Alabama Child Care Consortium
Awards $5 Million in Grants

The Alabama Child Care Consortium, coordinated by the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has awarded more than $5 million in competitive contracts to 11 child care management agencies in Alabama for fiscal year 2000-2001, beginning Oct. 1. Additionally, the Consortium is awarding more than $500,000 to 5 other applicants for projects designed to improve the quality of child care. Contracts awarded by the Consortium are funded by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR).

In a Request for Proposals issued June 1, the Consortium provided the opportunity for child care providers and agencies to submit for the first time ever competitive proposals to enhance the quality of child care in Alabama. "The quality of the future for Alabama’s families is directly linked to the adequacy of the development of its youngest children. Quality child care and early education is an essential element for Alabama’s well-being and social harmony," said Craig Ramey, director of the UAB Civitan International Research Center.

Thirty-one child care proposals in two categories were submitted for consideration. Eleven Type I contracts were awarded to provide specific child care management services in the state’s 12 Child Care Management regions. Five Type II contracts were awarded to applicants for innovative proposals to improve child care quality for specific populations or regions in the state.

In a recent 12-state study by the Urban Institute Alabama had the highest percentage of children in center-based care. Alabama was second only to Mississippi in the number of hours spent in nonparental care by children less than 5.

DHR has received an award in recognition of the statewide collaborative efforts of the Consortium from the Region IV Administration for Children and Families. The Consortium is a collaboration between universities and colleges, state agencies, child care providers, advocates, parents and the business community. The Consortium has 10 initiatives designed to improve the quality of all forms of child care. Activities include providing scholarships to child care directors and teachers for college tuition, research, and assistance to child care providers striving to meet national accreditation standards.

The Consortium maintains offices in Birmingham and Montgomery. For more information, call (at UAB) Janice Cotton, associate director of the Consortium, at 205-934-1105 or (in Montgomery) Sallye Longshore, associate director of the Consortium, at 334-353-1006. The Consortium’s web site includes free membership information, an online newsletter, and timely news for persons interested in child care at: http://www.circ.uab.edu.

Applicants receiving "Type I" grants were:

1. Childcare Education Resources, Inc., Huntsville - Richard Hardison, Executive Director, 256-764-9381
2. Childcare Resources, Birmingham - Margie Curry, Director, 205-795-2301
3. Children's Services, Inc., Anniston - Kay Tolbert, Director, 256-236-7548
4. Child Care Central, Talledega - Kati Dunn, Director, 256-362-1390
5. Child Care Resource Center, Opelika - Carlyn Tucker, Director, 334-749-8400
6. Family Guidance Center, Montgomery and Dothan - Jeanne Sellers, Director,
    334-244-0774
7. South Central Alabama CMA, Luverne - Janice Carter, Director, 334-335-6626
8. Gulf Regional CMA, Mobile - Wendy McEarchern, Director, 334-473-1060
9. Community Service of West AL, Demopolis - Terry Dillard, Director, 334-289-5655
10. Child Development Resources, Tuscaloosa - Sally Edwards, Director, 205-348-2650
11. Childcare Resource Network, Fort Payne - Mary Davis, Director, 256-845-8238

Applicants receiving "Type II" grants were:

1. Family HealthCare of Alabama, Eutaw – Sandral Hullett, MD, Director, 205-372-9225
2. Ready to Learn - Alabama Public Television, Birmingham - Nancy Hill, Ready to Learn Coordinator, 800-239-5233
3. UCP of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley, Inc., Huntsville - Cheryl H. Smith, Executive Director, 256-852-5600
4. Auburn University Montgomery/Family Guidance Center, Montgomery - Debbie Dahl, Program Manager, 334-244-3339
5. Employers' Child Care Alliance, Opelika - Gail Piggott, Manager, 334-749-8400