Minutes June 11, 1999 In Attendance: Ann Conklin; City of Lakewood, Krista Fiedler; Eagle's Nest, Jon Gallegos; Tri County Work Force, Tarrie Goddard; Kids In Action, Tom Zunker; Tri County Work Force, Joan Holtz; PATHS Head Start, Toni LaTronica; Educare, Patty Miller; Family Child Care, Denis Murray; Moutain Resource Center, Sherry Peterson; Head Start, Andre Ransom; Colorado Child Care Association, Kevin Richards; Clear Creek County Human Services, Peggy Shannon; Jefferson County Self Sufficiency Council, Melissa Larson; Human Services Child Care Center, Carol Carper; Red Rocks Community College, Joan Smith; Red Rocks Community College. CALENDAR DATES State Consolidated Child Care Pilots Meeting June 17, 10:00-5:00 and June 18 8:30-3:30, Colorado Department of Education, First floor conference Room Next Stakeholder Meeting: September 9, 1999 8:30-10:30 Location TBA Formation of the Triad ECE Advisory Council and Goals and Objectives for next year: Kevin Richards informed the members that the Clear Creek County Commissioners have signed off on the formation of the Triad Early Childhood Advisory Council. Terry Green and Pat Carr are in the process of securing this sign off from their respective boards. Joan reviewed the goals as outlined in the letter to the Boards of County Commissioners. The document, Triad Early Childhood Advisory Council, was distributed to update progress of the Triad Pilot in addressing the goals with current objectives and activities. Those not in attendance at the 6/11/99 meeting have this document attached to their minutes. Kevin Richards of Clear Creek County asked the Triad to consider the prevention models of working with families through joint organizations operating in coordination. Kevin shared the success of the "Wrap" model in Clear Creek in addressing issues of families with children at risk of possible out of home placement. The Wrap Program in Clear Creek has been successful in helping families to access service supports early, thus greatly reducing the need for out of home placement. The Early Intervention Opportunities in Jefferson County has produced similar results with a joint agency approach. The Safe Start Grant application to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention submitted by the District Attorney's office on behalf of the Triad counties, with Jefferson Center for Mental Health as co applicant, proposes to convene a multi agency coordinated approach to intervention for children at risk of exposure to violence. Kevin also offered to locate the language in the agency budget letter that would allow the use of state funds in child welfare budgets for prevention. In the next year a challenge to the Triad Consolidated Pilot is to review systemic barriers to quality services for children beyond just child care and be willing to address these barriers through the implementation of state waivers and efforts to conduct business in a more coordinated and streamlined manner. The nominating committee of Triad Stakeholders is proposing to meet this summer under the guidance of the County Directors of Human Services to name officers and representatives to the Triad ECE Council. It is proposed that Triad will hold their first meeting as the Triad Council in September 9, 1999. (NOTE: Nominating committee activities are pending upon the sign off of Gilpin and Jefferson Commissioner Boards on the formation of the Triad ECE Advisory Council). Triad Quality Improvement and Professional Development Plan: The Triad Professional Development and The Triad ECE Quality Improvement Proposal Outline document drafts were distributed. These documents describe the process of identifying the baseline quality and implementation of quality improvement objectives based on site specific goals for the Triad Pilot child care programs. A committee of Triad members, including Joan Smith, Jon Gallegos and Rob Gilmore have been meeting with Educare to access technical assistance in the Quality Improvement Plan. The proposal includes a strategy to make annual bonus payments to Triad sites upon successful completion of their quality improvement objectives. The Bonuses would be tied to the achievement of the Star Benchmarks as defined by Educare. The bonuses would be used for staff compensation initiatives. Joan asked for comment on the plan before June 23, the scheduled date of the next meeting with Educare. Potential revenue sources for the payment of the bonuses include the Child Development Funds and TANF set aside dollars managed by county departments of social services. CCAP Rates in Jeffco: Jefferson County is currently pursuing the proposed increases to the reimbursement rates paid by CCAP to all licensed child care providers. A proposal is being considered to raise the rates by an average of 12% for the next fiscal year. Infant/Toddler Quality Improvement Grant Application: Please find enclosed the email from Scott Raun of the State Divison of Child Care announcing the availability of the Infant/Toddler Grant application. The application is due August 5th. Social Service Departments do not have to be fiscal agents for these funds. Per the discussion of the stakeholders in attendance at the Triad meeting, an application from the Triad Pilot could address issues around staff recruitment, training and retention in infant toddler programs. Pending approval of the County Directors of Human Services from the Triad Counties, an application will be submitted on behalf of the Triad sites serving infants and toddlers. Up to fifteen grants will be made statewide in amounts up to $25,000. Preference will be given to those projects that can create and build sustainable, quality infant/toddler care in a targeted community. Please watch for details concerning the formation of a development and writing committee to respond to the application pending approval for submission from the County Directors of Social Services. The Triad Stakeholder meeting was adjourned. The Directors of the Jefferson County Child Care Pilot sites were asked to remain and discuss the addendum to their CCAP fiscal agreements to apply for private tuition payment for CCAP children enrolled in classrooms rating above a 4.0 on the appropriate ECERS evaluation tool. Triad Child Care Pilot Sites Director's Meeting: Two new sites have been added to the Triad Pilot; the Children's Center from Red Rocks Community College and the Human Services Center from Jefferson County. An announcement inviting more facilities to apply to be Triad sites will be included in the Child Care Association Newsletter. The Colorado Coalition for Homeless has applied to have their Renaissance Center as part of the Pilot. The addendum was approved by consensus with modifications to the formatting to allow one classroom per page including children's names and household numbers. Triad will use existing resources to assist the Pilot sites in paying for the cost of the quarterly ECERS R evaluations that will be required for each classroom in the pilot sites for the next year. A discussion centered around the need to seek resources to retain the services of evaluators with the ability to allocate time during the 40 hour business week to completing the evaluations and report documentation for the ECERS tools. Expecting full time working ECE professionals to respond to the added tasks of evaluation has produced un-realistic expectations on the available time of individual evaluators. Each of the Triad Pilots were asked to complete the survey of staff training on the forms distributed. It was agreed that the only required information at this time is to complete the column concerning current training levels of each staff member. Please return the forms to Joan Smith ASAP.

Thanks.