May 2024 Community Newsletter

Local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies build awareness of their services and the importance of early childhood education within the communities they serve and develop partnerships with coalitions and task forces to ensure the needs of families and early childhood programs are considered in planning efforts.

This quarterly newsletter shares what we are doing in the community, what we have coming up, and how community members can advocate for early care and education.

Senate Bill 2

House Bill 1102

Frequently asked questions have been provided below related to each legislative change. Additional FAQs and resources will be added as implementation plans are finalized. Providers that will be directly impacted by upcoming changes will also receive direct communication regarding plans in the coming weeks.

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Federal policies included in this final rule are designed to:

Lower child care costs for families

Improve payments to child care providers

Increase child care options for families

Make enrollment easier and faster for families and

Increase clarity in CCDF requirements

A child’s brain is hardest at work during the first three years of life. The Early Years Initiative is a grant opportunity that will help Indiana communities nurture connections that reinforce a child's well-being and strengthen their development — at home, in child care and in other community settings.

Proposals are due by 5:00 pm EDT on May 15, 2024

Grant details.

Share this exciting news with Indiana's early care and education (ECE) programs.

The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning’s (OECOSL) Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) is introducing the BRAND NEW opportunity to receive a Child Care Management System (CCMS) for FREE for up to two years, a game-changer in child care management!

Get your questions answered at https://bit.ly/3InLqxR to learn more about what is included within a CCMS, how a CCMS can benefit ECE businesses, and who is considered eligible to apply!

A coalition of local employers led by Scott Pflughoeft, CEO of Ashley Industrial Molding, decided to invest in bringing high-quality care to families of Ashley, Indiana. They leveraged the early childhood education expertise of a high-quality local ministry, Agape Child Care Ministry, and partnered with LaGrange First Church of God and town leaders to renovate an underutilized former elementary school and transform it into a child care facility to serve nearly 90 kids.

Click below to read more about how a manufacturing leader created child care opportunities

in a small town during a pandemic.

Below you can see some of the places our team has been in the last 3 months!

The community team and our Program Director presented a view of the local state of child care in our area over the past year to various stakeholders and community members. Some members of our team participated in CPR training so they could distribute resources to families. We also enjoyed handing out our information to new or expectant parents so they can start their child care search early.

Between professional development trainings and events for child care providers, our team was able to get together multiple times this month to collaborate. Sullivan High School welcomed us at their career fair where we encouraged students to pursue an education in early education. We were happy to be at the table for GIFT VIII chats in multiple counties and excited to see diverse community partners coming together to discuss child care needs in their areas. Connersville's Bunnies and Brownies event gave us the chance to take a picture with a special guest.

April is Prevent Child Abuse month so you saw us at multiple family and community events across our service area! Preventing child abuse means setting the stage for healthy, stable families who have the tools they need to nurture their children. We are happy to set a time to talk with you about our Family Resource Navigator and how it could be useful to your team members or employees that are in need of those tools.

The Brighter Futures Indiana Data Center offers data related to population, economics, supply and demand. These data points are relevant to many aspects of early childhood education. Whether you are a family trying to learn more about care options in your area, a provider looking to open a new business, or a community member that supports the local early childhood education market in your area – the data center is a tool for you.

Check out local, updated data at the Brighter Futures Data Dashboard

Use this form to schedule a meeting with someone from our team!

Allissa has a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences with a concentration in Health Administration, and a Master’s degree in Public Health. Before joining CASY her focus was on health education programs and researching ways to better the lives of the community. Her public health experience is put to use when she is presenting data on the importance of early child care and education to community leaders. Allissa is moved by the impact health disparities have on child care accessibility, quality, and affordability.

Email: atheisz@casyonline.org
Website: https://casyonline.org/ccrr_services/
Phone: 812-231-8905

Ben has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from IUPUI. He has devoted most of his life serving Country and Community through the military, and social work. His work includes advocacy, child abuse and neglect response/prevention, community outreach and referrals. He strives to connect families to quality early care and education through referral services, webinars, and more. Ben is also looking forward to building positive relationships and sharing the importance of early childhood development and education with families and communities.

Email: bflick@casyonline.org
Website: https://casyonline.org/ccrr_services/
Phone: 812-231-8906

Jennifer has experience as a business owner, childcare teacher, preschool director, and case manager. While living in Georgia, Jennifer created an Early Childhood and Parenting Program and worked with teen moms helping them to learn essential parenting and life skills. She has three degrees from Indiana Wesleyan University, including a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership. Jennifer enjoys building positive relationships and sharing the importance of early childhood development and education with families and communities.

Email: jlee@casyonline.org
Website: https://casyonline.org/ccrr_services/
Phone: 812-231-8916