We are CSEA/VOICE: a union made up of and working for family child care providers from across New York State, organizing for power to take on challenges facing us and the children and families we serve.
UNION NEWS
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How to Fill out the Market Rate Survey and Calculate True Cost of Care
WATCH ONLINE TRAINING HERE: http://csealearningcenter.org/view.cfm?v=230914
Do you want to make more money? This is your opportunity!
CSEA/VOICE invites you to watch this recent training session with Denise Dowell, Ph.D, who has remarkable accomplishments in early childhood education policy and advocacy as well as experience working every aspect of childhood education for more than 25 years. You will learn how to accurately fill out the new Market Rate Survey expected to be emailed by OCFS in September 2023. After you receive an email from OCFS with information about the Market Rate Survey, you will then receive a separate email with a provider specific link to the survey. It is extremely important that you are aware of how to fill out this survey. The responses affect how the Market Rates are determined and is based on our responses.
- VOICE to pay for Fri night hotel at the 2023 FCCANYS Conference
Registration for the Family Child Care Association of New York State’s (FCCANYS ) Annual Conference October 20 – 21, 2023 is now OPEN. Through professional development funds negotiated in our last contract, CSEA/VOICE will pay for on-site providers and owners covered under our collective bargaining agreement to stay overnight Friday, October 20,2023 at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, NY. We will not be covering child care program staff.IMPORTANT: Upon making your hotel reservation you will need to email us at voice@cseainc.org your name, license or registration number, and your confirmation number from the Villa Roma. If you do not follow this step, we will be unable to cover the cost of your hotel accommodation. If you have any questions, please call our toll-free resource center at 1-877-483-2732.
FCCANYS conference information can be found at: https://www.fccanys.org/
**Space for this conference is limited! It is important to make your reservations early.**
1.) Please call the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center at 800-727-8455 Ext 1to reserve your room from the block of rooms held by FCCANYS. You will need to reserve your room with your credit card and CSEA/VOICE will pay for Friday night’s (October 20, 2023) accommodation. All incidentals, cancellation fees and no shows will be billed to the credit card on file by you, the provider. Please mention your stay is for the FCCANYS conference to get the special conference room rate for us.
There are two resources available to pay for the registration fee:
1.) If your program is currently participating in QUALITYstarsNY, they will pay for registration fees with a ‘Quality Scholars Award’ for the Provider and any assistants that want to attend. Speak with your Quality Improvement Specialist to redeem.
OR
2.) You can apply for EIP (Educational Incentive Program) https://www.ecetp.pdp.albany.edu/
If you have any questions, please call our Resource Center at 877-483-2732 or email us at voice@cseainc.org.
Here at CSEA/VOICE we are always advocating for providers. It is your membership that makes us powerful and heard. If you are not a member, we encourage you to join. With each new member we become even more powerful. You can sign up on-line at https://voicecsea.org/ If you would like further information about membership, call our Resource Center at 877-483-2732 or email voice@cseainc.org.
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WORKFORCE RETENTION GRANT AWARDS HAVE DOUBLED!!!
As a licensed Group Family Child Care Provider or a registered Family Child Care Provider you are eligible to apply for the Workforce Retention Grant. You, yourself, are considered staff and qualify to receive this grant. If you have hired staff and pay them via payroll you can also apply for this grant.Click on OCFS’s flyer for more information:
https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare/grants/workforce-grant/
- Tax Trainings Available by Zoom
There are two tax trainings available by zoom for viewing.
ERTC & FFCRA on Zoom from July 25, 2023:
- ***NEW BENEFIT***
FREE TELE-HEALTH COVERAGE IS HERE!!
ACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT NOW!
CSEA has negotiated this telemedicine benefit exclusively for all CSEA/VOICE bargaining unit members, but your accounts must be activated. There is NO COST to you at all, and the benefits can be used by your household family members too.Our union is asking all providers regardless of health insurance status to activate their accounts so we can ensure this benefit will be there for all who need it. If we don’t activate enough accounts, this will be seen as a lack of interest and the benefit could be terminated.
VOICE MEMBER KIM BANNISTER RECENTLY USED THIS BENEFIT
THIS BENEFIT INCLUDES:
> Speak with a U.S. Board Certified Physician 24/7/365
> $0 consultation cost to speak to a doctor (no co-pay)
> Avoid wait times at doctors’ offices, urgent care, and ER
> Save paying unnecessary co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance
> Avoid leaving work to go to the doctor
> Ability to speak to a doctor any time, day or night, by phone or video chat
> Prescription called into your local pharmacy
> Covers your entire household
> Unlimited consultationsTelemedicine: $0 Copay
Our network of doctors and pediatricians can diagnose, treat, and prescribe for you and your family, 24/7 on your schedule. Anytime. Anywhere. With no consult fees!Medical Bill Saver: FREE
Medical Bill Saver is your expert source to review and negotiate out-of-pocket health care costs.Prescription Savings: FREE
The Prescription Discount Program saves you money on prescription medications. Simply present your savings card at a participating pharmacy to instantly receive substantial discounts on prescription medications.NEXT STEPS?
Simply click on the orange button below or go to https://www.allyhealth.net/voice/ to activate your account.
You will need your CSEA ID number. If you need assistance or do not know your CSEA ID number, click here to look up your CSEA ID number or call the CSEA VOICE Call Center at 1-877-483-2732.Please do this now. After you activate your account, you will receive email instructions on how to access your free CSEA/VOICE-provided benefit.
Haga clic aquí para leer/ver en español
Non-members have access to the Basic Plan. Click here for more information or JOIN VOICE NOW.
- 2023 Child Care Quality Grant – Application Period is Closed.
The latest 2023 Application Period is now CLOSED.
President’s Welcome
CSEA is pleased to invite you to apply for the CSEA Child Care Quality Grant program for Child Care Providers. CSEA and WORK Institute staff are here to assist you. If you have any questions about our agreement with OCFS, call our toll-free Child Care Resource Center at (877) 483-CSEA (2732). If you have a grant or program question, contact CSEA WORK Institute by email at grant4u@cseainc.org. The work you do each and every day keeps New York parents earning and children learning. I wish you the best in the coming year.
Mary E. Sullivan
CSEA President
The Grant funding can be used for the following:— Personnel costs, payroll and salaries, benefits
— Facility maintenance or improvement
— Personal Protective Equipment, Cleaning and Sanitizing Supplies and Services
— Equipment
— Rent or mortgage payments, utilities or insurance
— Training
— Goods and services necessary to maintain or resume child care services
You may take advantage of this funding in one of two ways:
1. $500 Kaplan Credit (order materials and supplies with no money out-of-pocket); or
2. $500 Reimbursement (for eligible expenses already incurred, no receipt submission required)
WHO IS ELIGIBLE:
You can apply if:
You live outside NYC and are active as a New York State Registered Family OR a Licensed Group Family OR an eligible Enrolled Legally-Exempt child care provider.
Eligible Legally-Exempt child care providers must have 12 months of continuous enrollment and 10 hours of child care training in the last year.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
To apply, you’ll need:
Your OCFS license, registration, or enrollment number and your CSEA ID. If you don’t have your CSEA ID, click “Look up your CSEA ID!” in the upper right corner of this page. If that doesn’t work, send an email to grant4u@cseainc.org.
KAPLAN CREDIT – No out of pocket expenses!
$500 credit grants can be only be used with Kaplan Early Learning Company. You can place your order online or by phone starting two hours after your application is complete. All products listed on https://voicecsea.kaplanco.com/ are approved.
REIMBURSEMENT
(no receipt submission required)
If you prefer, you may pay directly and request reimbursement. Please allow time for your Social Security number to be verified with IRS. You will then receive an approval email updating your status and requesting that you complete a receipt attestation on our grant site for purchases made between October 1, 2021 and July 31, 2023. Your receipts may total more than $500 but you will only be reimbursed up to a maximum of $500. You will not be able to fill out your attestation until we send your approval email.
CSEA Child Care Quality Grant Reimbursements are taxable and you may be sent a 1099 form to file with your income taxes prior to January 31st for the prior calendar year.
DEADLINE*
All grants must be approved, credit orders placed, and attestations uploaded on or by July *31, 2023.
- “LIFTING OUR VOICE” REGIONAL CONFERENCES
Photo taken at the first Regional Conference Melville, Long Island.
CSEA/VOICE TRAININGS ARE NOW ASPIRE APPROVED!
CSEA/VOICE held 3 successful Regional one-day Conferences across the state. Members attended at no cost and earned
5-6 OCFS approved Training Hours! We are Union Strong!
- Happy Provider Appreciation Week
NYS PROCLAMATION CEREMONY
Click on image to read captions and see photos.
JOIN IN THIS WEEK!
Join in our celebration of each other! Download and print a sign. Take a photo of yourself and assistants holding the sign and post to social media with a supportive message for fellow providers.Don’t forget to write our CSEA/VOICE hashtag in your message: #CSEAVOICEProviderAppreciation
DOWNLOAD/PRINT 8.5″ x 11″ (Letter)
DOWNLOAD/PRINT 12″x 18″ (Poster)
DOWNLOAD/PRINT 11″x 17″ (Tabloid)
![LetterProvider Appreciation Day -lettersize[8]](https://voicecsea.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LetterProvider-Appreciation-Day-lettersize8-300x232.jpg)
Our 2023 SIGN
- OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ACTION AS A UNION (3/18-3/19)
As you know all too well, New York’s childcare system is in crisis. We need the State Legislature to make critical investments in the childcare workforce in this year’s state budget. CSEA has put forward several budget proposals that address these issues: Click here for our info flyer.
– at (518) 455-2585On Sunday, Call Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie – at (518) 455-3791
Feel free to leave your own brief message, or simply TELL THEM:“I am a CSEA/VOICE represented childcare provider. Include additional funding for the childcare workforce in this year’s budget so we can keep our programs open for working families throughout New York.”
We know from previous actions that when we TAKE ACTION TOGETHER, we can make a BIG impact toward NYS investment in our programs.
- PRESIDENT BRANDT TESTIFIES AT SENATE HEARING
CSEA/VOICE President Heidi-Jo Brandt testified in front of the NYS Senate Children and Families Committee communicating our 2023 Child Care Legislative Priorities:1) Paying providers for the true cost of care, and not as a percentile of the market rate
2) Shifting from pay for attendance to pay for enrollment
3) Increasing and standardizing county plan options
4) Increasing Differential Rate for homeless and non-traditional hours care
Please look out for an email invite to join us and our coalition partners, The Empire State Campaign for Child Care (ECCC), for a Virtual Lobby Day via Zoom on February 7. Information will be available here very soon.
Be Counted.
Be Heard.
LET’S SUCCEED AGAIN for child care!
![LetterProvider Appreciation Day -lettersize[8]](https://voicecsea.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LetterProvider-Appreciation-Day-lettersize8.jpg)
