TITLE
Title
DHHS-PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION: GUILFORD COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN SMART START CHILD CARE HEALTH CONSULTATION ($5,043)
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Anita Ramachandran
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BACKGROUND
Background
Public Health received an additional $5,043 from the Guilford County Partnership for Children Smart Start Program which will support the Child Care Health Consultation (CCHC) Program during FY25 to provide Child Care Health Consultation services to Guilford County licensed childcare centers and family childcare homes. The CCHC program provides support to all licensed childcare centers and family childcare homes through nursing consultation. The program provides services such as the review of health records, follow up on identified acute illness and health conditions, needed referrals for care coordination, clarification of health care plans and overall protects and promotes the health of children enrolled in early childhood centers in Guilford County. The additional 5,043 in funding brings the FY25 award total to $336,216, which will cover education and training, and supplies.
Guilford County is the sole provider of Child Care Health Consultation for licensed childcare centers and family childcare homes in Guilford County.
The CCHC Program serves 269 licensed childcare centers and family childcare homes in Guilford County. CCHC program serves over 9784 children. During FY24 CCHC staff provided 9869 email and/or phone consultations, and 68 intensive health & and safety assessments. CCHC staff initiated, reviewed and updated 1455 written care plans, provided 40 trainings on health education serving 452 teachers, referred 385 children for care/services, and served 100% of all licensed childcare facilities within the county.
All licensed Child Care Centers in the State of North Carolina are required to meet and maintain rules, regulations and certification requirements. Guilford County Child Care Health Consultants work alongside the Division of Early Education State Consultants and Environmental Specialists to assist childcare centers to adhere to these regulations and maintain licensing requirements. Child Care Health Consultants are the only entity that can provide medication administration training to centers which requires a registered nurse to provide the training. CCHC’s are also certified trainers eligible by the state to provide EPR (emergency preparedness response) as well as ITS SIDS (infant toddler safe sleep) certification training to centers. CCHCs staff provided centers with free health and safety trainings to obtain required contact hours for childcare.
The CCHC program provides services to allow for Guilford County childcare centers to remain open, safe and healthy for a vulnerable population of children and staff. In Guilford County, 24,807 children ages 0-5 are potentially eligible for subsidized childcare assistance due to parents working whose family are at or below the 200% federal poverty level. Twenty-three (23) percent of all children aged 0-18 are living in poverty. In FY 23-24, 3,835 children were able to receive subsidized childcare assistance. The CCHC program allows licensed centers to have access to a registered nurse to provide health guidance.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
General Fund
$5,043 Increase in Federal/State Funds
$5,043 Increase in Appropriation to Health and Human Services - Public Health
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve the receipt of $5,043 from the Guilford County Partnership for Children Smart Start and amend the General Fund budget ordinance to increase the appropriation to Health and Human Services - Public Health by $5,043 with $5,043 in Federal/State Funds.
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