Child Care Aware of Kansas and Healthy Blue Kansas Partner to Recruit New Child Care Providers
A $40,000 award from the health plan will help support child care start-ups.
SALINA (SEPT. 26, 2023) In response to a critical shortage of 84,000 child care slots in the state, Child Care Aware of Kansas announced a new partnership with Healthy Blue Kansas to expand start-up stipends and health and safety grants for child care providers entering the profession. This generous award of $40,000 will ensure that new childcare professionals are able to purchase basic supplies needed to start their business and cover any costs associated with meeting health and safety requirements.
“This unique partnership represents a pivotal step in bolstering the availability of high-quality child care in Kansas. With this generous contribution, those considering a career in childcare will gain access to stipends and support they need to start their business, empowering them to play a transformative role in the development and well-being of our children,” said Kelly Davydov, Executive Director, Child Care Aware of Kansas.
These funds will be made available to new childcare professionals through the Child Care Health Consultant Network. These services encompass a comprehensive range of assistance, including provider recruitment, support throughout the process of becoming licensed, information on available funding opportunities, and valuable networking resources. By bolstering these start-up services, childcare providers will be better equipped to establish and operate their facilities, ensuring that the highest standards of health, safety, and wellness are upheld from the very beginning.
“We understand that recruiting new childcare professionals and supporting them through the crucial first months of establishing a child care business is fundamental for success,” said Bryan Baier, president of Healthy Blue Kansas. “We’re proud to support Child Care Aware of Kansas and provide the necessary resources needed to safely operate new facilities in the state.”
For more information about the Child Care Health Consultant Network, visit https://ks.childcareaware.org/cchc/.
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About Child Care Aware of Kansas
Our vision is that all communities across Kansas value and support a high-quality early childhood care and education system. It is, therefore, our mission to provide statewide leadership that builds a diverse, high-quality child care system. Child Care Aware of Kansas is known as a strong advocate for children, their families and the early childhood profession. We work to:
- Ensure families have access to affordable, high-quality child care across the state.
- Support child care providers with ongoing professional development training and information/coaching support about how to improve the quality of child care.
- Network with employers and community partners on how to support high-quality child care in their communities.
To learn more about Child Care Aware of Kansas and how you can join us in ensuring access to high-quality child care for all families, visit us at www.ks.childcareaware.org.
About Healthy Blue
Healthy Blue is a collaboration of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) and Anthem Partnership Holding Company, LLC (APHC) which was formed specifically to serve Medicaid enrollees. APHC has 30 years of Medicaid experience through its parent and affiliated companies. They serve more than 11 million Medicaid enrollees across 25 markets, including Medicaid members with specialized needs similar to those of the KanCare population. Their Medicaid expertise — combined with the strong and longstanding provider relationships held by BCBSKS and Blue KC across all 105 counties – would position Healthy Blue to infuse both innovation and accountability to the KanCare program if selected as a new managed care organization when the state conducts a procurement this year.
