On April 10, 2020, the L.A. Emergency Child Care Connection, established by the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, was launched in response to the current the COVID-19 pandemic to provide child-care resources for essential workers.
The Mayor’s Office released the following information concerning the main components of the L.A. Emergency Child Care Connection program:
- Stipend: A $100 stipend per shift to help qualifying hospital employees pay for the type of child-care that works best for them. Families are encouraged to use the stipend to help children stay at home or in the home of a trusted relative or neighbor. Participating hospitals must commit to making the full stipend available to all non-professional employees and prioritize low-wage workers.
- Child Care Referrals: Free referrals to licensed providers in the community. That means access to three high-quality resources for finding childcare: Carina Care, a web-based matching program aligned with SEIU Local 99; WeeCare, the nation’s largest online private care matching agency; and enhanced referrals through L.A. County led by the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles member agencies.
- City Recreation Centers: Starting April 13th, the City’s Recreation and Parks Department will provide free care for children between the ages of 6 and 14 at City recreation centers located near participating hospitals to accommodate employees who are unable to have their children cared for at home. Each site will be open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will offer programming and meals and adhere to public health guidelines.
Mayor Garcetti’s office is working to expand the healthcare facilities that are participating in this program, which currently include California Medical Center, Northridge Medical Center and White Memorial. While no specifications have been released regarding the criteria for a facility to participate in the program, the Mayor’s office encourages all hospital employees who wish to participate in the program to inquire with their human resources department.
We will continue to provide updates regarding the L.A. Emergency Child Care Connection program as well as other child-care connection programs and initiatives being strategized and implemented in California in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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If you have questions or other healthcare law concerns, contact Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman’s Healthcare Practice Group.”