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Child Services Organization To Cut Costs

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By RONNIE BLAIR rblair@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 13, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - In a money-saving move, the Pasco-Hernando Early Learning Coalition plans to let its staff handle services that previously have been contracted to an outside agency.

The plan is expected to save the coalition $400,000 a year.

The coalition's board of directors approved the change in approach Feb. 26, and it is to take effect July 1.

James Farrelly, executive director of the coalition, said the decision was strictly a financial move necessitated by tough budgetary times.

"We are looking to save a buck," Farrelly said.

The coalition is nearing the end of a three-year contract with Childhood Development Services Inc., which did things such as register eligible parents for subsidized child care and voluntary prekindergarten services, register providers of child care and prekindergarten services and provide referrals to parents for a choice of child care facilities.

In the past year, the coalition has assumed direct responsibility for other services Childhood Development provided, saving the coalition $326,737, according to a report Farrelly gave the coalition board.

Taking on the extra load will create some expenses for the coalition. More staff members and extra equipment will be needed, and the coalition also plans to open a walk-in facility in east Pasco County where people will be able to enroll for services.

Such walk-in facilities already operate in west Pasco and in Hernando County, but east Pasco has been underserved, Farrelly said.

"It's a good benefit for the community and the children we have who aren't currently being served," he said.

The cost to the coalition for assuming the work it had contracted to Childhood Development is estimated to be $924,250 a year. The coalition had paid the contractor more than $1.3 million annually to handle the work.

The Pasco-Hernando Early Learning Coalition is one of 31 early learning coalitions operating in Florida.

The coalition's responsibilities include the voluntary prekindergarten programs in the two counties and a school readiness program for needy families.

The coalition also announced that Gov. Charlie Crist has appointed James Cook of Pasco County to another term on the board of directors.

Cook, an electrical engineer and owner of Component General Inc. in Odessa, has been a coalition board member since 2004, when Pasco and Hernando still had separate early learning coalitions.

He remained a board member when the coalitions merged in 2005.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

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