Agenda

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FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	07/29/2019
Subject: Crescent Park Child Development Center, Richmond, Closure
Submitted For:	Kathy Gallagher
Department:	Employment & Human Services
Referral No.:
Referral Name:
Presenter:	Camilla Rand	Contact:	Camilla Rand, 925.681.6301

Information

Referral History:

On July 19, EHSD notified the Board Chair and the County Administrator's office about the Department's intention to close the Crescent Park child development center in Richmond due to difficulties enrolling families and retaining staff. The Crescent Park site was selected because it has the lowest demand for enrollment and highest percentage of staff vacancies of all Community Services Bureau centers. Fifty-eight percent of its positions are either vacant or have staff on leave. The Department's hope is to re-open it next spring as an infant and toddler center if enough staffing can be secured. A strong economy and plentiful employment opportunities has made maintaining sufficient staffing at the Center more challenging, despite robust recruitment at colleges, high schools, adult schools, on websites and publications. Seventeen of the 21 vacancies in the program are in west county. Teachers cite their inability to afford the cost of living in that area.

Referral Update:

The proposed temporary closure will impact about 20 families and will mean relocating 64 child care slots. The Department is moving quickly to ensure that all children have the opportunity to transfer to current openings at nearby centers. Delaying these transfers by even a week or two will negatively impact options for these families and the Department's ability to continue enrollment processes at all west county centers (which will be on hold until these children are situated at alternate centers). Summer is “peek enrollment” time and so the Department must move quickly to ensure continuity of care for the children and the program’s ability to meet 100% by the end-of-summer federally mandated deadline.

The proposed closure will also impact staff at the site, including 1 Site Supervisor, 3 Lead Teachers and 2 Associate Teachers. The staff are to be transferred to other nearby locations. All other staff at the center are substitute staff (temporary employees). The Department has already notified and offered to meet with Local 1.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

RECEIVE report from the Employment and Human Services Department on the proposed closure of the Crescent Park Child Development Center in Richmond.

Attachments
CSB Closure Update Memo