BOCA minutes – member meeting June, 2024 at 1:00 PM

Location of Meeting: Virtual (GoToMeeting – available for one month)
https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/#/s/7c4c8a9b1a1549e2dc52803463b92ffcafe4112852206fd30e90c2d3de2d60c2

In Attendance:
Board:
Rebecca Compton Dr. Day Care
Amy Vogel Dr. Day Care
Joseph Tomchak Boys & Girls Club Newport

Guests & Members:
Rebecca Madden Acorn Academy
Erin Cox LISC
Marisa Gallagher Connecting for Children and Families in Woonsocket
Susan Racette Kindermotion and Dance
Rick McAuliffe Mayforth Group
Missy Davis Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
(members attending after meeting began were not recorded)

Meeting Agenda:
Welcome and introductions
Grant updates: RI Alliance
Guest speaker: Erin Cox, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
(LISC Rhode Island)
update on funding
Legislative updates Rick McAuliffe, Mayforth Group
Member questions & discussion
Next meeting: Sept. 23, 2024

Meeting Notes:

• Amy started the meeting at 1:04 pm
• Grant update: Joe shared. 15 people registered. Begins July 8^th. All candidates should have been confirmed and finalized. If still waiting, reach out to Joe. Last day of class is Wed. July 28.
• LISC update, Erin Cox: new funding sources available. Hopefully in 2026 will have another round of bond funding.
  • Not capital grants, they’re planning grants
  • Shared website, www.riccelff.org
    • Dedicated to grant programs that are available
    • Recoverable grants – zero interest loans
    • 2024 Facilities Child Care Planning Grant
      • Provides awards for planning services
      • Up to $40k available
      • Went over project ideas
      • “Project should be completed by 9/30/24” – but there was a 1 year extension
      • Can’t be utilized for capital improvements, like fencing
      • Good to use to determine if it is a good project to move forward with
      • For profit or nonprofit child care can apply
      • Generally, if providing CCAP or BrightStars, you’d qualify
    • Provide Technical Assistance
      • Help you think about your space and how to make improvements
      • No cost to you
    • Just launched Early Care Capacity in RI.
      • Did data mapping study for supply and demand
      • Does not take in the work force / not enough staffing in place
      • Based on licensed child care in RI
      • Story map that allows you to see where there is high demand, not enough seats
        • Gray areas don’t have seats
        • Some places just don’t have enough high quality centers
        • Just launched end of last year, in process of creating a training video on it
    • Questions:
      • Amy – how often is data updated? Erin – live from the time it was launched. Because it was funded with Cares Act funding, it was 2023. Goal is to update annually
• Rick McAuliffe, Mayforth Group:
  • Just finished Session 10 days ago. It was an early end to General Assembly session. Overall it was good, not a lot of controversial issues. Used some of ARPA money for local issues, like funding new Washington Bridge. Friday they’re awarding new contractor to remove old bridge.
  • Budget – this is probably last year of extra federal resources. Still not where we should be on market rate survey.
  • Key things passed
    • CCAP rates increased.
      • Initial proposal to increase the CCAP rates, Speaker initially said it was too much money, it went up 5% for all levels. Very big success.
    • Income eligibility for CCAP changed to 261%
      • More families can qualify for CCAP
    • Child care for child care educators pilot program
      • State extended it for another year
      • Aiming for permanent in the future
      • Same process as previously
      • Some of the guidelines are guided by federal law, not state law
    • Summer camps
      • Regulated by state, not federal
      • RI does not have standards for safety, etc. for summer camps
      • State has not been able to use federal $ for camps
      • You don’t have to worry about it if you are already a center that follows DHS regulations, this is for camps that aren’t DHS regulated
  • Amy: DHS market rate survey just went out to all centers.
  • Rick: Hopes to meet this fall to outline issues that are important to BOCA. Funding will always be an issue.
• Member questions:
  • Amy – did everyone see that you can give testimony for CCAP proposed amendment update? One that we wrote was about DHS not allowing any additional fees. Rules that govern CCAP don’t match the contracts. Rebecca – forwarded the email about it. Amy – if anyone else reads/interprets it differently, please let us know.
    • CORRECTION after meeting ended: the date to submit testimony has passed.
  • Email sent from BOCA with follow up on this topic:
    • The change that was discussed (on page 61) of the Proposed Amendment to Child Care Assistance Program Rules and Regulations
    • Proposed 218-RICR-20-00-4 PDF
    • 4.8 #7
    • Providers shall not charge additional fees to CCAP eligible families
    • enrolled in their program, including but not limited to activity fees, field trip
    • fees, materials fees, registration, or annual fees. The only exception is for
    • reasonable transportation costs when parents request transportation,
    • provided that such costs do not exceed the transportation fees charged to
    • all enrolled children. The CCAP approved providers shall not charge
    • families any additional fees beyond the determined family share amount.
• Next meeting is Sept. 23. Set goals and messaging for the upcoming year.

Meeting ended at 1:41 pm

Next meetings:
Skipping July & August
September 23, 2024
October 28, 2024
November 25, 2024
Skipping December

https://bocari.org/upcoming-boca-meeting-dates

Minutes submitted by Rebecca Compton