10,000+ Signatures! I AM SO IMPRESSED AND SO GRATEFUL!
Yesterday we made an important step forward. HMH Leadership heard our voices and took the necessary actions to begin correcting this mistake. However, the closure extension alone is not enough. We've been provided with extra time to work with Leadership on understanding why the Early Childhood Education Centers must remain open indefinitely.
The extension solves the problem of parents and team members scrambling in the wake of a hasty and poorly-thought-out decision.
However, the absolutely crucial element here is that there are no childcare facilities that can offer the scheduling flexibility that the HMH centers provide. Nor will any other daycare solution be open to provide care on working holidays, or in those crucial moments where clinical and supporting team members MUST be present - as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as countless weather events.
The truth of the matter is that Hackensack Meridian Health is committed to providing the absolute best care in the state of New Jersey, and this moment in time has placed a spotlight on what a critical component the Early Childhood Education centers are in the delivery of that care. It's one of the things that sets HMH apart from other health systems.
We simply cannot forget the staff at these locations. They're pulling double-hero duty. They are part of the "Healthcare Heroes" family, AND they are our heroes for taking FANTASTIC care of our children. Whatever the solution is, it MUST include keeping them whole! They deserve so much better!
Provided that the executive board and senior leadership now recognize that the ECE's are a critical component in the delivery of the absolute best care, and by reversing this well-intentioned but misguided decision, they will be able to demonstrate to the entire organization (and the communities they serve) just what it means to Keep Getting Better!
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Also, a fantastic read from the "Save HMH Childcare" Facebook Group... if you're not a member, you should be! Copied below:
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We need an executive champion. We need a seat at the table.
What was going so wrong at our facilities that the only option was to abandon the entire program? What processes or strategies were implemented early on to prevent this - and why did they fail - ultimately bringing us to the need for complete closure? We need transparency.
What about the investments already made in the facilities? We're just going to walk away from actual schools... with classrooms, gymnasiums, kitchens, and playgrounds? Millions of dollars in assets.
Private facilities have to independently pay for things like property taxes, electricity, gas, water, etc. Maintenance on their facilities. Accounting and payroll. At HMH I have to assume most of that is buffered by the campus proper or the organization as a whole. They have to pay salaries and benefits to their staff. So do we. Food for their kids (maybe)? So do we. But we have huge volume pricing on all of that. Bob's Discount Daycare doesn't have anywhere near the leverage and purchasing power we do.
So what is it? What pushed us over the edge? Are we using too much finger paint and construction paper? I don't mean to make a joke out of it, but this while situation feels ridiculous.
It can't be enrollment. You have to sign up for the program before your pregnancy test comes back positive just to get a spot when your maternity leave ends. The list to get in is miles long.
So where is the breakdown? If the people in charge have mucked up the closure so bad... maybe they're mucking up the whole operation to begin with. Maybe they should ask for input from the people actually doing the work? Focus groups? Have they tried Googling it?
We need an executive champion. We need a seat at the table.