State Advisory Council Quarterly Meeting Agenda | April 27, 2026

Monday, April 27, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Location: Zoom 

Meeting Minutes

Welcome & Opening Remarks (Leah Spangler) 

Pennsylvania Budget & Funding Updates (Carolyn Green) 

• CCSRR Awards Update 
  • 25M dedicated dollars to CCSRR 
    • Approximately 38,600 payments sent 
    • Funding will be allocated by the end of the fiscal year 
• Pre-K Counts 
  • Budget negotiations ongoing 

State Advisory Council Updates (Netta Radzinski) 

• Financial Disclosure and Code of Conduct Requirement 
  • All members must file- due May 1, 2026 
  • Letters were sent to executive SAC members  
• Access to Programs (Shana King & Marci Walters) 
  • Shared drafted recommendations for PSS updates 
  • Mobile One 
    • User-friendly mobile platform to find child care 
    • Standardized improved provider referral process through ELRC Family Specialist 
  • Researching/reviewing Iowa’s Child Care Connect System for inspiration and recommendations for Pennsylvania. 
• PSS & COMPASS 
  • Updates made to Findchildcare.com 
    • Search Radius 
    • Childcare certification provider inspection details 
    • Search engine optimization 
  • PSS: Annual planning for FY 27-28 has commenced 
• Physical, Behavioral & Mental Health (Carolyn Green & Brandy Fox) 
  • Shared OCDEL System of Supports triangle visual- current investments and opportunities for Continuous Improvement
    • Intervention (Top of triangle)
      • Early Intervention 0-3
    • Prevention (Center of triangle)
      • Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Project
      • School Age Child Care Mental Health Consultation
      • Rapid Response Teams
      • Family Support Programs
      • Home visiting Programs
      • Early Childhood Positive Behavior Support Network
    • Promotion (Bottom of triangle)
      • IECMH Virtual Office Hours
      • PD Registry for EC Professionals
      • Bright Start IECMH Monthly Newsletter
      • Bright Start, Bright Kids, Bright Future Videos/Resources
  • Rapid Response Guided Discussion
    • What is working?
    • What can OCDEL Support or scale
    • Models and approaches to consider
  • Prevention strategies for outside the formal behavioral health system
    • How can families utilize supports that have childcare outside of their home County?
      • Some child care providers partner to make sure the child has access to services in the appropriate County to make sure the child receives the services they need where they are.
      • There can be transportation issues.
      • Temple is creating resources for parents and educators as part of their Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC) grant (from McKinley Rouse)
  • PIP and Cara’s Kit
• Suspension/Expulsion, Behavioral Health, and RRT
  • Follow up with Becky Mercatoris regarding the Allegheny County services presentation and Brandy Fox’s “RRT Lessons Learned” in the future.

Workforce Support (Leah Spangler)

• ISRA Updates (Phil Sirinides)
  • Shared statement: Project is largely on schedule, and deliverables are waiting approval for public release from the Governor’s Budget Office
• Certification Regulation Rewrite Project (Luisa Olivo-Wolf)
  • Finalizing preamble -will be moving to DHS Leadership and the Governor’s Office for review
• Provider Closed Days (Luisa Olivo-Wolf)
  • Focus Group held on April 1, 2026
  • ~30 providers across the Commonwealth participated
  • 125 providers provided feedback through the Feedback Form
  • The data team shared data on providers’ closed days entered into Provider Self Service
    • About 81% of providers are utilizing all Paid Closed Days
  • What to consider: any policy shift must balance flexibility, fiscal responsibility, and provider sustainability while maintaining health and safety
  • No changes will be made for the upcoming Fiscal Year. Too short of a timeline to weigh data and perspectives for the upcoming Fiscal Year/Budget Negotiations already in process.

Public Participation & Open Forum (Leah Spangler)

• Open Discussion
• Jackie Groetsch: Insurance- reduced coverage, rising costs for childcare trends in Southeastern PA
• Open to coordinating a work group
• This is affecting not only child care, but spans vulnerable populations (long-term living, foster care, etc.)
• Pennsylvania Council on Children Youth and Family Services (PCCYFS) is making this insurance issue a priority
• Liability Insurance for Children’s Services Providers Briefing (PDF)

Upcoming SAC Quarterly Meetings (Leah Spangler)

• Monday, July 27, 2026
• Monday, October 26, 2026

Note (Brandy’s request): Think about CQI on kindergarten transitions/toolkit

Attendees:

Adrienne Briggs

Alison Hansen

Amy Lynch

Andrea Heberlein

Barry Wiestling

Becky Mercatoris

Brandy Fox

Brittany Massare

Carol Austin

Carolyn Green

Christy Leiato

Claudia Aust

Colin Day

Corey Whitesell

Courtney Malecki

Damaris Alvarado-Rodriguez

Debra Daulton

Diane Barber, PACCA

Diane Castelbuono

Dr. Kimberly Rode

Dr. Kris Bowman

Dr. Shaun Perez

Erin Cameron

Erin Troup

Fran Langan

Hannah Beth Mudrick

Heather Smoyer

Jackie Groetsch

Jane Stadnik

Janine Pagano

Jessica Vogt

Karen Grimm-Thomas

Kari King

Lauren Palmquist

Leah Spangler

Lisa Parker

Lisa Schultz

Luisa Olivo-Wolf

Marci Walters

Marnie Aylesworth

Mary Graham

McKinley Rouse

Minnette Taylor

Natalie Flores

Netta Radzinski

Nia Harris

Sara Bradley

Shana King

Shaun Perez

Stephanie

Steve Doster

Steven Williams

Tara Dechert

Toni Kopenhaver

Wenxi Schwab