Board: Governor’s Task Force on Child Care
Board identification number: 582
Department: Health
Authority: Administrative Order No. 346
Status: Active
Sunset date: December 31, 2024
Requirements: No Legislative Confirmation or Financial Disclosure required
Prohibitions: None
Term: No defined term
Chair: Governor selects Chair and Vice Chair
Description: The purpose of the Task Force is to develop a plan to improve availability and affordability of quality child care throughout Alaska. The Task Force will consult existing resources, including strategic plans and needs assessments on child care, to develop specific policy recommendations for the Governor with the goal of increasing access to high-quality and inclusive child care for Alaskan families. The three major components of a child care system are affordability, accessibility, and quality – none of which can be achieved without a well-compensated child care workforce. It is essential for the state to receive input from employers, nonprofit organizations, child care providers, tribal entities, and elected officials to comprehensively address child care challenges statewide.
Function: The Task Force shall deliver an initial report to the Governor by December 31, 2023 and a final report by July 31, 2024 with the following deliverables:
Identify evidence-based policy solutions to key child care workforce constraints. including recruitment, retention, compensation, and benefits.
Identify child care regulations that pose barriers to increasing availability of licensed child care slots, without compromising quality and safety.
Develop solutions to incentivize employer-sponsored child care facilities or benefits.
Identify opportunities to foster public-private partnerships in addressing child care workforce and affordability challenges.
Develop framework for a pilot program to offer on-site child care facilities in a State of Alaska office to serve as a model for employer-provided child care benefits.
Identify any other innovative solutions that the task force recommends to deliver affordable, quality child care to Alaskans.
The Chair of the Task Force shall report regularly to the Office of the Governor on activities conducted and issues that arise under this Order.
Special facts: Task Force members receive no compensation or other remuneration from the state for their service as members of the Task Force; however, members of the Task Force who are not state or federal employees are entitled to per Diem and travel expenses in the same manner permitted for members of state boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180. Per Diem and travel expenses for members of the Task Force who are a representative of a state or federal agency are the responsibility of that agency.
The Task Force may create advisory-only subcommittees.
The Task Force will meet monthly, at a minimum. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair. The Task Force and its subcommittees will use teleconferencing and other electronic means, to the extent practicable, in order to gain maximum public participation.
At times and locations to be determined by the Chair, the Task Force may convene public meetings to present information and receive comments.
A majority of the members of the Task Force constitutes a quorum for conducting business.
Meetings of the Task Force, or any subcommittees thereof shall be conducted, and notice of meetings provided, in accordance with AS 44.62.310 — 44.62.319 (Open Meetings Act).
Records of the Task Force and any subcommittee are subject to inspection, copying, and distribution as public records under AS 40.25.100 – 40.25.295 (Alaska Public Records Act).
Compensation:
Meetings:
For further information and to reach individual members, contact:
Heidi Hedberg
Commissioner
3601 C Street
Suite 902
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 269-7800
Fax:
