New Director of the Division of Child Care
Mary Beth Jackson has been appointed Director of the Division of Child Care. Mary Beth joined the Department on August 3, 2009.
Mary Beth has a bachelor's degree in Child and Family Studies and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education. She has worked in the field of early childhood development in various capacities.
Her career began as an Infant/Toddler Program Coordinator for a faith-based early care and education center. She has served in an Assistant Director and Director capacity in an early care and education setting as well. Another passion of Mary Beth's is educating and training field staff on various topics involving early childhood development. She has been an independent trainer for 6 years. Further, she has also taught at the University level as a Visiting Instructor for Prenatal and Infant Development.
In 2003, Mary Beth came to state government to further her career goals to help young children in Kentucky. As an Early Childhood Mental Health Program Administrator, she went through the process of developing a state program, monitoring field staff, keeping abreast of current best practice, and maintaining well trained staff to carry out the mission of the program. Her role as the Early Childhood Promotion Section Supervisor allowed her to expand her knowledge base and strategize numerous ways to attain goals in the Healthy Start in Childcare, Early Childhood Mental Health, and HANDS programs.
In the recent years, Mary Beth has helped bring money into the state from the federal level by writing and assisting in grant writing for perinatal depression, early childhood comprehensive systems (SECCS), and early childhood systems of care grants (Ky SEED).
For more information about the Division of Child Care, please visit their website at http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dcc/
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Important Information About the Flu
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidance and toolkit for child care providers regarding the flu and released new information on Friday, September 4, 2009. Please review the information below. The toolkit is very useful. The Toolkit includes: Fact Sheet for Early Childhood Program Providers, Fact Sheets to Inform Parents, Poster for Child Care Centers to Remind Parents to Keep Sick Children at Home, and Template Letters (or E-mails) to send to Parents.
Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Child Care and Early Childhood Programs - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/childcare/toolkit/
The revised guidance recommends, based on current flu conditions, that early childhood program staff and children with flu-like illness stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius measured by mouth) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). This is a shorter time period from the previous guidance which recommended that sick early childhood program providers and children stay home 7 days after symptoms begin. The 7 day period away from early childhood programs for sick children and early childhood program providers would still be recommended under more severe flu conditions.
To access the CDC's guidance for child care providers regarding the flu, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/childcare/guidance.htm
Please remember that if you have questions about this or any other health, safety or nutritional issue in your child care program, your local Healthy Start Consultant is available to assist you.
Melanie Napier, Barren River District Health Department,
270-781-8039, serving Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Metcalfe, Simpson and Warren Counties.
Gayle Spencer, Allen County Health Department, 270-237-4423, serving Allen County.
Dyshel Thompson, Monroe County Health Department,
270-487-6782, serving Monroe County.
And remember to wash hands, be prepared and stay well!
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