This email newsletter update provides helpful information from the Bureau of Certification. 
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Important Information from Bureau of Certification
Child Care Centers:
Announcement Regarding Compliance with
PA Safe Drinking Water Act
Attention Child Care Centers: The PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released Announcement: C-19 #01, Verifying compliance with the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act . The Announcement is to advise applicants and certified Child Care Center operators on how to verify compliance with Department of Human Services (DHS) child care regulations, 55 Pa. Code§§ 3270.14, which requires child care facilities to comply with applicable Federal and State law and regulations, and 3270.69(a), which requires child care centers to comply with the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 35 P.S. §§ 721.1-721.17.

Within the Announcement, Child Care Center applicants and  operators can find information on guidelines for the initial application and renewal for when the facility receives its water from a water company or municipality, and for when a facility receives its water from an on-site water source, such as a well, river or cistern. See the Announcement and Attachments .
Invitation to Provide Feedback on Recent Certification Inspection
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is undertaking a Department-wide process to create consistency, reliability and transparency across all programs and services, including licensing/certification.

To continue our efforts, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is soliciting feedback about the most recent certification inspection of early learning facilities.

Representatives of the legal entity(such as the owner/operator/director of a Child Care Center; primary staff person of a Group Child Care Home; or operator of a Family Child Care Home) who have participated in a recent certification inspection are invited to share their feedback of the process in a brief online survey.

The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

2019 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Immunization Schedules
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) immunization schedules for 2019 are now available on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website . Please note that it is the responsibility of every child care facility operator to ensure compliance with the Department's regulations in regard to immunizations .
 
According to the Department's regulations, each child's health report must include a review of the child's immunized status according to recommendations of the ACIP (see 55 Pa. Code §§3270.131 , 3280.131 and 3290.131).
  • 3270.131(d)(5) states that the health report must include a review of the child’s immunized status according to recommendations of the ACIP. 
  • 3270.131(e) The facility may not accept or retain an infant 2 months of age or older, a toddler or a preschool child at the facility for more than 60 days following the first day of attendance at the facility unless the parent provides written verification from a physician, physician’s assistant, CRNP, the Department of Health or a local health department of the dates (month, day and year) the child was administered immunizations in accordance with the recommendations of the ACIP.
  • 3270.131(e)(1) The facility shall require the parent to provide updated written verification from a physician, physician’s assistant, CRNP, the Department of Health or a local health department of ongoing vaccines administered to an infant, toddler or preschool child in accordance with the schedule recommended by the ACIP.

The provider should check the immunization upon receipt and immediately discuss with the parent any differences from the recommended schedule so the proper documentation is on file before the 60 days is up.  

In addition, any exemption from immunizations must be documented according to the requirements listed in 55 Pa. Code §§3270.131( e )(2), 3280.131( e )(2) and 3290.131(e)(2).
 
The 2019 ACIP schedules are available online at the CDC website. The schedules may be printed from the website.


For those interested in learning more about vaccines and immunizations, visit the CDC web page on Immunization Schedules .
The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning supports families 
and their children, from prenatal through school age, by using data, research and 
stakeholder guidance to assure high quality services.