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I_I_SchoolReadiness_2021A 09/08/2021 10:02:13 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
INTERIM COMMITTEE  EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL READINESS
Date 09/08/2021
Attendance
Kipp X
Kirkmeyer E
Story X
Van Beber E
Sirota X
Buckner X
Time 10:02:13 AM to 03:47:43 PM
Place SCR 357
This Meeting was called to order by Buckner
This Report was prepared by Nina Forbes
Hearing Items Action Taken
Workforce Updates from the Colorado Department of Higher Education Committee Discussion Only
Report on Home-Based Child Care Committee Discussion Only
On the Ground Perspective Committee Discussion Only
Family, Friend and Neighbor Care Workforce Committee Discussion Only
Lunch Break Committee Discussion Only
Safe Child Care Task Force Update Committee Discussion Only
Home Visiting Investment Plan Committee Discussion Only
Community and Family Strengthening Efforts Panel Committee Discussion Only
Panel Presentations on Mental Health in Early Childhood and the Early Child Care Workforce Committee Discussion Only
Public Testimony Committee Discussion Only

Workforce Updates from the Colorado Department of Higher Education - Committee Discussion Only


10:02:36 AM  
Dr. Brittany Lane,
Director of Educator Preparation, and Sondra Ranum, Director of Early Childhood
Education Workforce Policy, from the Department of Higher Education presented
on early childhood educator workforce updates.  The presentation is
included as Attachment A.
10:19:53 AM  
Dr. Lane and Ms.
Ranum answered questions from the commission.



Report on Home-Based Child Care - Committee Discussion Only

10:26:19 AM  
M. Michael Cooke,
Colorado State Director, Melanie Worley, Deputy Director, and Sreylak Bin-Hemingway,
Senior Associate, from the Council for Strong America presented on home-based
child care. The presentation is included as Attachment B. The presenters
also distributed printed reports titled "Want to Grow Colorado's Economy?
Fix the Childcare Crisis" (Attachment C) and "Home-Based Child
Care: A Surprising Key to Keeping the Colorado Workforce Strong" (Attachment
D).
10:43:41 AM  
Ms. Cooke answered questions from the commission.



On the Ground Perspective - Committee Discussion Only


11:00:08 AM  
Amber Bilby, Director
of a Family Child Care Home and President of the Colorado Association of
Family Child Care, spoke about her experience running a home child care
facility and what the industry needs.
11:11:46 AM  
Ms. Bilby answered questions from the commission.
11:24:12 AM  
Lacey Rubick, ABC
Child Development Center of Weld County, presented on the experience on
the ground in the child care industry.



Family, Friend and Neighbor Care Workforce - Committee Discussion Only


11:31:56 AM  
Lorena Garcia, Executive Director, Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition presented on the family, friend, and neighbor care workforce. The presentation is included as Attachment E.
11:45:11 AM  
Ms. Garcia answered questions from the commission.



Lunch Break - Committee Discussion Only




Safe Child Care Task Force Update - Committee Discussion Only


12:52:48 PM  
Representative Mary Young, Task Force Member, and Laura Hazan, Task Force Facilitator, gave an update on the Safe Child Care Task Force.
01:19:05 PM  
Representative Young and Ms. Hazen answered questions from the commission.



Home Visiting Investment Plan - Committee Discussion Only


01:22:35 PM  
Kendra Dunn, Director
of the Division of Community and Family Support, Office of Early Childhood,
and Alexa Chenoweth, parent participant and Home Visiting Investment Task
Force member, presented on the Home Visiting Investment Plan. The presentation
is included as Attachment F.
01:41:50 PM  
Ms. Dunn and Ms.
Chenoweth responded to comments and questions from the commission.



Community and Family Strengthening Efforts Panel - Committee Discussion Only

01:43:51 PM  
Megan Lokteff, Executive
Director of the Early Childhood Center Leadership Association, and Mark
Kling, Executive Director of the Family Resource Center Association, gave
a panel presentation on their organizations' community and family strengthening
efforts in the early childhood space. The presentation is included as Attachment
G. A handout on Colorado's Family Resource Center (FRC) Program was also
distributed and is included as Attachment H.
01:54:29 PM  
Ms. Lokteff and Mr. Kling responded to comments and questions from the commission.



Panel Presentations on Mental Health in Early Childhood and the Early Child Care Workforce - Committee Discussion Only

01:55:40 PM  
The commission took
a brief recess.
02:15:40 PM  
The commission came
back to order.


Heather Craiglow,
Head Start Collaboration Director, Office of Early Childhood, and Jennifer
Sommer Shepard, Aurora Mental Health Consultant and Supervisor, gave a
panel presentation on mental health in early childhood and the early child
care workforce. The presentation is included as Attachment I and additional
handouts are included as Attachments J and K.

02:30:01 PM  
Ms. Craiglow and Ms. Sommer Shepard answered questions from the commission.



Panel Presentations on Mental Health in Early Childhood and the Early Child Care Workforce - Committee Discussion Only

02:53:25 PM  
Taran Schneider,
Executive Director of Healthy Child Care Colorado, Dr. Shannon Bekman,
Director of Right Start Colorado, and Dr. Sarah Davidon, Children's Mental
Health Consultant, gave a panel presentation on early childhood mental
health consultation and early childhood workforce. Their presentations
are included as Attachments L, M, and N respectively.

03:25:25 PM  
The panel answered
questions from the commission.



Public Testimony - Committee Discussion Only


03:45:33 PM  
There was no public testimony.


03:47:43 PM   The committee adjourned.






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