Dartmouth Health expanding child care options to help recruit workers

Ayush May 24, 2024

HOSPITAL GROUP IS TAKING MATTERS INTO ITS OWN HANDS. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE PRE-K SPACE AS IT’S CURRENTLY CONCEIVED OF. JUST FIVE MONTHS AGO, THIS SPACE IN LEBANON’S CARTER COMMUNITY BUILDING WAS FLOODED AFTER A WATER MAIN BREAK. THE DAMAGE ALONG WITH ONGOING STAFFING SHORTAGES, FORCED THE ORGANIZATION TO SHUTTER ITS PRESCHOOL PROGRAM. WE’RE REALLY FACING IN THIS AREA AN ACUTE CHILD CARE SHORTAGE, BUT IT’S ALSO STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL. NOW A NEIGHBOR IS STEPPING IN TO BRING THAT CHILD CARE CENTER BACK ONLINE. DARTMOUTH HEALTH ANNOUNCING PLANS TO PARTNER WITH CKBA TO REVIVE AND HELP STAFF THE PRESCHOOL. THIS SITE IS GOING TO BE 18 MONTHS TO FIVE YEARS. IS THE AGE, SO THE YOUNGER KIDS WILL BE IN HERE. THE PRESCHOOL WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 40 KIDS WITH PARENTS WORKING FOR DARTMOUTH HEALTH ANYWHERE IN THE GREATER UPPER VALLEY REGION FILLING CRITICAL ROLES HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. ALL ACROSS THE STATE. LAST FALL, THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION REPORTED A MORE THAN 15% JOB VACANCY RATE. DARTMOUTH HEALTH’S DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SAYS OFTENTIMES, CANDIDATES ARE FORCED TO TURN DOWN JOBS JUST BECAUSE OF A LACK OF HOUSING AND AVAILABLE CHILD CARE OPTIONS. THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME THAT DARTMOUTH HEALTH HAS TAKEN MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS TO TRY TO ATTRACT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY’VE BEEN RENTING OUT APARTMENTS TO THOSE WHO ARE COMING TO WORK FOR THEM. HERE IN THE UPPER VALLEY. AS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE STATE, UM, WE, I THINK HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. AND THAT’S THE TRUTH IN BOTH THE SPHERES OF HOUSING AND CHILD CARE, THIS RETOOLED CHILD CARE CENTER WILL ALSO INCLUDE EXPANDED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SERVE AS A HUB FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, TRAINING TO HELP ADDRESS THE REGION’S NEED FOR MORE TEACHERS. IT’S EXPECTED TO OPEN U

Dartmouth Health expanding child care options to help recruit workers