MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette State Secretary of Human Services Dr. Val Arkoosh, left, speaks with, from left, state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, Pennsylvania College of Technology President Michael Reed and Dunham Children’s Learning Center Director Linda Reichert.

State Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh visited Pennsylvania College of Technology as she criss crosses the state, promoting an initiative in Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 state budget aimed at recruiting and retaining childcare workers.

The plan would see $55 million distributed to childcare providers that participate in the Childcare Works Program, up to $1,000 per employee in order to retain and increase the childcare workforce.

“I’m a mom of three kids, and it’s very hard to be fully present at work if you’re worried about the situation with your kids at home or even in childcare. So we want to really lift up this workforce,” Arkoosh said.

“Right now, all together our childcare providers have about 3,000 vacancies for teachers, and if they could fill those vacancies, we could enable 25,000 more children to get high quality early learning that prepares them for school and then ultimately, for the workforce,” she continued.

Getting those vacancies filled is key to getting an untold number of parents and guardians back to work or further their education.

“In so many cases, we have situations where a parent does get offered a job that they’re really interested in, but if they can’t get access to affordable, high quality child care, they will be able to say yes to that job,” Arkoosh said.

“Governor Shapiro has also been very focused on the fact that we need more teachers in Pennsylvania, and proposed last year a the ability to get paid a stipend while they’re doing their student teaching, and that program was fully subscribed to within a week, and I think there’s additional funds in this year’s budget as well to continue what was a very successful program,” she said.

“We’re also trying to cut some red tape for teachers that are out of state to come across the borders and teach here without having to get recertified,” Flick added.

“We’re also continuing the state payment rate in our Childcare Works Program, which is our program for lower income working adults, and we’re now paying at the 75th percentile of private pay rate,” she said.

Additionally, the Governor’s budget calls for $10 million to be devoted to early intervention programs that would be available regardless of family income.

“Sometimes, very young children are identified as needing some speech therapy, or some occupational therapy, or physical therapy. And the earlier we can provide some support and intervention, that is the biggest payoff,” Arkoosh said.

“Many times, when you intervene early, you solve a problem for the rest of their life. So you’re really investing in these kids’ future and making it possible for folks like this to do the incredible work that they’re doing, and to help parents be able to take that job in their community because they’ve got really high quality early learning centers,” she said.

“Our objective is to get these kids young so we don’t use drug and alcohol money and mental health money. So the earlier we can get them, the better. Also, if we make the investment in the young kids in pre-K, it’ll more than double the benefits going down the road,” said state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport.

“It seems you’re hitting the key barriers, making sure there’s a sustainable wage for the for the teachers, and it sounds like that’s being addressed and getting in that recruitment area to build that pipeline to make it affordable, then for the students to keep that ecosystem going,” Penn College President Michael Reed said.

With a divided government, it’s almost never easy finding a consensus, but this is one area that should be easier than most, the secretary said.

“Childcare is 100% a bipartisan issue,” Arkoosh said, noting the presence and support of Flick.

“So many of us are parents, and I think anyone who is a parent understands the critical importance of child care. So I do think this is one of those issues that everybody can get behind,” she said.

Arkoosh’s visit included a tour of The Robert & Maureen Dunham Children’s Learning Center, which she called a “wonderful” place.

“I can’t imagine a nicer place for a child to go to an early learning center than this one,” she said.

“It’s beautiful. It’s so green and lush, and obviously the enthusiasm of the staff is very clear the minute you walk in the door,” Arkoosh added.

“Our students spend so much time in the labs, and if you’re a parent trying to complete a degree, here is a great opportunity where your child is going to get first rate childcare,” Reed said of the facility, which overwhelming services children of employees and students.

“These visits are really important, because, while we don’t have a teaching program here, a lot of our students get into the CTC work and the teaching process,” Reed said.

“For those that are returning adults, or our employees need childcare and they need to be able to go into a into a children’s learning center where they can continually grow, develop and evolve and just have an incredible experience,” he said.

“So having stakeholders here on our campus is really important for us because everything is so interconnected to best lift our communities and our Commonwealth,” Reed said.