COVID-19 Response & Recovery for Child Care & Wellbeing
Our goal is to ensure that young children have quality, nurturing, and safe child care and education during the pandemic. For more information about this effort and the coalition behind it, please visit our web hub here.
If you have information, flyers, or events you would like to share in this publication please contact Laura@BrightBeginningsMC.org.
This Week’s Highlights
A few highlights from this last week are shared below. Previous Weekly Digests are available here.
Stay up-to-date and join the mailing list for the Bright Beginnings’ Weekly Recovery Coalition Digest, Maternal Mental Health Task Force, and the Bright Beginnings’ Quarterly Update here. It’s free!
Monterey County Vaccines By the Numbers
Stay informed with the Monterey County COVID-19 portal. Here is this week’s Monterey County COVID-19 Weekly Update.
News
- The Monterey County Health Department is still waiting to receive vaccines for children 6 months to age 5. As soon as practitioners offer these vaccines, we’ll include them on our lists. To find a vaccine, visit myturn.ca.gov or call 1-833-422-4255. Parents can also talk to their child’s health care provider. Visit Vaccinate ALL 58 to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines available for all Californians 6 months and older.
- Is your program or agency interested in providing a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic for children, youth, and families later this summer? If so, contact Krista Hanni at (831) 755-4586 at the Monterey County Health Department.
- Learn about COVID-19 vaccines for children 6 months to 5 years at the First 5 Association event on Tuesday, June 28 from 3-4pm. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will share all the latest information and resources! If you have questions you would like answered during the Q&A that follows, please email them to Melanie@first5association.org. Vaccinate ALL 58 will also share a toolkit designed for those working with children under 5 and their caregivers. Join the webinar here. (Webinar ID: 850 2076 7503).
- The CDC has updated its guidelines for child care programs during COVID-19. The new page recommends always using some COVID prevention tools (vaccination, ventilation, hand washing).
- Need a COVID-19 home test for your staff or families? We have free kits available at the Bright Beginnings office. Contact Cristina@brightbeginningsmc.org to get some for your program or home!
- Do you think your program has a COVID-19 outbreak? Child care providers can complete this form and submit it to Monterey County Public Health, when children are present and a child has tested positive in that setting. If a child has tested positive outside of that child care setting and does not attend the child care center, then they may report the positive case here.
- We need your input in order to increase child care reimbursement rates for subsidy programs! Please complete this survey, to highlight how much it costs to provide high-quality preschool and childcare across California, and how far current public funding goes towards that cost. For this study to be successful, immediate input is needed from all types of providers (center-based, licensed family child care, and license-exempt family, friend and neighbor providers).
- Families with children 0-12 are being asked to complete an important survey related to child care. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes and is available in English, Spanish, and other languages. Participants who complete the survey will be entered to win one of several $200 gift cards.
- Remember, water safety is important during hot months. Here’s a link on how to keep children safe around water activities.
- All 58 counties in California continue to be under a state of emergency due to extreme and expanding drought conditions. Community Care Licensing reminds all licensed providers to be prepared for and continue responding to: extreme heat, public safety power shut offs (PSPS), wildfire emergencies, and long-term drought. Child care providers are strongly encouraged to refer to PIN 21-07-CCLD and PIN 21-13-CCLD, which provide essential guidance on how to be prepared for extreme heat/drought, and this information on the Everbridge emergency response system.
- The Alisal Family Resource Center is offering workshops on Tuesdays in June and July from 5:30-6:30pm at 1441 Del Monte Ave. Download and share the English flyer and Spanish flyer. For more information call (831) 753-5700 x 4702 or 4703.
- Tuesday, June 28 | Rethink your Drink
- Tuesday, July 5 | Portions Matter
- The Alisal Union School District in collaboration with First 5 Monterey County is offering summer playgroups now-July 8. Call 831-753-5700, ext. 4702, 4703 or 4701 for more information. Download and share the English flyer and Spanish flyer.
- Ciclovía is coming to Greenfield! A designated street in Greenfield will be transformed into a car-free community event on Sunday, June 26 from 10am-2pm. If you’re interested in providing resources to families, please fill out this form and email it to cicloviasouthcounty@gmail.com.
- Looking for summer or after school activities for your child? Monterey County 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 MPC Measure V Bond funding to improve infrastructure and facilities. Several advocates spoke in favor of allocating resources to an onsite childcare at the new Marina Education Center. If you are interested and able to send comments regarding the need or interest for a childcare center, please email jfinnell@mpc.edu.
- MPUSD is enrolling toddlers, Pre-K, TK, and Kindergarteners! Share these flyerswith your community. Download the application here.
- 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 websiteor 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:
COVID-19 Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Information ➡️ click here to learn more…
General COVID-19 & Public Health ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resources & Tools
Financial Relief for Families ➡️ click here to learn more…
All Ages Learning & Development Supports ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resilience & Mental Health Resources ➡️ click here to learn more…
Child Care & Education Quality & Business Tools ➡️ click here to learn more…
Policy & Advocacy ➡️ click here to learn more…
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:
4th Monterey County Supervisorial District
30th California Assembly District
Building Healthy Communities
CAPSLO
Carmel Unified School District
Child Care Planning Council
Child Development Centers and Continuing Development Incorporated
Children’s Council
Early Development Services
First 5 Monterey County
Go Kids, Inc.
Health Department
MAOF Resource & Referral & Alternative Payment Program
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Natividad Medical Center
North Monterey County Unified School District
Office of Education – Early Learning Program
Office of Education – Educational Services
Public Health Office
Quality Matters Monterey County
Salinas City Elementary School District
Social Services – Child Abuse Prevention Council
United Farmworkers Foundation
United Way of Monterey County
YMCA
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, and the United Way of Monterey County.
For more information, please contact sonja@brightbeginningsmc.org.