Dear Tribal Leader:
I would like to invite you to join the Office of Child Care at a face-to-face consultation on May 20th, 2015 in Washington, D.C. This session will continue our conversations about the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 and the potential opportunities and impacts it could have for your tribal communities.
The CCDBG Act of 2014 reauthorizes the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program, and although this new law calls for comprehensive changes in health and safety, child care assistance, and quality investments for the CCDF program in States, it does not explicitly indicate the extent to which many provisions apply to Tribes. Therefore, these consultations are an opportunity for Tribes to contribute testimony before the formation of regulations and policy guidance. We encourage you to attend and are appreciative of your involvement. The face-to-face consultation is as scheduled:
May 20th, 1:30 – 4:30 PM EST
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 505A
200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201
We would like to remind those attending to arrive early to ensure the security process does not limit our discussion time. In order to expedite your entry into the building, please register by May 13th through the Office of Child Care (OCC) website under “Consultation Information” “Register”. Please bring your Tribal or other government-issued ID with you.
We would also like to remind you of the two remaining conference call consultation sessions. Registration information is available on our OCC website above. These calls, with suggested topics, are scheduled for:
April 22nd, 1:00-2:00 PM EST (Background Checks and State-Tribal Coordination) May 7th, 3:00-4:00 PM EST (Health & Safety/Monitoring and Quality)
As consultations are occurring and you continue to provide valuable feedback, we hope to provide further information and clarity. OCC recently posted responses to a selection of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the CCDBG Act. The information is on our OCC website under “Responses to Frequently Asked Questions” and contains several questions specifically for Tribes, including one on the
CCDF Tribal Plan extension. More information on the new law is available on the OCC website under “Consultation Attachments.” We also encourage written questions and testimonies which can be submitted by email address at ccdf.reauthorization@acf.hhs.gov.
The Administration for Children and Families is committed to effective and meaningful consultation with Tribes. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact James Henry at (202)-401-1484 or james.henry@acf.hhs.gov. Thank you for the important work that you do. I look forward to working with you as we move to strengthen child care programs and enhance early childhood development in Tribal communities across the nation.
Sincerely,
/s/
_________________________
Rachel Schumacher
Director
Office of Child Care
cc:Tribal CCDF Administrators
Office of Child Care Regional Program Managers
Lillian Sparks Robinson, Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans
Attached:
Plan Language Summary of Statutory Changes
Tentative Tribal Consultation Topics
Files
- PDF Tribal Leader Consultation Invitation (279.23 KB)