Starfish Family Services

Starfish blog: Committed to continued COVID safety

October 14, 2021 by Starfish Family Services

Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic first arrived in Michigan, Starfish has been committed to doing everything possible to keep our employees, children & families, and communities safe. How to keep people safe during such uncharted times has been a continuous learning experience—especially since no two days during the pandemic have been the same. One constant is that Starfish is dedicated to consistent, timely, and transparent communication with our community as part of our response management. To stay informed, visit and bookmark our COVID & Our Community page.

Decisions based on data

We leverage data and health-expert guidance in making all decisions. COVID case and testing data is posted three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. It steers our course as we make purposeful adjustments to our protocols. For example, the below is from October 13, 2021. The average number of new confirmed cases is 4,335 per day. October 2021 trends are worse than one year year ago. And we are trending upward as we head into the holiday season.

We plug health-expert data and Starfish-collected data into our own rubric. The cumulative score indicates our color-coded level of response. In this case, we are ORANGE.

This means all the action items below are 100% in effect and 100% enforced.

COVID safe start success

The Starfish COVID Transition Team (CTT) is the steward of our COVID Safe Start Plan. CTT members meet at least weekly to analyze dashboards created by the Starfish Value Acceleration team and strategically problem solve. Such ongoing evaluation has resulted in a robust series of investments and protocols, including but not limited to: mask wearing, social distancing, handwashing, health screening tools, facility updates, contact tracing, and quarantine. And it’s working! We have not had any identified positive cases that are traced back to known exposure at Starfish.

Escalating our safety efforts

Mandatory vaccinations

We believe vaccinations are an essential and safe community-level strategy for saving lives and combating COVID-19. Since January 2021, we have offered numerous opportunities for Starfish employees to get vaccinated, and we continue to provide accessible education and forums where employees and clients can gain information and insight. Currently, more than 70% of our employees are fully vaccinated but, after much deliberation, we decided that more needed to be done and now.

Mandatory Vaccinations: On September 29, 2021, and with unanimous support from the Starfish Board of Directors, Starfish announced an agency-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandate with a deadline for all employees to complete the vaccination process and verify their status with Starfish by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 12, 2021. Determination of non-compliance will result in immediate termination and ineligibility for rehire at Starfish. Unvaccinated employees may also choose to resign in writing prior to the deadline and will be eligible for rehire upon proof of completed vaccination(s). Employees seeking an exemption from this policy due to a medical reason or because of a sincerely held religious belief must submit a completed Request for Accommodation form to, and work with, our Human Resources Department.

Some additional context surrounding this decision and mandate are outlined here:

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination is now fully approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) followed by releasing an updated Vaccine Overview and Safety brief.
On September 9, it was announced that OSHA is developing an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require unvaccinated workers to provide a negative COVID-19 test result at least once per week before coming to work.
On September 9, Office of Head Start notified grantees like Starfish that all at Head Start and Early Head Start programs will be required to get vaccinated by January 2022.

Starfish is subject to both the Head Start and ETS requirements, and these announcements impact every employee and our entire Starfish community. We are implementing the mandate in advance of the January 2022 deadline to increase safety for all clients, families, and employees—and to ensure that we can maintain exceptional services and our commitment to mission.

Starfish COVID-19 testing program

Starfish’s latest investment centered in the priority goal of safety for all begins October 19, 2021. Starfish will offer onsite and free-of-charge COVID-19 testing two days a week at 10 of our centers in Detroit and Western Wayne County. Finding COVID-19 infections early helps stop the spread to other people. Testing will help stop the risk of spread through our centers by employees and clients who may not know they are sick. Starfish employees, children enrolled in our programs, and children’s caregivers will be offered the opportunity to test once a week. Results are available the next day.

Starfish blog: Back-to-School Prep

September 2, 2021 by Starfish Family Services

Created by Brianne Twombly, LMSW, IMH-E III—Manager of Trauma-Informed Care at Starfish Family Services. Bri has over ten years of specialized experience in the treatment of childhood trauma and toxic stress. Download the PDF. Bonus PDF: Back-to-School prep for older children. Visit the Starfish YouTube channel for corresponding videos created by Alice Santa, MSCP, TLLP—Trauma Informed Care Specialist.

Starfish blog: Creepy Crawly Bug Hunt

July 23, 2021 by Starfish Family Services

“Bug Hunt” is a great way to get your children outside and interacting with nature. Plus it’s an educational and FUN activity that can help develop math skills (like counting) and science skills (observing and investigating). It also helps little ones get over any fears of “icky, creepy, crawly” things. Insects found in their yard, playground, or park are mostly harmless to humans and are necessary to our ecosystems.

All you need:

Bug Hunt checklist (printable below) or you and your little ones can draw your own checklist of bugs typically found in your yard/park on a piece of paper.
Crayons/markers.

How to hunt:

Start with some safety ground rules! Explain that children should be finding bugs, not touching them (to avoid any potential bites/stings or allergic reactions).
Be curious about where you investigate! Start with flowering plants that are at a little one’s eye level. They are basically blooming hotels for buzzing insect. Then move down to ground levels (exposed soil, plant beds, grass) and sift under wood chips or logs (with help from Mom and Dad).
Check off each bug you find and count how many you find of each and your overall total “buggy” discoveries.

The insect wrap up:

Explore the world of inserts even more together. One of our favorite books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Starfish blog: American Rescue Plan summary

May 11, 2021 by Starfish Family Services

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides many sources of direct and indirect financial relief for low-income families. These payments and tax credits do not affect family income in determining eligibility for Head Start and Early Head Start programs or count towards adjusted gross income for tax filers. Encourage families to file 2020 taxes to receive available credits. (Source: Office of Head Start)

Learn more about understanding and accessing available tax credits: EITCOutreach.org
Free tax preparation services may be available for eligible families at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in your area.

Stimulus Checks

Single adults earning up to $75,000 and head-of-household filers (e.g., single parents with children) earning up to $112,500 will receive a one-time payment of $1,400, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.
Married couples earning up to $150,000 will receive a one-time payment of $2,800, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.
This round of payments includes dependents who are included on the filer’s tax return but were excluded from previous stimulus payments: college students and adult dependents.
- For example, a single mother with two children claimed on her tax return should receive $4,200.

What can families do? Track the status of payments using the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Get My Payment tool. If a family didn’t get a first or second stimulus payment or got less than the full amounts, they may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return even if they don’t usually file. Payments will be included in 2020 refunds.

Unemployment Benefits

The first $10,200 of unemployment benefit payments received in 2020 are no longer taxable.
For families currently receiving unemployment payments, there is a $300/week federal increase in payments until Sept. 6, 2021.
The ARP also extends the special pandemic Unemployment Insurance (UI) program for people who do not usually qualify for UI (e.g., self-employed and gig workers) through Sept. 6, 2021.

What can families do? Families who received unemployment benefits in 2020 and already filed a 2020 tax return should file an amendment to receive money owed. Families who are not receiving UI but may be eligible can find information about eligibility and filing through their state unemployment office.

Monthly Child Allowance

The ARP created a monthly child allowance to replace the current Child Tax Credit. Beginning in July 2021, families who are eligible for the ARP stimulus check will receive monthly payments of $300 per child under age 6 and $250 per child aged 6–17.
This one-year program will end on Dec. 31, 2021.
Individual Taxpayer Income Number (ITIN ) holders, including immigrant families with children born in the U.S with a social security number, are eligible to receive this credit.

What can families do? Families should start receiving monthly payments in July. The payment amount is based on the number of children claimed as dependents on a family’s most recent tax return (2019 or 2020). To ensure they receive the monthly payments starting in July, families should file a 2020 tax return by May 17, 2021. Families will retroactively claim this allowance from January–June 2020 on 2021 tax returns.

Child Care Expenses

The ARP expands the size of the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Parents are eligible for this tax credit if they needed care for any child under age 13 or a disabled dependent of any age while working or looking for work.
This includes any amount paid (full or co-pay) for center-based child care, babysitter care, summer camp, or care by adult relatives outside of the tax household.
ITIN holders, including immigrant families with children born in the U.S with a social security number, are eligible to receive this credit.

What can families do? Families should keep records of their child care expenses to report on their 2021 tax returns. Even those who do not owe taxes should file because the credit will be fully refundable.

Food and Nutrition

The ARP extends the current 15% Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increase until Sept. 30, 2021.
States can choose to increase Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits for four months, specifically to provide more fruits and vegetables to mothers and children.
Through at least the summer, Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) assistance is extended. Like SNAP benefits, P-EBT can be used to replace the free or reduce price meals children miss when they do not attend school or child care in person.

What can families do? Families who are already enrolled in SNAP and WIC do not need to do anything. Most changes keep benefits at their current levels, and any adjustments will be automatic. Newly eligible families can enroll via their local SNAP or WIC office. Participating states will issue their own guidance for summer 2021 P-EBT.

Rental Assistance

The ARP extends the eviction moratorium and makes more funding available for more people with overdue rent. Families are now eligible for renter’s assistance if at least one person in the household meets any of these criteria:
- Qualifies for unemployment
- Has had a decrease in income
- Has experienced some kind of financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic
Families can also qualify if they are at risk of experiencing homeless or if household income is at or below 80% of the median income for the area.

What can families do? Families who owe rent should contact their landlord about applying for assistance. A renter or a landlord can apply for assistance and the money is paid directly to the landlord or utility on the renter’s behalf. Find more information in this fact sheet and on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website. In addition, as of April 1, 2021, there is a temporary U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eviction protection declaration. This is a temporary halt in residential evictions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Starfish blog: Small Tool to Face Big Feelings

May 5, 2021 by Starfish Family Services

Childhood is one big roller coaster of emotions. Beginning with toddler tantrums, kids experience highs, lows, and myriad confusing feelings in between. As adults, we are able to at least identify our emotions. For a child, it’s bewildering especially when they don’t have the words to express how they’re feeling. That bewilderment can lead to frustration, making it hard for children to listen, pay attention, and learn. What can we do to help them navigate challenging big feelings? (Feeling Faces information adapted from National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI)

Express yourself: Feeling Faces

Important tip! The best time to talk about feelings with your children is when they are not in the midst of an emotionally-charged moment. Create a calm space and try this activity where you and your little ones can explore and practice the language and skills to express emotions.

Use pictures (like the Feeling Faces here) to talk about, identify, and describe different emotions that children (and adults) experience.
This will help them identify those big feelings and give them a vocabulary to talk about their feelings.
Start with just a few emotions then gradually introduce additional and more complex emotions to expand their vocabulary. Teach a balance of “positive, comfortable” and “negative/uncomfortable” feelings.
The Feeling Faces are also great “emotion check-ins.” Children can draw their own faces (print out the below) to let you know, “This is how I’m feeling today.”