Childcare Provider Resources

• Connects families with quality early care and education options and facilitates professional development opportunities for the adults who care for and educate our youngest Iowans. Nurse consultants are available for daycares. 
• Parent Referral Hotline: 855-244-5301
• Community Development Specialist: 515-401-4957
• Provides consultation and training for childcare staff through our Child Care Consultant for that area.                                               
• Childcare consultant: 641-820-1923.

• Childcare Assistance: Helps pay for childcare while parents or caretakers work, attend school, look for employment or are unable to care for children due to medical reasons.
• Families First: Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) program to help families stay together and prevent the need for foster care.
• Parent Partners: An innovative social work practice. It is unique because it celebrates individuals that have overcome obstacles through change, recovery, and accountability. Parent Partners are advocates for families. They also hold families accountable by through their case plan goals.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): An entitlement program that provides monthly benefits to assist low-income households in purchasing the food, they need to maintain adequate nutritional levels.

Programs, resources, & educational opportunities: Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business & Industry, Communities, Continuing Education, Families, & 4H & Youth Development. 

Food and family classes and childcare training. Gardening. 4H, 

Iowa’s 1st Five Healthy Mental Development Initiative builds partnerships between physician practices and public service providers to enhance high-quality well-child care. 1st Five promotes the use of standardized developmental screening tools that support healthy mental development for young children.

By using a standardized tool for all children, providers are able to identify children at-risk for developmental concerns, and link those children and their families with community-based resources to improve access to appropriate follow-up care. Primary care providers play a key role in supporting optimal healthy mental development in children. Therefore, primary care providers can play a critical role in providing developmental screenings.