Hospital signs infant care deal

UW Hospital and Clinics has signed agreements with two community partners to provide infant day care, with priority given to hospital employees who need the service.

The hospital’s agreement with First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave., calls for space to be made available in a church-owned house at 303 Lathrop St., next door to the church. Day-care services will be offered through a separate agreement with University Avenue Day Care Center, which has been providing child care for more than 30 years. UADC, which currently offers full-day care for pre-schoolers and after-school care for children in grades K-5, will staff and administer the program.

“Many of our employees have told us that infant day care would make a very positive difference in their lives and help them balance the needs of work and family,” said UW Hospital CEO Donna Sollenberger. “We’re very happy that this arrangement is in place and that it builds on the strengths of an established program.”

Initial renovations of the house are scheduled to be complete by late fall, when eight to 10 openings for infant care will become available. During the next two years, additional renovations to the house’s upper floors will allow the program to expand to serve 20 infants. UW Hospital employees will have priority for 15 of those slots. UADC will offer care, 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sharon Trimborn, UW Hospital’s vice president of human resources, says the new arrangement is designed to help attract and retain employees who need day care for their children under two. Trimborn, UADC board president Jeannette Heffernan, UADC executive director Kris Horne and Scott McKinney of the First Congregational Church worked together to craft an arrangement that would be workable for all parties.