COVID-19 Update from PHMC

PHMC and ELRC 19 continues to monitor information on COVID-19/coronavirus. We are focused on quality care for all participants and ensuring organizational preparedness, including our employee’s health and wellness. We are continuing to provide services to our clients and are ensuring extra preventive and precautionary measures are in place based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. If you have a specific question about ELRC 19 services, please contact us.

Internal Assessment Process (IAP) Guide

OCDEL released announcement ELRC 20 #16 along with the below statement and documents.

"Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, OCDEL has temporarily changed the requirement for Program Quality Assessment (PQA), in the 2020 Keystone STARS Performance Standards for all STAR 3 and 4 programs for FY 2020. The updated requirement is found in quality indicator EC 3.4.5. Previously, Keystone STARS required all programs seeking to move to a STAR 3 or 4 or renew their STAR 3 or 4 designation to have an external PQA using either Environment Rating Scales (ERS®) or Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) and meet the minimum threshold scores for each STAR level.

As explained in ELRC Announcement 20 - #12 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual, programs will not be required to have an external ERS® or CLASS® assessment in order to move up to or maintain a STAR 3 or 4 designation during FY 2020. Suspending the Keystone STARS quality indicator that requires an ERS® and CLASS® external assessment for programs seeking to renew their current STAR 3 or 4 designation or move to a STAR 3 or 4 at this critical time will allow programs to focus on maintaining or reopening operations safely. Additionally, the PQA team, ELRC staff and others, will be responsive to the emergent health and safety support needs of Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs."

Keystone STARS Internal Assessment Process Guide (PDF Writeable)

Keystone STARS Internal Assessment Process Initial Cycle Planning Document Template (PDF Writeable)

Keystone STARS Internal Assessment Consultation Summary (PDF Document)

COVID Alert PA

Earlier this week, Department of Health (DOH) released the COVID Alert PA exposure notification application. It is now live in the Google and Apple stores. If you choose to download this application, it is free.

Google play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.pa.covidtracker
Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/covid-alert-pennsylvania/id1527125511

The COVID Alert PA app uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology and the Exposure Notification System developed by Apple and Google:

• Interactive COVID-19 symptom checker
• Opt-in for alerts for potential exposures to the virus
• Updates on the latest public health data about COVID-19 in PA
• Advice for what to do if you have a potential exposure to COVID-19

COVID Alert PA protects both privacy and personal information. The app does not use GPS, location services, or any movement or geographical information. It will never collect, transmit, or store personal information. It is completely anonymous.

Existing traditional contact tracing processes rely on a positive individual to remember and name who they have been in contact with recently, and for how long. In many cases, positive COVID-19 individuals may not even know the people they were in close contact with, like if the contact happened on a bus or train, at a check-out line in a grocery store, a restaurant or some other public venue.

The app supplements traditional contact tracing processes by being able to identify strangers a positive app user came in contact with and help stop the rapid spread of COVID-19. If the app detects that you have been in close contact with another user who has tested positive for COVID-19, you will receive a push notification on your phone. This is called an exposure alert and will be followed by what you should do to monitor your own health. You can learn more about the app and how it works here.

The Department of Human Services is committed to supporting this effort and helping protect the people they serve, encouraging use of COVID Alert PA. This technology only works if others have downloaded the app, which is why we are asking all Pennsylvanians to unite against COVID and download the app.

2020 Keystone STARS Performance Standards

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released the Announcement: ELRC-20 #12 , 2020 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual.

This Announcement provides information to child care programs regarding the 2020 Keystone STARS Performance Standards. This is an updated policy, providing additional information and replaces ELS-KS-18 #02 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual and accompanying documents. Along with the official policy announcement are:

As a result of current and ongoing conditions of COVID-19, the following temporary changes have been made to the role Program Quality Assessment (PQA) has in the Keystone STARS Performance Standards for the 2020-21 program Year*:

Integrate a program’s Facility COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan into CQI activities (EC 2.1 and EC 3.4.5)
Transition from the use of a formal external PQA to an internal Assessment process that will guide programs in their CQI activities (EC 3.4.5)
Provide programs the opportunity to consult with a Program Quality Assessor at the completion of their internal assessment process (EC 3.4.6)
Replace “self-assessment” with the term “internal assessment”
Remove PQA minimum threshold scores for STAR 3 and 4 programs

* Changes to temporarily suspend the requirement for an external PQA (ERS or CLASS Assessment) in the 2020-21 Keystone STARS Performance Standards are related to best practices in the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19. In future renewal cycles beginning after June 30, 2021, programs may be required to have an external program assessment and meet threshold scores to continue designation at STAR 3 or STAR 4. OCDEL will issue an announcement and revised STAR Standards when any expectations regarding the designation process changes which will align with new program years.

A recorded webinar will be available to providers the week of Aug. 10, 2020 which will provide an overview of the 2020 Keystone STARS Performance Standards. More information and instructions for viewing will be provided soon.