MCCTF
Co-Chair Contact Information:
Lisa
Brewer, Michigan 4C, T.E.A.C. H. Director, 866-648-3224,
ext. 27, brewer@mi4c.org
Richard Lower, Michigan's Children, Policy Associate,
800-330-8674,
lower.Richard@michiganschildren.org.
FALL
SCHEDULE for the TASK FORCE
November
5 &endash; Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor, State of
Michigan Library
December 3 &endash; Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor, State
of Michigan Library
State of Michigan Library, Lake Ontario Room, 3rd floor,
717 West Allegan, Lansing, MI 48909-7507. Phone: (517)
373-1580
Outgoing
Co-Chair Kristen McDonald Stone called the meeting to
order at 9:30 a.m. Introductions were done.
UPDATES
TO THE TASK FORCE
Family
Independence Agency, Kathi Pioszak
1.
State plan approved.
TANF
Reauthorization, Steve Manchester, Richard Lower, Jane
Zehnder-Merrell
1.
TANF/CCDBG extension passed for continuation funding
through end of March 2004.
2. Current bill includes $1 Billion over 5 years,
however, Sen. O. Snowe is seeking between $5-7 Billion
in an amendment that she is working on and an
agreement with the leadership of the U.S. Senate is in
the works to allow her to offer the first amendment on
the floor of the Senate when the bill is taken up on
the floor of the Senate.
Head
Start Reauthorization, Kristen McDonald Stone
1.
No new news. Bi-partisan negotiations are continuing
and expecting a new bill to be drafted and action
taken in November, 2003.
2. For further info, contact Kristen at (517) 374-6472
or Kristen@mhsa.ws
Kids
Count in Michigan, Jane Zehnder-Merrell
1.
Michigan's Right Start data was released on September
16, 2003. The press release and summary were
distributed to Task Force.
2. Three areas of improvement: decline in repeat teen
births, decline in smoking, and decline in teen
births.
3. Summary sheets for cities are being developed.
4. Call the Michigan League for Human Services for
your city summary sheet.
5. The next Right Start data to be released in
2004.
6. The League's annual conference &endash;coming
November 6, 2003.
Michigan
Department of Education, Judy Levine
1.
Great Parents/Great Start funding applications due
today. Little funds available.
2. MSRP changes. Some ISDs are keeping all dollars for
MSRP, some are using them exclusively for ASAP-PIE
type activities, and some are using the dollars for a
combination of MSRP and ASAP-PIE type activities
combined.
3. In October (date TBA), there will be a training for
early childhood specialists on the changes to the MSRP
assessment tool.
4. There is an upcoming 5% reduction in the Dept. of
Education budget. Unsure what this reduction will look
like at this point.
Department
of Consumer and Industry Services, Patricia Hogg for Jim
S.
1.
The Ad-hoc committee re: Center Rules continues to
meet. It will be approximately a year before a
decision on changes occurs.
2. Transfer of Licensing to FIA is underway with the
expectation that the Governor's E.O.-revised will be
accepted, since the Senate has rejected the current
version of the E.O. and the House is threatening to
reject it.
3. Irma Zuckerberg is taking a new position at DCIS,
so there will be a vacancy in the bureau director
position.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mark
Sullivan, Mi4C
Passed out a handout re: a school age provider
assessment-includes a web site with a survey that those
with programs are encouraged to fill out.
HB 4096
(Children's Ombudsman Act)
Richard Lower
The Senate standing committee is meeting on October 2,
2003 at 8:30 a.m. To access legislation (a copy of the
bill and several analyses of it) go to
www.michiganlegislature.org.
GUEST
SPEAKER
Nannette
Bowler, Director, Michigan Family Independence Agency
Dept. of Licensing is coming back to FIA. 5 Priorities:
Safety, Well-being, Permanency, Independence, Worker
Support. Gov. challenged the FIA to "think outside the
box" in response to financial situation in the
State.
GOALS:
1.
Better mental and medical health care services
2. Stream line service between "multi-system
families"
3. Worker infrastructure
The State
spend more on child care than FIP (Family Independence
Program) Less than half of child care centers in the
state service FIA eligible children.
Ms. Bowler knows that there problems regarding licensing
of centers/homes. 61 consultants is too low, case loads
too high.Ms. Bowler is planning to meet with entire
licensing staff and asking for issues and
recommendations.The structure of licensing will be
changing because "it's broken." Statewide plan to educate
state workers involved with children on early childhood
development and brain development of children.
Ms. Bowler asked the MCCTF for concerns/issues and
received a few; need for training of consultants; middle
management; minimum requirements of education or training
for providers; streamline licensing procedures; why does
it take 45 days to open a child care payment
authorization?
The next
MCCTF meeting in November will include a group think
session on what Ms. Bowler asked with including
recommendations.
ADDITIONAL
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rep.
Joseph Rivet spoke about E.O. and only 2 real issues are
holding up the E.O. out of a 52 page E.O. The Governor
will issue a new E.O. and rewrite the 2 "bad" parts.
Kristen
McDonald Stone officially stepped down as co-chair and
Richard Lower (Michigan's Children) is the next co-chair
of the MCCTF.
Kristen
McDonald Stone, MHSA
A licensing letter has been drafted and MCCTF has signed
on regarding concerns surrounding licensing. The letter
will go to Director Bowler. Also signing on is the Mi4C,
MiAEYC, Michigan's Children, and the Michigan Head Start
Association. The letter will be sent out electronically
over the MCCTF network.
Report on
Governor's Summit on Education, Sharon Peters (Michigan's
Children)
There was a capacity crowd. There is now a place at the
Governor's level to get issues re: early childhood.
Showcased expanded early childhood R.E.A.D.Y. Kits.
Showcased a new PSA re: the Governor's Great Start
effort.
ADDITIONAL
UPDATES TO THE TASK FORCE
K.
Pelleran, Fight Crime Invest in Kids
Social Service Block Grant (Federal level)- A cut has
been proposed meaning Michigan is losing out on
approximately $40 million. Encouraged those in attendance
to contact Congressman Camp's office and convey our wish
that the $2.8 billion in cuts be restored.
Richard
Lower, Michigan's Children
Announced e-mail group list changes-a separation of
MiAEYC and MCCTF group lists. Asked those in attendance
for suggestions for future speakers to the group. E-mail
Lisa or Richard with suggestions. The co-chairs, Lisa and
Richard, are recommending that part of some future
meetings be spent in work groups on issues, learning
about advocacy, networking, etc. Speaker time will be
reduced, however, question/answer time will continue. If
there are any suggestions on format of meetings, e-mail
Lisa or Richard. Richard also asked the group if Updates
should be limited? General feeling of the group was
no-they are very valuable. Richard asked the general feel
of the group about the MCCTF Spring legislative event?
Planning is going to start for the 2004 event soon.
Richard also asked if the group would like to incorporate
some advocacy training into a future meeting. A
suggestion was made that once a year have an
"orientation" to the MCCTF that includes its history,
purpose/mission, advocacy skills, etc.
Kristen
McDonald Stone, MHSA
Kristen announced that she needs access to 4-year-old
Spanish speaking Head Start children for an assessment
process for the MHSA. Please contact her if you have
access to this group.
The next
meeting will be November 5, 2003 at the State of Michigan
Library, Lake Ontario Room, from 9:30 a.m. &endash; noon.
Invited speaker is Sue Carnell, Education Advisor to the
Governor.
Minutes
taken by Steve Manchester (MiAEYC) and Mary Hentschl
(Kalamazoo Public Schools).
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE
Send
comments and suggestions regarding this e-mail network,
or requests to be added or removed from it, to
mcctforce@miaeyc.org.
Please
FORWARD THIS NOTICE TO OTHERS; we invite and courage
people to join this e-mail network.
The MCCTF
Organizational Sponsors:
Michigan 4C Association (Community Coordinated Child
Care); Michigan's Children; Michigan Association for the
Education of Young Children; and Michigan Head Start
Association.