Our goal is to ensure that young children have quality, nurturing, and safe child care and education as physical distancing and other guidelines continue in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Learn more about the COVID Response & Recovery plan here.
Latest Weekly Digests
May 26, 2022 | COVID Response & Recovery for Child Care & Wellbeing
May 19, 2022 | COVID Response & Recovery for Child Care & Wellbeing
May 12, 2022 | COVID Response & Recovery for Child Care & Wellbeing
For past editions and more early childhood development news, click here.
- Interested in learning more about Universal Pre-Kindergarten in Monterey County? Family Child Care Educators and Family, Friends & Neighbors (FFN) are invited to attend an informational session dedicated to answering questions on Thursday, June 2 from 6-7pm. Join via Zoom here, and check out the flyer here. Spanish translation will be available.
- First 5 Santa Cruz County is hosting PreKindergarten for Kids: a Town Hall for Families on Tuesday, May 31 from 5-6:15 pm on Zoom. This free, bilingual virtual event will provide local families with information, tips, and resources about early care and education options for their children in the two years before they enter Kindergarten. Register here.
- Is your program or agency interested in providing a COVID-19 vaccine location for children under 5 once available? If so, complete the CDPH request form to prepare for your pop-up event or mobile vaccine location when the time comes!
- Looking for summer or after school activities for your child? Monterey County’s InPlay Summer Activity Guide is now available with great ideas for keeping your child active and engaged.
- Monterey Peninsula College is looking for feedback on how to use Measure V funding to improve infrastructure and facilities. Several advocates spoke in favor of allocating resources for onsite childcare at the new Marina Education Center. Here is more information about the MPC Measure V Bond. If you are interested and able to send comments regarding the need or interest for a childcare center, please email jfinnell@mpc.edu.
- The California Work & Family Coalition is offering a part-time paid summer internship (remote) starting in mid-June. The internship will be a great experience for anyone interested in learning more and getting hands-on experience working on legislative campaigns. Please help spread the word to students past and present and any others looking for a short internship. Look here for more information.
- Health Resources and Services Administration announces the availability of new funding to support community-based doulas. There is $4.5 million for hiring, training, certifying, and compensating community-based doulas in areas with high rates of adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Check out their link here.
- Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) received praise for their work and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a look at the full Grand Jury Report here.
- Learn and earn with the Hartnell paid apprenticeship program in Early Childhood Education. There is still time to sign up for the first year of this amazing opportunity! See the flyers here for information or contact Laura@brightbeginningsmc.org for more information.
- MPUSD is enrolling toddlers, Pre-K, TK, and Kindergarteners! Share these flyers with your community. Download the application here.
- Build capacity to support the quality of infant and toddler care in your programs and enhance the professional development of your teachers. Apply for the Program for Infant Toddler Care trainer certification by Monday, August 15.
- Did you miss the community meeting on UPK in Monterey County? Check out the powerpoint presentation from Laurie Ramirez, Local Child Care Planning Council.
- Calling all Monterey County licensed family child care educators and centers! Quality Matters Monterey has released the 2022-23 application for new Quality Matters sites. Join a community of ECE professionals and receive coaching, technical assistance, stipends, and resources to support your professional growth. Complete the application here or contact ECE Specialist Gelacio Gonzalez for more information. Applications are due Wednesday, June 15.
- There are additional funds available for materials, training, and fees associated with starting new and expanding child care programs in Monterey County! Contact Maria Ortiz at the Resource and Referral at 831-757-0775 for information.
- The Monterey County Preschool Service Corps (PSC) program is looking for new AmeriCorps members for the 2022-23 year to support language and literacy development in partnering preschools. Visit Monterey County's United Way website or contact Taylor Jonte-Saiz at (831) 757-3206 x 204 for more information.
- Check out the Quality Matters calendar for future professional development opportunities available for ECE providers!
- Need to find a testing or vaccine clinic in Monterey County? Visit MontereyCountyVaccines.com or find your location in the bilingual flyers below:
- With an uptick of COVID-19 cases in our area, check out the Monterey County Health Department webpage on treatment of the illness.
- Want to know more about quarantine and isolation recommendations? Here’s the latest information from the CDPH. The guidance for child care programs is located here.
- Did you misplace your COVID-19 vaccine card? Sign up for a new digital vaccine card from the California Department of Public Health! Get a vaccine card here.
- If you haven’t ordered your free at-home COVID test kits, what are you waiting for? Get 4 kits (2 boxes with 2 kits in each) for your family. Place an order for your household here.
- Individuals who are unable to leave their home due to a medical condition may be eligible for in-home vaccination services. Call the Central Coast Visiting Nurses Association at 831-648-3777 to schedule an appointment or call the California COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255.
- In addition to scheduling COVID-19 vaccination appointments, My Turn is an online tool that allows Californians to schedule their flu vaccinations and find walk-in clinics in their area. Learn more about the flu vaccine with this up-to-date fact sheet from the CDC.
- With an increase in seasonal flu and COVID-19 rates, the CCLD is urging all licensees and providers to get vaccinated against the flu now even if they have already received a COVID-19 vaccine, including the COVID-19 booster. Be sure to continue to refer to the CCLD website for COVID-19 information and resources. Previous PINs for licensed providers can be found here.
- Can kids get the flu vaccine at the same time as they get the COVID-19 vaccine? Yes! Boston Children’s Hospital shares why, here. Go to myturn.ca.gov to schedule an appointment.
- Want to know more about the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters? Check out this link from the California Department of Public Health. For some helpful Q&A’s click here. Access the MyTurn.ca.gov website and schedule an appointment.
- Sharing fun and interesting materials with children is one of the best ways to engage them in learning. Check out El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center’s toolkit that includes comic book-style materials about COVID-19 vaccines for children.
- Monterey County has released a quick animated vaccine video with a superhero theme. Check out the videos in English and in Spanish, and share them with your communities.
- The Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program provides crucial services for families, children, and educators in Monterey County including current health informational presentations, trainings, free health checks, and immunizations. Check out these flyers to learn more.
- Community Care Licensing issued a new PIN for child care providers on March 9. This guidance includes the use of face masks, sick children or positive COVID-19 test results, children who are exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, and other important information.
- The Community Foundation for Monterey County has released a COVID-19 Communications Toolkit here including flyers, social media graphics, and resources to share.
- Save this important number that you can call if you are a school or child care provider and have a potential COVID-19 exposure. Call the Communicable Disease Call Center at 831-755-4521 to report exposure, suspected cases, and for contact tracing. For general COVID-19 questions, you or your families can call the Phone Tree at 769-8700.
- The CDC has released new COVID-19 prevention guidelines for the K-12 school system (inclusive of TK, they just call it K-12).
- There is an interactive decision tree if you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19 at your school site. Check out this easy-to-follow link.
- CDPH has revised the Safe Schools for All social media toolkit to help Californians reduce COVID-19 risk in schools.
- There is a new initiative called the SMARTER plan for California, which is the next phase of the state’s response to COVID-19. Check out the SMARTER plan here.
- Wondering when you should keep your child home from child care? Check out the Quick-Screening Guide for COVID-19 for parents and caregivers from the UCSF California Childcare Health Program. Find the one-page guide here.
- The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) strongly recommends, but does not mandate, the use of face masks indoors. The latest guidance from CDPH on face masks is located here.
- A publication from the CDPH - Mask for Kids - is available to show how particles spread with and without wearing a mask. Check out their flyer here.
- Follow these tips to stay safe and protect yourself, family, and friends from the COVID-19 virus.
- Upgrade your mask: Good fit and filtration continue to be the best way to get the most out of your mask. The best masks for preventing COVID-19 include the N95, KN95 and KF94.
- Get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu: It’s your turn now! It’s recommended for everyone over six months of age to be vaccinated for the flu. You can get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines on the same day.
- My Vaccine Record is an easy way to show vaccination status at venues or businesses that require proof of vaccination. Visit myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov to get your vaccine record.
- Stay home & get tested if sick: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches), or believe you have been exposed - get tested, call your healthcare provider, and stay home and away from others. Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home from work and school if you feel ill.
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Travel tips: Delay travel (both domestic and international) until you are fully vaccinated. If you must travel before being fully vaccinated, consider getting tested before and after travel. See the CDC’s full travel guidance.
- Avoid crowded venues or areas when cases are high.
- Add your phone to the fight: Sign up for COVID-19 exposure notifications from CA Notify.
- Answer the call or text if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or your local health department tries to reach you.
- Check with the Monterey County Health Department about local conditions.
- Sources say that babies may have been impacted by the COVID pandemic more than we realized. The first 1,000 days of a baby’s life are often referred to as their brain’s window of opportunity. Find out more in this article by EdSource.
- Many of the chemicals we use for cleaning are actually meant to sanitize and disinfect. Most of the time, soap and water will do the job. This poster from CCHP helps you think about what tools are best for the job you’re doing. Check out this website from the UCSF California Child Care Health Program on safer cleaning and sanitizing products.
Resources & Tools
- If you cannot pay your rent or are worried about eviction, you should check out these flyers, visit housing.ca.gov, or call (833) 430-2122 for financial assistance. Landlords and renters are encouraged to apply.
- Do you know someone who is uninsured and needs medical services? Esperanza Care of Monterey County is available to low-income residents who do not qualify for Medi-Cal and have no other insurance. Applications can be obtained from the Monterey County Health Department, Natividad Medical Center, or Pacific Health Alliance at (800) 533-4742. Here are flyers in English and Spanish to share with your community.
- Want to know if a family qualifies for state-subsidized child care? A new Family Monthly Fee Schedule by CDSS is now available here, determining if families are eligible based on income and family size. The state preschool eligibility is here.
- FEMA will offset funeral or burial expenses up to $7,000. Funds are eligible for US citizens, non-citizen nationals, or qualified aliens, though there is no requirement for the decedent to be any of these. Apply by calling their dedicated line at 844-684-6333. Our thoughts go out to those who have lost a loved one during the pandemic.
- Do you know someone who was impacted by the 2020 wildfires? Santa Cruz and Monterey County residents who are undocumented and were unable to collect unemployment or access other state funds may be eligible for financial relief if they lost wages, severely reduced working hours, lost employment or housing. Call 831-225-0545 or click here for flyers to share with families and agencies.
- Workers who have questions about their rights including unemployment, keeping workplaces safe, temporary housing, and other questions during the pandemic can call the California COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-422-4255 or go to the California for All COVID-19 page here.
- Want to track your child’s developmental milestones? Check out the milestone tracker app from Learn the Signs, Act Early to track your child’s development and act early if you have a concern.
- Looking for simple ways to help children with math? Check out these fun videos for all ages.
- A free toolkit to help communities prepare for natural disasters is available for those working with children and youth. Take a look at this great resource, which takes a trauma-informed approach to working with and being ready to help.
- Do your kids say school is “boring”? Check out this article from the Greater Good Science Center that digs deeper into why children sometimes say they are bored at school, with some tips on how to help.
- Do you want to learn more about independent study in California? This short article from EdSource describes how it works.
- Did you miss the PBS NewsHour Specials? Click here to access the entire series. Videos are less than 10 minutes and can be shared with families, leaders, and your community.
- Inclusion Works is available now for all programs. This second edition includes updated strategies to help programs that are working with children 0-12 years of age and their families. The information included is great for children with and without disabilities! Get your copy here.
- Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC) can help educators, families, and children cope with traumatic experiences and challenges as well as build social emotional skills. Their Coming Together and the ABC’s of Racial Justice includes information on how adults can talk about race, prejudice, and skin color. More tips and activities from SSIC are available here.
- Creating Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments for Children is the latest resource from the CDC. It is a collaboration between various experts including the California Department of Public Health, Department of Social Services, Child Abuse Prevention, and others to highlight positive ways to elevate primary prevention and positive parenting. Check out this informative resource and share it with your community.
- Understanding Bias in ECE settings as well as our workplaces can lead to positive change and a better community. Check out this very short article from the Greater Good Science Center, which gives us some tips on rooting out bias.
- Coastal Kids Home Care is offering grief services for kids, teens, and adults. Funeral assistance associated with COVID-19 as well as other support is available from the Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey County. See flyers here.
- Does your child need more emotional or mental health support than you can provide? The Kinship Center Mobile Response Team provides immediate services to families with a child or youth (ages 0-21) experiencing a mental or emotional health crisis - big or small. Services are available M-F 8:00am-10:00pm, S-S from 11:00am-9:00pm and by calling their 24/7 hotline at (831) 687-4379.
- The Parenting Connection of Monterey County is holding free postpartum support groups for new and not-so-new moms. As always, a 24 hour warm line is available (831) 783-5933. Please share these flyers.
- Did you know that all child care providers can request free consultation services from the California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Network? These professionals are available to promote social-emotional health and wellbeing of children and the adults who care for them. For a free consultation, call 877-524-2422 or visit cibc-ca.org.
- Feeling the pressure of being a parent during the pandemic? Check out the six ways to deal with parental burnout from the Greater Good Science Center here.
- Try out this Stress Buster Tool Kit shared by First 5 Tehama. It provides quick checklists and strategies to help families understand how to identify toxic stress and effectively cope with stress.
- Did you know that at least 30% of California students said they’d lost a loved one during the pandemic? See how schools have helped students cope with grief through counseling and adult support in this article and how schools are focusing on emotional health and relationships in this article, both by EdSource.
- Feeling anxious about socializing with others, even if you’re vaccinated? Check out these 6 Tips for Socialization After You’ve Been Vaccinated from the Greater Good Science Center.
- Children may be experiencing a range of emotions, including stress during this time. Parents can help children prepare for stressful moments by talking about feelings with their children to encourage healthy emotional development. Check out this great resource from Child Care Aware.
- Practicing some simple mindfulness activities with your children can help both adults and children when they are feeling anxious or stressed. Zero to Three provides some easy activities to do with your children that can be fun and beneficial for your emotional health! Check out their activities here.
- COVID-19 Child Care & Wellbeing Response & Recovery Coalition partners have posted valuable resources on how to talk about diversity and racism with young children. Check out what First 5 Monterey County has shared:
- The Learning Resources for Children and Families page has activities for children to do at home along with anti-racism resources that include how to talk to children about racial bias, how to talk about race, and books that explain race and diversity
- Resources for Teachers and Families
- Social-Emotional Learning is a critical part of supporting the children and families in our community. This Social-Emotional Roadmap provides critical practices for reopening schools with equity-focused strategies as we move forward toward healing.
- Check out the Building Businesses Back (BBB) website to find grants, loans, workshops, and other resources for your small business. They can help with child care businesses, too! Check out this webinar recording here.
- Curious about the statistics behind child care and access in Monterey County? Take a look at new data on where child care is by zip code here (click on the green Monterey County Child Care Access Map button). This is just a start of the kinds of data Bright Beginnings and its partners will be sharing over the next months, as we work together to improve access to child care in our community.
- Check out the latest enrollment info by region with this easy to use graphic from EdSource. Trends show enrollments are dropping along the coast, and rising inland most likely due to housing costs.
- The Monterey Herald featured the Hartnell College Pathway Apprenticeship program and the nearly $500k grant they received to promote ECE workers in Monterey County. Learn more about the apprenticeship program here and check out two of our partners, Ivan Pagan and Sonia Jaramillo, who made the local news! Watch the KSBW video here.
- Did you know that Monterey County received an additional $351,747 in one-time funds to increase family child care spaces? This funding is called the Child Care Incentive Project (CCIP)-ARPA funding and is provided through MAOF’s Resource and Referral program. Funds are available to help family child care programs that closed during the pandemic re-open, stay open, or expand their current license and for new family child care programs to become licensed. Contact Maria Ortiz, 831-757-0775, at MAOF for more information.
- Are you or others you know interested in starting a child care business? MAOF is recruiting potential family child care homes in addition to offering free training, marketing, and up to $1,000 in support to new or expanding child care programs in Monterey County. Share these flyers with your friends and family or call MAOF at (831) 757-0775 to learn more.
- Hartnell College was awarded the CAI grant for Monterey County’s ECE Apprenticeship Program! This funding will support the pipeline of educators in our community through paid apprenticeship and educational support for learners. Join the fast track and earn a living while you learn the skills through the ECE Pathway. Sign up here or call 831-386-7105. Share this flyer in your community!
- Do you need a FAQ sheet to share with parents and staff? UCSF has an amazing resource for providers and parents with a variety of topics ranging from Autism to Vaccine Safety. All Fact Sheets are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese!
- Interested in starting a business (including a family child care), but not sure where to start? Register at the Empresari@ class for 13 virtual training classes and learn how to get a loan and other capital opportunities. Register for classes here or call 831-722-1224.
- Monterey County needs businesses that support families, both behind the scenes with strong family policies and in the public eye as a service to families. Ready to apply to become a Monterey County Family Friendly Employer? It's easy! Learn more and certify your business here. Child Care businesses are encouraged to apply!
- Early Start provides free services to infants and toddlers (0-3 years) with disabilities and their families. The San Andreas Regional Center serves Monterey County and can provide speech, occupational and physical therapy, nutrition, nursing, and other services. Flyers and information to share with providers and parents are available to help understand the importance of early intervention and prevention. Click here for more information.
- Poisonings are preventable. The key to prevention is knowing where the resources are to help you act fast. Know the poison control number! It’s 1-800-222-1222. Click here for a free poster for homes, centers, and businesses.
- The Center for Disease Control has released an immunization and developmental tracker for children 0-6 years old. Click here to view and download the tracker.
- Community Care Licensing has numerous FAQs related to COVID-19 and ECE settings. Be sure to check the website for the most updated information here.
- If you are reading this, you are likely a mandated reporter for suspected child abuse. Click here for some answers to questions about reporting.
- Water safety is so important for young children! Check out this PIN from Community Care Licensing on water safety in licensed programs.
- There has been a recall of the Kidde TruSense Smoke and Combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarms. This device can fail to alert you to a fire. See the PIN from Community Care Licensing here for the recall information and how to identify if your device is on the recall list.
- Want some fun songs and posters to share in your classroom and community? These great resources were developed by TMD Creative in collaboration with the County of Monterey. Click here to access the shared material.
- The Preschool Learning Foundations (volume 2) is now available in Spanish! Click here to access your copy.
- Want to know how much ARPA funding came into California and Monterey County? Check out this interactive tool that provides a breakdown by state, county, and city.
- Want to know more about Preschool through Third Grade (P-3) Alignment? Check out this page from the California Department of Education and this summary on the challenges and opportunities in California.
- Where are all the child care workers? As California tries to rebound, child care providers are not coming back to their jobs. Check out this article by Cal Matters that shines light on the problem.
- Wondering what is in the Build Back Better plan for the ECE community? Here’s a brief that explains the child care section of the Build Back Better plan.
- Take a look at the important panel discussion: Childcare is Everyone’s Business sponsored by the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership’s 7th Annual State of the Region Conference. Francine Rodd of First 5 Monterey County and Sonja Koehler of Bright Beginnings joined other speakers to discuss childcare workforce shortages, low wages, and the cost of childcare. Click this link to watch!
- Monterey County is one of the coastal communities that may be seeing a long term decline in K-12 enrollment. See this projection from EdSource that shows Monterey County with a projected 14.66% drop by 2031.
- Want to know more about how the disparity in funding at the school level impacts equity for children? Check out this eye opening article from Forbes on school funding inequities.
- Take a look at this interactive Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, which measures the wellbeing of infants and toddlers in each state and shows the progress toward adopting statewide solutions.
- Like podcasts? Listen to this one on what Universal TK means for kids in California.
- Want to see a snapshot of where the funding is going in California’s education system? Check out this link from EdSource for a quick overview.
- Why do some districts offer TK and others don’t? This article by EdSource gives some insight into why some districts are reluctant to provide TK to their communities.
- California’s recovery starts with child care! Read and share this fact sheet with advocates to support the early childhood workforce and recovery efforts. Get the fact sheet here.
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation released its report on the Importance of Childcare to U.S. Families and Businesses and cross-sector solutions to recover from COVID-19. Feel free to use this publication in your efforts.
It Takes a Coalition
The emergency response providing coordinated solutions for child care and education is led by a coalition of early childhood champions, united under the Bright Beginnings Strategic Framework to better support all young children and their families, to prepare every child for life and school. This coalition is ever-growing:
A special thanks to the coordinating team and major funders: Bright Beginnings Backbone, Child Care Planning Council, First 5 Monterey County, MAOF Resource & Referral, Quality Matters Monterey County, and the United Way of Monterey County.
For more information, please contact sonja@brightbeginningsmc.org.