Spotlight

New Briefs Covering Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Health and Safety Topics

Last month we shared with you information about our newest module, National Data System (NDS) Web Services, which includes new API data integration functionality. This new tool is part of our goal to support child care resource and referral agencies (CCR&Rs) and governments in carrying out work around the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), including providing tools to help NDS users seamlessly integrate data with the new childcare.gov website included in CCDBG. To learn more about the NDS Web Services module, contact our helpdesk at ndshelpdesk@usa.childcareaware.org for an orientation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its new reimbursement rates for the Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP). The rates are effective from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. USDA is required to update reimbursement rates for the program annually, on July 1, to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Developing healthy eating habits and providing opportunities for active play and exploration early in a child’s life is crucial to creating a foundation for their physical health for years to come. Eating patterns, or choices regarding the amount and quality of food and nutrition, begin developing in children as young as seven months, so starting children on the right track early is important.

Child Care Aware^® of America, the nation’s leading voice for child care, announced the release of the 2016 State Fact Sheets, which profile child care indicators across all 50 states. This annual report compiles data from local and state child care resource and referral agencies (CCR&Rs), other state agencies, and other federal and national data sets to report on the use, supply, and cost of child care, the child care workforce, and the services provided by CCR&Rs.

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee released the draft FY 2017 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education spending bill. This appropriations bill is the source of funding for the vast majority of federal child care and early child development programs. The Committee is expected to consider, and likely pass, this bill late next week.