HEARING SLATED AT 7 TONIGHT FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS

A public hearing will be held tonight for area child care providers and others wanting to know how a state plan to address child care issues over the next two years will be implemented.

The hearing to discuss Missouri's Child Care Development Fund plan will last from 7-9 p.m. at Dempster Hall Room 124 at Southeast Missouri State University.

Representatives from the Missouri Division of Family Service, Department of Health, and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will answer questions about the biennial plan that will be submitted to the federal government before the end of the month.

The plan details how the state will spend money that has been set aside for early childhood and child care programs, said Kristen Foltz-Schlegel, training coordinator for the Southeast Missouri Child Care Resource and Referral program.

The plan can be accessed at www.dss.state.mo.us.

"This is just an opportunity for those that are involved and work with children to let the state know their thoughts about what they need and how the money needs to be spent," Foltz-Schlegel said.

More than $69.9 million has been set aside for new and existing child care initiatives that increase parental choice and improve the quality and availability of child care.

Programs funded

A major program in the plan is one that supplements child care payments for low-income families.

The plan includes funding for programs that provide training, education, and technical assistance to child care providers and improves the monitoring of compliance with licensing and regulatory requirements.

Grants and loans also are available to help providers meet state and local standards and improve salaries and other compensation.