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I would like to welcome you to our
new edition of the Childcare Association of Louisiana's
Newsletter! We hope that by providing you this
information we will keep you more informed of what CCAL is
doing for you!
Thank you for being a
member of our well-respected, statewide professional
organization! We are dedicated to representing your needs and
keeping you up to date on important information.
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CCAL
WORKING FOR YOU.....
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Below
is a copy of the letter that the Childcare Association of Louisiana
Submitted on Behalf of our member centers on December 28,
2009. We also provided oral testimony at the public
hearing. CCAL will keep you apprised at to further developments and
whether DSS decides to move forward with their rules as originally
published or whether they will decide to make changes, as per our
request.
Kristy Nichols, Secretary
Louisiana Department of Social Services
Re: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/emr/0909EMR030.pdf
The Childcare Association of Louisiana goes on record,
publicly, as being opposed to the provisions of the DSS rule that
puts a two year requirement on reapplying for a childcare license
once it has been revoked by DSS. Also, CCAL opposes the
provisions of the DSS rule that proposed that the disqualification
period applies to the owner, the director and any affiliate of the
provider.
While CCAL certainly understands the role of the DSS
to regulate childcare, we believe that DSS needs to take a closer
look at the balance required between regulating an industry that is
one of Louisiana's largest employers in the state of Louisiana and
protecting the safety of children.
Most state agencies that regulate businesses have provisions within
the licensing laws that allow for change of ownership. CCAL asks
that DSS go back to the drawing board on this rule and make such
provisions for Change of ownership.
It is unreasonable to expect that if a childcare
center's license is subject to revocation, no affiliates are in a
better posture to take over ownership of the center and run it in a
legally appropriate manner.
CCAL wishes to strongly reiterate the issue of
accountability. If a licensed childcare center violates DSS
licensure rules and regulations and DSS staff deems that the
childcare center's license should be revoked, consideration needs
to be given to creating provisions to place a childcare center on
probation as an intermediate step to license revocation.
Centers who are placed on probation would
have to clear their deficiencies within a reasonable time frame in
order to have their probationary status changed.
Lastly, CCAL believes that the rule in its final form
should be clarified to clearly reflect the opinion of the
Department of Social Services legal staff that "The
disqualification applies only to the facility whose license was
revoked (and to applications to operate the same facility from any
affiliate of the provider) or to applications for a new facility
from the provider or affiliate during the disqualification
period. The Emergency Rule does not affect the licenses of
other facilities owned by the same provider and does not affect the
licenses of facilities owned by an affiliate of the
provider." Earlier this year, CCAL asked for
clarification and we received the above clarification from DSS'
legal counsel but it is not clearly delineated in the rule.
Governor Jindal routinely states that we
should run the state like a business. DSS needs to view their
regulatory role in a broader sense and heed their obligation to
providing the training and technical assistance needed to provide
childcare centers with the help they need to avoid violating the
childcare licensures regulations and rules. Rules should be
revised to delineate major and minor violations. Furthermore, the
current rules are far too subjective. A center should
not be cited for a violation unless said violation is clearly
stated in the childcare licensure rules and regulations. The
Childcare Association of Louisiana stands ready to work with the
Department of Social Services to improve the current childcare
licensing rules and regulations to protect children and their
families, while improving the business climate of providing quality
childcare to Louisiana's workforce.
Respectfully Submitted
Cindy Bishop, Executive Director
Childcare Association of Louisiana
P.O. Box 80053
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-0053
(225) 923-1599 OFFICE
(225) 933-5435 CELL
Destiny362@aol.com
www.childcarelouisiana.org
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The American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) Healthy Child Care America is pleased to announce the
release of a new online module on Reducing the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS) in Child Care! Based off of the
AAP Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speakers Kit, this
FREE
course is designed to educate everyone who cares for babies,
including child care providers, health care professionals, parents,
grandparents, and relatives.
In 1 hour, participants will learn how
to create a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of SIDS
and other sleep related deaths. With an easy to use format,
this course is available 24/7 from your home or office
computer. Child care providers will receive a
certificate of completion for 1.0 contact hour.
Health care professionals can also receive credit (see flyer
for details).
The
Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care online module is supported
by Grant No. U46MC04436 from the US Department of Health and Human
Services, Child Care Bureau and the Health Resources and Services
Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, to the AAP.
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