DATE:
September 27, 2022
09
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION FOR CHILD CARE SHARED SERVICES ALLIANCE PROGRAM AND APPLICATION FOR FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On June 8, 2021 (3), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) took critical action in advancing support to vulnerable San Diego County residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by approving a framework for the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. As part of this framework, under the Child Care Subsidies component, $2 million of ARPA funding was allocated for the Child Care Grant program with the aims of supporting child care providers with support for their operations as they recover from the pandemic. Subsequently, on January 25, 2022 (9), the Board approved the 2021-2025 San Diego County Needs Assessment Report and Child Care Plan, which outlines an assessment of local child care needs and provides recommendations to ensure families throughout San Diego County have equal access to quality, sustainable, and comprehensive early childhood education and care.
In alignment with this resource, and in response to the available ARPA funding, the County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services (CWS) and First 5 San Diego developed a collaborative plan to establish a Child Care Shared Services Alliance (SSA) Program to increase and strengthen child care provider capacity and provide equitable access to quality early childhood education and care in the region. In a Child Care SSA, a larger organization serves as a backbone agency to bring in resources for business infrastructure for a collective of smaller childcare providers. This nationally recognized model will enable more supportive services to child care provides than a traditional grant program by allowing providers, specifically smaller providers who have been impacted by the pandemic, to share costs and deliver se...
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