Agenda - Council - 09/13/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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8. Promoting healthy childhood environments. The interim final rule included programs and services that promote healthy childhood environments as an enumerated eligible use for disproportionately impacted households. The interim final rule listed three programs or services included under this use: childcare; programs to provide home visits by health professionals, parent educators, and social service professionals to individuals with young children to provide education and assistance for economic support, health needs, or child development; and services for child welfare -involved families and foster youth to provide support and education on child development, positive parenting, coping skills, or recovery for mental health and substance use. The interim final rule also included an enumerated eligible use for early learning services in disproportionately impacted communities, to address disparities in education. Public Comment: Childcare and Early Learning: Treasury received multiple comments that were supportive of the provision of childcare. Treasury has also received multiple comments and questions indicating that recipients have identified a need for childcare for a broader range of households and communities, for example those that may need childcare in order to return to work, in addition to households and communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Several commenters expressed uncertainty about how childcare facilities should interact with the boundaries of a QCT. Finally, one commenter recommended that pre-K or early learning services encompass care for infants and toddlers, arguing that these types of care are often more expensive or challenging to access for families. Background: Childcare and Early Learning: As daycares and schools closed in -person activities during the pandemic, many working families were left without childcare during the 94