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.

https://voicecsea.org/the-market-rate-survey-and-the-true-cost-of-care/

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.

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/

https://voicecsea.org/5808-2/

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 consultations

Telemedicine: $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.

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!

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) 455-2585

On 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.