Council thanked for support of Child Development Center

Sheridan’s City Council drew thanks this week from Marsha Riley, executive director of the Child Development Center, for the city’s continued support of the Center on Linden Avenue.

The Child Development Center provides support and developmental services for children ages birth through 5 years, and Riley said the Council has provided funds through the city’s general purpose excise tax fund for about 10 years. She said those funds help with the costs associated with developmental screening.

Riley said for children ages birth to 2 years, needed services are provided in the family home. For children ages 3 through 5, Child Development Center staff provide services in Sheridan’s preschools. In addition, Riley said, the Child Development Center has a preschool of its own on South Sheridan Avenue.

She said the Center is a non-profit organization organized and governed by a volunteer board of directors and is one of 14 regional centers in the state. The centers started in the 1970s and all, including the one in Sheridan, have contracts with the state Department of Health.

She said state funding for the regional centers fluctuates. She said over the last 10 years, the funding has decreased and continues to decrease. She said in September, the Sheridan center’s contract was reduced 22 percent for infant and toddler programs. She said that means what the city can provide is important.