Johnson County coalition Raising JoCo outlines strategies to expand child care supply and workforce

Altamika Chestnut, division director of child care licensing at the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and co‑leader of the coalition Raising JoCo, told the Overland Park Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee that the group formed in July 2023 to identify “innovative, affordable, accessible, and sustainable solutions” for early childhood care and education in Johnson County.

Chestnut said the coalition now has about 35 members from local government, providers and community organizations, and that Raising JoCo used an initial grant from Child Care Aware of Kansas to create bylaws and a strategic plan. “We were able to create bylaws. We were able to create a strategic plan. We were able to recruit about 35 members,” Chestnut said.

The coalition reported that centers have grown while family child care homes have declined. Chestnut gave 2023 baseline numbers and more recent counts: countywide the coalition recorded 746 total licensed facilities, with 375 family child care homes and 210 child care centers. For Overland Park specifically she said there were 78 licensed facilities as of March 24: 79 homes, 62 centers, two preschools and 35 school‑age programs, with 21 pending…