BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Mark Fitzsimmons, the subsidy program coordinator child care resource and referral department for the Children's Cabinet, has three sons. Trey, 4, is pictured with Fitzsimmons in his Carson City office on Friday.
Four new programs to aid parents and child-care providers in Carson City, Gardnerville and Minden are being offered by the Children's Cabinet.
Clients who meet program eligibility may receive assistance in paying for the cost of child care.
"Eligibility is based on income and family size," said Mark Fitzsimmons, program coordinator in the Carson City office.
"The parent or parents need to be working, attending college or attending job training."
Fitzsimmons said there is no set amount to what is paid, and many clients would not be able to work without the assistance.
"It is literally thousands of dollars a month (in child-care costs) we help people with," he said. "Some places charge $40 to $50 a day, which I think is really outrageous. But we will pay up to 95 percent, depending on income."
Assisting Fitzsimmons are Heather Reid, Laura Madden, Lindy Holmes, Brandie Blakely and Holly Tretheway. The services provided by Children's Cabinet are free.
The Children's Cabinet is contracted with the state of Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services. Jamie Burnett, program director, has been with The Children's Cabinet for 10 years and is responsible for opening the Carson City office in 1997.
"We began as a child-care resource and referral department," Burnett said. "We are a private, nonprofit organization which originated in Reno in 1985.
"We would have more clients if more people knew about us, but the subsidy money is limited and can only serve a part of the population. The federal government has a lot to say about how many more funds will be available.
"Right now we have no waiting list. We'd be glad to serve whomever is eligible. We can also provide substitute teachers in licensed child-care facilities to assist providers in maintaining ratios required for provider services."
At 755 N. Roop St., The Children's Cabinet bridges the gap between social services and needs of the area's youth.
For information, call 887-5655 or visit the Web site at www.childrenscabinet.org, or the Reno office at 856-6200.
• Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.
Need help?
WHO: The Children's Cabinet
WHAT: Free programs, assistance, referrals
WHERE: 755 N. Roop St.
CALL: 887-5655
On the Net
The Children's Cabinet:
www.childrenscabinet.org
Programs new to Carson City and Douglas include:
• Subsidy assistance program, helps working families or parents in job training pay for the cost of their child care;
• Child-care resources and referral service, offers free information or referrals to licensed child-care providers in Northern Nevada;
• Addressing behavior challenges, service offers child-care providers assistance with age-appropriate behavior guidance techniques;
• caregivers' support network, an on-call service providing substitute teachers as needed in licensed child-care facilities.