Board of Directors

President
Dr. Doris B. Bilton

Vice-President
Mr. John L. Guess, III

Treasurer
Ms. Jennifer Steelman

Secretary
Dr. Mary Mondell Addison

Immediate Past President
Mr. Robert E. Willliams

Members


Ms Tiffany M. Dugar
Ms. Angelique Lee Geehan
Mr. William M. Greer
Ms. Lynda Kay Lochridge
Ms. Carolyn F. Matthews
Mr. Craig R. Ribbeck
Ms. Theresa E. Savoy
Ms. Joyce Kao Soliman
Dr. Dolores Ann Westmoreland

Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Juanita R. Harang

Founders
Ms. Lullelia W. Harrison
Mr. Raymond Hill

New Visions Newsletter - April 2008

Child Care Council of Greater Houston, Inc.

Susan E. Cates - New Board Member

Child Care Council would like to welcome Susan Cates as a partner in our efforts to further serve children and families in the greater Houston community.  Ms. Cates, our newest board member, is at the offices of Porter & Hedges, LLP., She provides counsel and has expertise in areas ranging from child advocacy with Child Protective Services to participation in children's counseling programs.  Ms. Cates is a graduate of Southwestern University and an honors graduate of the University of Texas Law School.  Welcome Ms. Cates.  We look forward to your productive participation with Child Care Council.

ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

Fifth Annual Recognition Luncheon
"Champions for Children, Sowing Seeds for Life"
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
From 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
At
The Americas Reception Hall 
2311 Canal Street

Individual Tickets are $40.00
Please call Minnie Smith at 713-266-6045 for ticket purchase
Hope To See You There!

CDBG

Child Care Council’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Department is in the process of selecting agencies for funding for the 2008-2009 grant term.  Proposals were accepted on December 14, 2007 for the following programs:

• Child Care Program services (CCP) - to expand child care services, provide parental development training and information regarding other family support service.
  

• Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program services (JDPP) - to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by providing services focusing on character development and life skills for youth.
  

• Emergency Shelter Grants Program services (ESGP) - to reduce and prevent homelessness and provide support services needed to assist homeless individuals.

Proposals that were submitted by the deadline were then screened for completeness and eligibility according to the terms of the Request for Proposals.  The proposals determined complete and eligible for funding were then separated into two groups: those agencies that are currently funded and new agencies applying for funding.

Volunteers from the community were recruited to review the proposals from agencies that are not currently receiving CDBG funds.  The following is a list of the members for each program’s Selection Committee:

Child Care Program:
Micaela Rodriguez,  Angelita Fraga Day Care
Shirley Pace, ECAP Enterprises
Vanese Delahoussaye, HCC Department Early Childhood Studies

Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program
Pat Bunns, City of Houston Department of Housing & Community Dev.
Michele Kimbrough, Professional Grant Writer
Lisa Cameron, I Have A Dream

Emergency Shelter Grants Program
Jackie Pontello, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse
Jim Shields, Justice to Children
Pat Bunns, City of Houston Department of Housing & Community Dev.
Sherri Boyd, Coalition for the Homeless
Jay Branson, Branson Fowlkes/Russell
Thelisa Palmer, Community of the Streets

The CCP and ESGP have completed their review, site visits and scoring of the proposals.  The JDPP has completed their site visits and is working independently to score proposals for their final meeting set for the first week of May.   

Currently funded agencies’ proposals are being scored in-house by Child Care Council staff based on their current performance of Output Measures, utilization of funds and contractual compliance.  Recommendations for funding for all proposals are scheduled to be complete by May 19, 2008.

TRAINING

2008 Director Certification  Schedule
Class #94 - June 03 -  August 28
Class #95 - Sept. 16 -  Nov. 13

Director's Leadership Group.
The Director’s Leadership Group is an on-going professional development training system addressing the fundamental and emergent needs of Directors in Child Care Development Facilities.

The Director's Leadership Group will conduct its first institute on Saturday June 7th, 2008  The institute will provide seminars in the following areas:

• Emergency  procedures in a licensed  child development facility
• Effective and "Harmonious" communications with staff, parents, children, and licensing.
• Innovative 'Make & Take" strategies for the classroom.

DAY CARE CENTERS

Angelita Fraga Day Care Center

Child Care Council will have an open house at both Angelita Fraga Day Care Center and at West End Day Care Center in May 0f 2008.  Stay tuned for the date.

West End Day Care Center

Many thanks to Bright Beginnings for funding 
the equipment for the newly constructed playground at West End.

BACKGROUND & FINGERPRINT REQUIREMENS

The 80th Texas Legislature passed a law that requires a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint check for anyone that is currently required to have a background check in a child day care center. This law became effective September 1, 2007.

What is the new requirement regarding background checks?
In order to ensure that checks can be done and results reported on a timely basis, DFPS is planning a schedule to phase in the requirement between September 1, 2007 and March 1,2008. FBI fingerprint checks will be required of persons in a daycare operation as of the following dates:

Who needs a background check in a child day care center?
Individuals who require a background check are listed in DFPS rule §745.615. DFPS will be proposing revisions to these rules to further clarify who needs to have a background check and who needs to have a FBI fingerprint check.

Section §745.615 On whom must I request background checks?

(a) You must request background checks for each person 14 years or older, other than clients of the operation, who will regularly or frequently be present at your operation while children are in care, including:

• Employees and applicants you intend to hire that will provide direct care or have direct access to a child in care;
•  Any person(s), including volunteers, who are counted in the child/caregiver ratio;
• Person(s) applying to adopt or foster children through any licensed child-placing agency; and
• Any person under contract with your operation who has unsupervised contact with children in care on a regular or frequent basis.

(b) You must also request background checks for the following:

• The directors, owners, operators, or administrators of the operation;
• Non-client residents of the operation that are 14 years or older; and
• Applicants for a child-care administrator's license.

Texas Administrative Code, Title 40. Social Services and Assistance;
Part XIX. Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services;
Chapter 745. Licensing; Subchapter F, Background Checks; Division 2,Requesting Background Checks

Form for Fingerprint Application Services                         Source: www.dfps.state.tx.us