org.
