Title
Grant Application - Smart Start of Mecklenburg County
Action
ACTION:
Affirm the submission of a renewal grant application to Mecklenburg Partnership for Children of Mecklenburg County for funding up to $499,869 to support programs promoting child health and safety for grant period July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026. The grant deadline is February 28, 2025.
Staff Contact: Raynard Washington, PhD, MPH, Health Director
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
The Communicable Disease team, including Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC), will ensure childcare facilities have a plan for potential future infectious disease outbreaks, focus on providing consultation for healthy weight initiatives, provide information and resources for early intervention and special education health services and will consult with childcare facility staff related to health and safety.
Child Care Resources Inc.’s Mecklenburg County Child Care Fact Sheet data as of 2/14/25 indicates there are 86,187 children aged 0-5 in Mecklenburg County. There are 56,478 children under the age of 6 whose parents both work; thus, the need for quality childcare facilities and the Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) program to support childcare providers to maintain licensure and 4 and 5-star ratings. However, the number of childcare facilities continues to decline every year since COVID-19 began. Each year, more facilities are forced to close their doors due to the increasing difficulty of navigating ever-changing regulations, rising operational cost, and the struggle to provide competitive wages that reflect inflation. Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) are needed to support facilities to assist with navigating health and safety regulations, providing training on best practices, and offering ongoing support to ensure compliance with state standards. Consultants play a pivotal role in alleviating the burden on childcare providers by offering tailored guidance on how to manage health concerns and licensure regulations. The percentage in Mecklenburg County is slightly lower at 27.3% (NC Early Childhood Action Plan, Mecklenburg County Data Report 2017).
The Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) program provides an opportunity to utilize experienced professional staff to support childcare centers in enhancing health and safety environments for the children they serve.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
Increase in revenue and associated expenses up to $499,869 in the General Fund (0001). The budget will be included in the FY2026 annual operating budget request.