COVID case rate INCREASING

The case rate for the region increased in the past week, placing the County at risk of dropping to Tier 1, the highest-risk level. The region’s case rate rose to 6.9 cases per 100,000 residents after entering the state’s new monitoring system with a 5.8 case rate and being placed in Tier 2, also known as Red Tier.

Should the case rate continue to increase, the County could be moved to Tier 1, or Purple, which carries more restrictive COVID-19 measures.

“San Diegans should continue taking the necessary measures to keep COVID-19 from spreading and the case rate from increasing,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer.

Tier placement is also based on each County’s percentage of tests coming back positive for COVID-19.

The positivity rate also increased from 3.4 to 4.2%, but still well below the state’s goal of 8% or less.

Should the County positivity rate hit 8% and the case rate continue to increase to more than seven cases per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks, the region would have to be moved to the Purple Tier.

For those counties not testing their residents at the same rate as the state, new adjustment factors have been added, potentially increasing a region’s case rate. Counties that are testing above the state’s rate have had their case rates scaled down.

Based on the state’s testing data from the County, the region’s case rate is at 7.9 per 100,000 residents, but the region did not get penalized because the state has been having issues, going back several months, that prevent it from getting the County’s correct testing numbers.

“We’re working with the state to resolve the issue,” Wooten said. “Currently, the state has indicated that they will use the County’s data to calculate the case rate and positivity percentage over the next several weeks.”

Should the County’s case rate drop to under 3.9 for a consecutive two weeks, it would qualify to move into Tier 3, or Orange Tier. The region’s positivity percentage has been under 4.9% for over two weeks and would allow the region to move to the higher, less-restrictive Tier 3. However, both metrics will need to qualify for the Orange Tier for two weeks before the County could move into it.

The state will assess counties on a weekly basis, with the next report scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Mayoral candidate forum

The Del Cerro Action Council will host a candidate forum with mayoral candidates Barbara Bry and Todd Gloria on Sept. 23. The forum will be held online via Zoom video chat and begin at 7 p.m. The forum will be moderated by Mission Times Courier editor Jeff Clemetson.

The public is being asked to submit questions for the candidates by noon on Monday, Sept. 21. Email questions to [email protected]. Para más información visite delcerroactioncouncil.org.

San Diego leaders launch childcare provider grant program

A coalition of regional partners, including the County of San Diego, The San Diego Foundation, Child Development Associates and YMCA of San Diego County have joined together to launch the San Diego County Childcare Provider Grant Program, an initiative that will distribute $25 million in CARES Act funding to childcare providers impacted by COVID-19.

Recognizing that affordable and safe childcare is essential to our recovery and the ongoing health of our region, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to distribute $25 million of CARES Act funding to eligible childcare providers in San Diego County. To distribute the funds, the county has partnered with The San Diego Foundation, Child Development Associates and YMCA of San Diego County to manage the application, verification and grantmaking process.

Starting August 24, eligible providers could apply for funding by visiting www.SDFoundation.org/ChildcareGrants. Funding will support staffing, supplies, mortgage and rental assistance, business resilience and capital improvements for outdoor areas.

To date, the COVID-19 Community Response Fund at The San Diego Foundation has distributed more than $26 million to nonprofits on the frontlines of the crisis.

The Foundation will also provide an additional $10 million in grants to support children and families, and access to quality, affordable childcare in the San Diego region over the next five years with at least $1 million of that distributed in 2020.

Funding will be allocated based on predetermined categories outlined in the CARES Act agreement. Large family childcare providers (licensed to care for a maximum of 14 children) will be eligible to receive up to $3,500 and small family childcare providers (licensed to care for a maximum of 8 children) will be eligible for up to $2,750. Non-government contracted, licensed providers will be eligible to receive up to $175 per child capacity, based on childcare license.

Partially-funded Government contracted (i.e. CSPP, CCTR, Head Start), licensed childcare centers will be eligible to receive up to $175 per non-subsidized child, not to exceed license capacity. Non-government contracted, license-exempt group care providers, such as summer day camps, recreational programs that are camps and community youth clubs such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, that serve school-age children up to 12 years old will be eligible to receive up to $100 per child capacity.

To learn more about the San Diego County Childcare Provider Grant Program, visit www.SDFoundation.org/ChildcareGrants.