Request for proposals for Keystone Babies 

Keystone Babies is a voluntary, center-based program offered to Pennsylvania Keystone STAR 3 or STAR 4 programs applying for  a classroom of infants and toddlers who are enrolled in the Child Care Works program. Keystone Babies uses evidence-based approaches to fill gaps in early childhood services, to extend high quality learning opportunities to Pennsylvania’s infants and toddlers, to promote all areas of child development (language, thinking, physical health, and social-emotional development), and offer supportive resources to their families. 

The anticipated start date of the program would be in April 2010, with services beginning in May.  Counties and cities eligible to apply were selected based  on availability of STAR 3 or 4 providers, high poverty and low reach informed by the 08/09 Pennsylvania Reach and Risk Study.  Identified counties include:  Armstrong, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin and Venango. Programs in the following cities will also be eligible to apply:  Allentown, Bethlehem, Chester, Erie, Lebanon, McKeesport, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton and York.

The program guidance and application information are posted on the PA Key website under the news and notes section.

Bidders meeting in Harrisburg: 

          February 19, 2010, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Harrisburg PaTTAN

                6340 Flank Drive

                Harrisburg, PA 17112

Bidders Conference Call

(You will receive the conference call dial in number/pin and power point prior to the call)

          February 19, 2010, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

          February 23, 2010, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

          February 24, 2010, 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Please Email (ambrep@berksiu.org) or call (717) 213-2071 Amber Repman to sign up!

The NAA Code of Ethics is now available on www.naaweb.org.  Look for them

under the resources section.

Look for information on the National Afterschool Alliance (NAA)

National Conference in Washington D.C. on April 19^th – 21^st 2010.

Contact asnyder@naaweb for more details.

The Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) will be

hosting Afterschool Advocacy Day 2010 on March 8, 2010 from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. 

Advocates including parents, program providers, youth, faith-based leaders and

business leaders from across the state will come together to highlight the importance

of afterschool programs in our state. The day will include a training lunch, an

Afterschool Advocacy Program in the Capitol Rotunda and visit with Legislators.

In conjunction with the 2010 ELO Conference, "Promising Practices - Proven

Strategies: Afterschool Programs in a Time of Change" PSAYDN will be holding

two other important events at the Hilton Harrisburg, One North Second Street,

Harrisburg, PA 17101.

.     PSAYDN Quality Forum will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

      to share and discuss promising afterschool quality initiatives in the Commonwealth.

.     PSAYDN Annual Meeting and Reception will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2010

      from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM to celebrate PSAYDN's accomplishments over the last year, share goals

      for the future and honor Pennsylvania Afterschool champions.

Please contact David Kern at dkern@csc.csiu.org or by fax at 717-763-2083 for further information.

The 2010 Extra Learning Opportunities Conference, “Promising Practices –

Proven Strategies:  Afterschool Programs in a Time of Change” will be held

on March 9-11, 2010 at the Hilton Harrisburg, One North Second Street,

Harrisburg, PA 17101.  This conference is open to community leaders,

educators, afterschool providers and those who work on behalf of children

and youth in programming beyond the school day. The conference expects

Keystone babies

Keystone Babies is a voluntary, center-based program offered to Pennsylvania Keystone STAR 3 or 4 programs applying for a classroom of infants and toddlers who are enrolled in the Child Care Works program.  Keystone Babies uses evidence-based approaches to fill gaps in early childhood services, to extend high quality learning opportunities to Pennsylvania's infants and toddlers, to promote all areas of child development (language, thinking, physical health and social-emotional development), and offer supportive resources to their families.  The anticipated start date of the program would be in April 2010 with services beginning in May.  Counties and cities eligible to apply were selected based on availability of STAR 3 or 4 providers, high poverty and low reach informed by the 08/09 Pennsylvania Reach & Risk Study.  For more information about Keystone Babies:

• Notification of Request for Proposal
• Guidance
• Bidders Conference Registration Form
• Application
• Budget Form

http://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=Programs_Other

Identified counties include: Armstrong, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin and Venango. Programs in the following cities will also be eligible to apply: Allentown, Bethlehem, Chester, Erie, Lebanon, McKeesport, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton and York.

The Office of Children, Youth and Families and Office of Child Development and Early Learning have partnered to provide policy and fiscal guidelines to address these three issues for those Children and Youth Agencies that opt to fund child care through their 2010-2011 Needs Based Budgets.

Beginning July 1, 2010, Children and Youth Agencies that choose to pay for child care must do the following:

·         Explore the family’s eligibility for Child Care Works and require eligible families to apply for a child care subsidy.

·         Enroll children in facilities with a Keystone STARS quality rating of 2 and above

·         Use provider rates set by Office of Child Development and Early Learning

In a rare instances, a STARS 2 or above facility may not be available or accessible.  In that case the Child and Youth Agency must request an exemption from Office of Child, Youth and Families Headquarters that will be reviewed by Office of Child, Youth and Families and Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Prior to granting permission to use a one STAR or no STARS facility.  Children and Youth Agencies must resubmit requests for exemptions every six months if the need continues to exist. 

Child and Youth Agencies may not use this funding to pay for care in unregulated homes.