Jennifer & Tim,
I agree -- and I would add that early childhood education (at least in my state) would benefit from new coordinating efforts. My center has been open throughout, and I obtained a state waiver, but I was really struck throughout this process that the state attitude seems to be "You are open? You better have that waiver!" rather than "Thank you for remaining open -- what do you need and how can I help?"
Early on, I was contacted numerous times by the state subsidy/quality folks, and it was clear to me that they had been charged with making sure that any program that was open had a waiver. Never once did they ask what I needed or what I was struggling with. The state seems to think that we work for them, rather than the other way around. I understand that the state's first priority is protecting children and families, but providers are the solution, not the problem!
The state regulatory agencies and structures that oversee this industry have enough staff (all of whom seem to be receiving paychecks) and dollars to have offered more to providers. In my state, you can find lists online of the programs that received waivers, but there is no list available to identify programs that are actually open. In order to seek guidance, ideas, and feedback, I had to pick up the phone and call other providers until I found those that were open. I emailed and called as many peers as I could to ask questions and think out loud, only to learn that each and every one of us was making this up as we went along. Meanwhile, I was addressing the numerous concerns from staff and families that developed as this situation unfolded.
Coordination at the local level could have been the best of both worlds -- care for children who need it, provided by staff who wanted to work, pooling resources to conserve costs and share vital materials, and reducing exposure risks to all involved. This just doesn't seem that hard to me -- but in my community, we lack a mechanism to engage collaboratively to meet these needs. I think it is fair to expect that the state entities that oversee our work meet this need. Instead, for example, we get notified that "licensing visits" have been suspended for a period of time. As if that's helpful -- I don't care if you visit me now or later. I know you aren't coming now because that would put the licensing rep in the same personal health jeopardy that we face every day.
I'm ready for providers to get loud about what we need -- and deserve -- in order to serve our communities.
Teri Windisch
Director, Children's Village at Doylestown Hospital
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
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Teri Windisch
Director
Children''s Village at Doylestown
Doylestown PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-22-2020 06:12 PM
From: Jennifer Hatcher
Subject: Is It Worth Going Into Further Debt to Provide Services for "Essential Workers"
Hi Tim,
It is incredible what you are doing for your community. You are right about staying open for only a small percentage of the workforce. While essential workers do need childcare, no one should be risking exposure to the virus due to their profession. Truly I feel, that there should be 1 daycare or more, (in each county), based on need, that should be open to essential workers only. Those who decide to work in these centers should be provided hazard pay and county/state given protective equipment.
Daycares should not be using their revenue to pay for needed protective equipment when the government would like them to stay open. Each night, the rooms should be sanitized and disinfected through use of hospital-grade cleansers by a professional cleaning crew. This should be paid for by state resources not daycares. Due to extreme cost measures this will never come to fruition.
I personally, do not think daycares should be open at all during the pandemic. My own daycare has been closed since March 16th, and unless the governor chooses to lift the stay-at-home-order, we will remain closed. The risk of infection is too high for everyone.
Your financial situation is heartbreaking and know that your staff are grateful for your sacrifice. Otherwise, they would completely be without income at this time. Any income for any period of time is helping feed and care for their own families.
I wish you the best of luck in all you do.
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Jennifer Illinois
Original Message:
Sent: 04-22-2020 04:03 PM
From: Tim Kaminski
Subject: Is It Worth Going Into Further Debt to Provide Services for "Essential Workers"
Over the last 5 weeks, the childcare industry has been turned upside down. The orders that have been put into place by the Governors, to close businesses and public schools, in order to protect the general public from the spread of Covid 19, aren't applicable to childcare centers according to these Governors because they need us to stay open for "Essential Workers". They fail to acknowledge, that by staying open to provide services to "Essential Workers", we put ourselves, our staff and the children we care for at a higher risk of being exposed to and contracting the Covid 19 virus. It' as if the value, of who we are who we serve, is less important than the rest of the nation that has been told to "Stay at Home" for their safety and the safety of others. "The "Stay at Home" order and the closure of the public schools has created a fear in parents that have caused them to withdraw their children from childcare centers, further creating a financial crisis for the centers.
Most centers that have stayed open are now seeing less than 25% of their original students attend the program on any given day. These are the "Essential Worker" students that we have been told we must try to stay open for. Along with staying open, we must also comply with all of the current CDC Guidelines for sterilizing our centers, social distancing and requiring staff to wear at least modified PPE's. If it is so important for childcare centers to stay open for "Essential Workers" why aren't we seeing higher attendance or requests for new enrollments from these families. Could be it be as parents, they are scared too about bringing their child to an environment where their risk of exposure is higher? Could it be that their conscience won't allow them to bring their child in, because they know as an "Essential Worker" they have been at a higher risk of exposure and they don't want to potentially bring that into the center?
As the bills have mounted up, the cost of additional supplies and protective gear have gone up and our revenues have plummeted, we have been encouraged by the government to apply for the PPP loan program or the EIDL program to keep our businesses going. Why should we have to take on additional financial debt, just to provide services to a few "Essential Families"? Why should we have to take on the "Emotional Debt" of worrying about the health risk to ourselves, our staff and the children?
Three weeks ago we made the difficult decision to close our last two centers. In 38 years we have never had to close for more than a week. There was no longer enough revenues to cover the payroll and not enough in savings to cover all of the refunds families were demanding. We laid off all 45 of our employees not knowing if or when we would return. We applied for the PPP loan program and were approved in 3 days. We took on a debt of close to $240,000.00 and reopened this past Monday. I didn't take on the debt because I felt we needed to be there again for the "Essential Families", I took it on because I felt heartbroken for my staff. The loan will cover the next 8 weeks of payroll and a few additional bills, but then that will be it. So far, we only have about the same number of kids returning that we had when we closed 3 weeks ago. Most of the other centers that have remained open in our area are seeing about the same numbers or less. Over the next 8 weeks, we will take on additional operating expenses, while not having the revenue to cover it, just so that "Essential Workers" can go to work supposedly. I don't think I should have to take on additional "non forgivable" SBA loans just to cater to these few families.
Who else is struggling with this delima?
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Tim Kaminski
Director/Owner
Gingerbread Kids Academy
Richmond TX
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