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Meet member Beth Porreco, RN, BSN a Regional Infant Toddler Child Care Health Consultant at the NC Child Care Health & Safety Resource Center

Beth received her BS Business Management from Pembroke State University (now UNC-P) in 1983. She also received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Wake Tech Community College in 1989 and her BSN in 2009 from UNC-CH.

Beth began her nursing career on a Med/Surg. unit, but after enjoying her public health rotation in nursing school, a career in public health focusing on prevention called to her. During her years in public health she served her community in a variety of roles in her local health department as a child health nurse, immunization role, OB, and CC4C supervisor, intervention clinician. Beth has spent the last five years as a Child Care Health Consultant, and currently is the Regional Infant Toddler CCHC at the NC Child Care Health & Safety Resource Center.

What was your happiest experience as a CCHC? 

My happiest experiences have involved being together, in person, with other CCHC’s and learning from them.  Two of the most fun times that I remember are the Pyramid Conference in March of 2019.  Who knew making connections in the brain using straws could be so fun?  Amy Petersen, Lisa Shifflett, Marcia from Richmond County, Holly from Guilford, Rhonda Rambeaut, and I had too much fun with that activity.  Lots of good belly laughs.  The other fun time was at a sanitation workshop (strange but true) in 2019 in Salisbury with Dawn Lamb, Stacy Rosser, Karla Cooper, and Lisa Terry. Karla was still with Wake County Health Department.  We all got to know each other better as we discussed our CCHC experiences and personal experiences. 

What message would you give current CCHCs? 

Those of you who are the only CCHC in your community, please know that you are not alone. I would encourage each of you to join the CCHC Association to have networking opportunities with the CCHC’s in your area to enable you to support each other and learn from one another as well.  All CCHCs have a coach at the Resource Center as well as the resources on the RC website for your professional development and enhancement of your CCHC practice. You also have Infant-Toddler support. I encourage all CCHCs to attend the learning collaboratives, HSAET office hours, webinars for CCHCs and supervisors as these are extremely important for your ongoing learning.  These resources are made available to you to enable you to provide excellent TA to early childhood educators in your area. Please take advantage of these opportunities virtually and, of course, the in-person opportunities such as CCHC Association regional meetings and the CCHC Association’s annual conference, to build relationships and connect with one another.

What has CCHC Association membership meant to you both personally and professionally?

Relationships are important to me, so the Association has been important to me in bringing CCHCs together in regional meetings and at the annual conferences before and after COVID 19, in person, and during COVID 19, virtually. The Association has been key, as I said earlier, in developing relationships with those CCHC’s in my area as well as across the state.  The opportunities to discuss new rules, recommendations, etc. has certainly helped me in understanding how to incorporate those rules/recommendations into practice. Being on the PAE committee was a learning experience.  I learned we have some great minds with much passion for the work of the CCHC. 

Any future plans that you would like to share?

Remains to be seen what’s in store! I wish each of you much success personally and professionally.  Thanks to each of you for what you do to support health and safety in childcare.

 The Association congratulates Beth on her retirement. Best wishes as you embark on this new journey!

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