Early childhood professionals play an essential role in communities, helping young children to develop, supporting working families, and enabling business operations.  While affordable and high-quality childcare is critical, the early childcare sector is underfunded and dysfunctional. COVID-19 has exacerbated longstanding issues, exacting a devastating impact on childcare centers and the professionals that staff them. In this program, we will hear more about the issues impacting the early childhood workforce at the individual, employer, and systems levels. We will explore the role of employer collaboration with funders and other stakeholders to advance necessary changes in business practices and public policies to support these essential workers.

Community Health Workers, Home Health Aides, Personal Care Attendants, and Nursing Assistants are among the direct care workers on the front lines of the Pandemic. COVID-19 spotlighted both an incentive towards accelerating the delivery of care directly in communities and the inequities experienced by direct care and community health workers.  During this program, we will have a discussion with David Rodwin of the Public Justice Center and the Maryland Regional Direct Services Collaborative, Dr. Chidinma Ibe, of the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine and Public Health. We will learn from our speakers how we can support, advocate, and sustain community health workers and direct home care programs to meet the increasing need to change the delivery of healthcare from institution-based to the community.