Background:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Department of Job
and Family Services (ODJFS) is working to ensure that children continue to be
safe in child care settings and that the rules are updated to reflect new
guidance from the Ohio Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
New Policy:
ODJFS is emergency filing the transitional child care rules to
include updated COVID-19 symptoms and precautionary recommendations by the Ohio
Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control. Publicly funded child
care rules are being amended to update the number of absent and pandemic days.
The following rules are effective December 11, 2020.
Rule 5101:2-12-02.2 "Transitional
Pandemic Requirements for a Licensed Child Care Center" is being emergency
filed to further define transitional pandemic requirements for a licensed child
care center. Licensed child care centers shall follow all of the licensing
requirements of the chapter in addition to the following exceptions and
additions detailed in the new rule. The child care center shall:
- Ensure that the administrator, child care staff
members, and employees are washing their hands at the following additional
times:
o
After caring for someone who is sick
o
After eating, serving, or preparing food or
bottles or feeding a child
o
After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
o
Before and after touching their face or handling
their mask
- Ensure that all children in care are washing
their hands at the following additional times:
o
After eating or assisting with food preparation
o
After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
o
After touching their face or handling their mask
- Clarified
that a child care provider should report all COVID-positive tests among
administrators, staff, and enrolled children to their local
public health department, but because of rapid community spread, all
COVID-positive individuals should quarantine according to Ohio Department of
Health and CDC guidelines if not contacted by their local health
department.
Appendix A
- Amended the list of COVID-19 symptoms for daily
screening:
o
Removed fever from the list, as a temperature of
one hundred degrees Fahrenheit or higher is already listed
o
Clarified description of cough as a new
uncontrolled cough (for children with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a
change in their cough from baseline)
o
Clarified headache as new onset of a severe
headache
o
Clarified loss of taste or smell as new loss of
taste or smell
o
Add the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
Rule 5101:2-12-02.3 "Temporary
Pandemic School-Age Child Care Centers” is being amended:
- Clarified the language defining a temporary
pandemic school-age child care center license as a short-term license that a
child may participate in during remote learning, and when school is not in
session, for example, winter break.
- Updated language for subject number agreement,
changing child who is receiving special needs care to children who are
receiving special needs care.
Rule 5101:2-13-02.2 "Transitional
Pandemic Requirements for a Licensed Family Child Care Provider" is being
emergency filed to further define transitional pandemic requirements for a
licensed family child care provider. Licensed family child care providers shall
follow all of the licensing requirements of the chapter in addition to the
following exceptions and additions detailed in the new rule. The family child
care provider shall:
- Ensure that the provider, child care staff
members, and employees are washing their hands at the following additional
times:
o
After caring for someone who is sick
o
After eating, serving, or preparing food or
bottles or feeding a child
o
After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
o
Before and after touching their face or handling
their mask
- Ensure that all children in care are washing
their hands at the following additional times:
o
After eating or assisting with food preparation
o
After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
o
After touching their face or handling their mask
- Clarified that a child care provider should
report all COVID-positive tests among administrators, staff, and enrolled
children to their local public health department, but because of rapid
community spread, all COVID-positive individuals should quarantine according to
Ohio Department of Health and CDC guidelines if not contacted by their local
health department.
Appendix A
- Amended the list of COVID-19 symptoms for daily
screening:
o
Removed fever from the list, as a temperature of
one hundred degrees Fahrenheit or higher is already listed
o
Clarified description of cough as a new
uncontrolled cough (for children with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a
change in their cough from baseline)
o
Clarified headache as new onset of a severe
headache
o
Clarified loss of taste or smell as new loss of
taste or smell
o
Add the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
Rule 5101:2-14-02.2 "Transitional
Pandemic Requirements for In-Home Aide Certification" is being emergency
filed to further define transitional pandemic requirements for a certified
in-home aide. Certified in-home aides
shall follow all of the licensing requirements of the chapter in addition to
the following exceptions and additions detailed in the new rule. The certified in-home aide shall:
- Ensure that the in-home aide is washing their
hands at the following additional times:
o
After caring for someone who is sick
o
After eating, serving, or preparing food or
bottles or feeding a child
o
After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
o
Before and after touching their face or handling
their mask
- Ensure that all children in care are washing
their hands at the following additional times:
o
After eating or assisting with food preparation
o
After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
o
After touching their face or handling their mask
- Clarified that a child care provider should
report all COVID-positive tests among administrators, staff, and enrolled
children to their local public health department, but because of rapid
community spread, all COVID-positive individuals should quarantine according to
Ohio Department of Health and CDC guidelines if not contacted by their local
health department.
Appendix A
- Amended the list of COVID-19 symptoms for daily
screening:
o
Removed fever from the list, as a temperature of
one hundred degrees Fahrenheit or higher is already listed
o
Clarified description of cough as a new
uncontrolled cough (for children with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a
change in their cough from baseline)
o
Clarified headache as new onset of a severe
headache
o
Clarified loss of taste or smell as new loss of
taste or smell
o
Add the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
Rule 5101:2-16-10 "Payment Rates
and Procedures for Providers of Publicly Funded Child Care Services” is being
amended to:
- Clarify payments for publicly funded child care
include time a school-age child is participating in remote learning at a child
care center, but not if the parent has the option for in-person learning,
including a hybrid school model, and instead opted for only remote learning.
- Allow thirty-five pandemic days per fiscal year
if the program is advised to close by the local or state health department in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Questions:
Please contact the Child Care Policy Helpdesk at childcarepolicy@jfs.ohio.gov or
1-877-302-2347, option 4, if you have any questions about the new policy.