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State PDG program offers childcare zones, regional conferences, workforce supports and mental-health coaching
Summary
Megan Kluth of the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research said Kansas is midway through year one of a three‑year Preschool Development Grant and highlighted childcare zones funding, regional roundtables, Future Fellows training, regional care conferences and PDG‑funded mental‑health coaching for providers.
Megan Kluth, research project manager at the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR), told the panel the state is halfway through year one of a three-year Preschool Development Grant (PDG) and outlined several initiatives funded through the grant.
Kluth described a new KDHE-led "childcare zones" initiative, a competitive funding opportunity that allows a minimum of two counties to apply together to address local childcare needs; the first round of invited communities faces an early April application deadline and a second round will be due in August with technical assistance available beginning mid-April.
She said the Child Care Systems Improvement Team has hosted three regional roundtables (Abilene, Wichita and Topeka) and will host a Southwest Kansas session in Garden City on May 20 to collect community input on successes and gaps in childcare. Kluth encouraged panel members to share the roundtable flyers and to help get broad, statewide participation.
Kluth also previewed a Future Fellows cohort focused on early childhood system leaders, regional care and well‑being conferences (free, public events beginning in Garden City and Hays in May with KDHE in‑service hours and family compensation available), and training and coaching financed by PDG for mental‑health‑informed childcare. She cited a provider-led mental‑health coaching program outside Wichita (Mindful Collective/mindful minis) that will offer coaching and reflective supervision without charge under PDG funding; Bailey Mitchell was listed as the contact.
Kluth asked panel members to help promote PDG opportunities and said CPPR can connect local coalitions to technical assistance. She noted there are 29 separate PDG initiatives and offered to bring partners to future meetings to highlight particular items.
