(Radio Iowa) - Ten Iowa regions have launched a "wage enhancement program" for childcare workers.
It was financed with three MILLION dollars in federal pandemic relief money and Iowa businesses in those areas committed one-and-a-half MILLION dollars in matching funds. It has so far led to 110 children on wait lists getting full time child care. The federal money in the program must be spent by September 30th.
Officials in Cerro Gordo County, along with Alamakee, Hamilton, Howard, Johnson, Mitchell and Story Counties have each established the incentives for child care workers in their areas. The program's also operating in the cities of Dubuque and Knoxville as well as the two Linn County cities of Mount Vernon and Lisbon.