Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19/Coronavirus (Revised 7-30-20; Most Recent Q&A’S Or Updated Answers in Red)
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Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19/Coronavirus (Revised 7-30-20; most recent Q&A’s or updated answers in red) This document is a compilation of questions that DECAL has received from child care providers, families, policy makers, and the public relating to the impact of COVID-19. The most recent questions and answers are in red at the beginning of this document. For additional information, scroll through the questions and answers on the following pages organized by DECAL programs. Visit this webpage often because this document will be updated regularly. New and updated/revised questions and answers are posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. New Question regarding Georgia’s Pre-K Program: What is the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefit and what Georgia’s Pre-K Program families are eligible? The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) of 2020 includes a benefit called Pandemic-EBT (P- EBT) for children who received free or reduced-price school meals in the 2019-2020 school year, but their public school was closed. Following is more information about the P-EBT: . Only children who were enrolled in a public school Pre-K program and received free or reduced- price school lunch/breakfast LAST school year (beginning in March) are eligible to apply for the benefits. Pre-K students who attended Pre-K in a child care program are not eligible. The P-EBT funds come from the National School Lunch Program, not CACFP. Under the FFCRA children who would have received free or reduced-price meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act if the school had not been closed are eligible to receive P-EBT benefit. Children enrolled for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year aren’t eligible. If the family does not know their child’s testing ID number (which is needed to apply), they should contact their local public school system. School systems have been authorized to give a student’s testing ID number to the student’s family. Families may apply for the P-EBT from 7/28/2020 through September 25, 2020. To access the application, families should go to https://dfcs.georgia.gov/pandemic-electronic- benefit-transfer DECAL Main Office Reopened: DECAL’s main office at 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE, 754 East Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334 has reopened with a skeleton crew (including a member of the Commissioner’s Executive Cabinet) to receive visitors on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Access to the Twin Towers, where DECAL’s main office is located, is managed by the Georgia Building Authority (GBA) and the Department of Public Safety. GBA will encourage the public to wear face coverings but will not deny access for failure to do so. GBA will place infrared temperature screening scanners at public entrance points, and all employees and the public will be screened to determine if an individual has a temperature at 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher; if so, the individual will be denied access. Other strategies to help ensure the health and safety of employees and the public (i.e., social distancing, handwashing, frequent disinfecting/cleaning of the office space, etc.) will be in effect. Governor Brian Kemp’s Executive Orders Related to COVID-19 1 | P a g e Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19/Coronavirus (Revised 7-30-20; most recent Q&A’s or updated answers in red) On July 15, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued an Executive Order providing additional guidance for Empowering a Healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19 effective July 16 through July 31, 2020. The complete Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders On June 29, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued an Executive Order renewing the Public Health Emergency and guidance for Reviving a Healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19 through August 11, 2020. The complete Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders On June 11, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued an Executive Order effective June 16 through June 30, 2020 providing additional guidance for Reviving a Healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19. The complete Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders On May 28, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued two Executive Orders providing additional guidance for Reviving a Healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19 and extending the Public Health Emergency in Georgia until July 12, 2020. The complete Executive Orders can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders On May 12, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued an Executive Order providing additional guidance for Reviving a Healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19, including guidance affecting child care. The complete Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders On April 23, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp issued an Executive Order titled Reviving A Healthy Georgia, effective May 1, 2020, at 12:00 a.m. through May 13, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Among other instructions, this Executive Order addresses how licensed child care learning centers and family child care learning homes will operate under Section VII Education and Children. The complete Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders. On April 8, 2020, Governor Kemp signed an executive order extending Georgia’s public health state of emergency through May 13, 2020 and extending the statewide shelter in place order through April 30, 2020. All provisions of the statewide shelter in place order remain in effect. On April 2, 2020, Governor Brian Kemp issued an Executive Order requiring Georgians to shelter-in-place to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders. On March 26, 2020, Governor Brian Kemp issued an Executive Order closing public elementary and secondary schools for in-person instruction through April 24, 2020. The Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders. At noon on March 24, 2020, an Executive Order issued by Governor Brian Kemp went into effect. The order, in effect through April 6, 2020, bans gatherings of more than 10 people unless they can always maintain spacing of at least six feet between people. The order does not distinguish between staff, 2 | P a g e Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19/Coronavirus (Revised 7-30-20; most recent Q&A’s or updated answers in red) children, and volunteers; any individual present is counted as part of the 10. The Executive Order can be found at: https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders. Some answers to these Frequently Asked Questions have been revised in light of the Governor’s Executive Orders. For Providers regarding STABLE Grants: Where can I find the application for STABLE? The application for STABLE is available in your DECAL KOALA account at https://decalkoala.com/. The application can be accessed through May 15, 2020. What kinds of programs are eligible for STABLE? All licensed child care learning centers and family child care learning homes are eligible for STABLE. Are license-exempt programs eligible for STABLE? No, license-exempt programs are not eligible for STABLE. Are programs who received PPP loans eligible for STABLE? Yes, programs who received PPP loans are eligible for STABLE. Receiving any other loans or assistance does not affect a program’s eligibility for STABLE. Does Quality Rated or CAPS participation have anything to do with my eligibility for STABLE? No, every licensed program is eligible for STABLE, regardless of their participation in Quality Rated or CAPS. Does my Quality Rated star-rating affect how much funding I am eligible to receive through STABLE? No, Quality Rated star-ratings do not affect the amount of funding programs are eligible to receive through STABLE. Is STABLE on a first-come, first-serve basis? Will funds run out? No, STABLE is not on a first-come, first-serve basis. All licensed providers who apply for STABLE between May 1 and May 15 will receive payments. Is STABLE a loan? Will I have to pay back the funds I receive? No, STABLE is not a loan. STABLE is a one-time payment. You will not have to pay back funds received through STABLE. Is STABLE a weekly payment? No, STABLE is a one-time payment. I applied for the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund Grant from the Foundation for Early Care + Learning. Is this the same thing as STABLE? No, STABLE is separate from the competitive grants offered through the Foundation for Early Care + Learning. 3 | P a g e Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19/Coronavirus (Revised 7-30-20; most recent Q&A’s or updated answers in red) I realize that the STABLE payment rates are based on my program’s operational status. What date is this based on? Do the rates take into account any changes that may occur before or after the date? STABLE funding is based on a program’s operational status as of Monday, April 27. Your self-reported status is based on how you answered the question, “Temporary Closure Due to COVID-19?” in your DECAL KOALA self-service dashboard. If your response was “No,” your status was Open. If your response was “Yes,” your status was Temporary Closure. If there was no response, your status was Temporary Closure.