Bill > SB506

This bill establishes the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program within Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services to provide financial support for child care providers and their staff. The program will distribute annual lump-sum payments of up to $1,000 per staff member, with funds divided into retention bonuses for existing qualified staff and recruitment bonuses for newly hired staff. Qualified child care providers (including child care centers, family child care homes, and children's institutions) can apply for these funds within 45 days of the application being posted online. To be eligible, providers must be currently operating, have a child care subsidy agreement, and not be under investigation for fraud or have a revoked license. The payments are intended to support staff wages and cannot replace existing compensation. Staff members cannot receive both a retention and recruitment bonus in the same fiscal year, and providers must use the funds within the fiscal year they are received. The department will track and report on the program annually, including details like the number of payments made, geographic distribution, and total applications received. The program aims to help address workforce challenges in the child care sector by providing financial incentives for staff recruitment and retention.