Changes to Update ERC's Mission

Starting in July, ERC became one of three call centers in Kansas, and one of seven district offices, which means its service area will change. ERC's call center will handle calls from the entire 785 area code, which encompasses 46 counties. The district office will serve Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Nemaha, Osage, and Shawnee counties.

Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties, which have been served by ERC, have been reassigned to Cloud County Community College Early Childhood Resource and Referral, Concordia.

Additional ERC staff and a satellite office in Lawrence have been added to accommodate the expansion, which was prompted by changes adopted by Kansas Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (KACCRRA).

With its federal block grant monies staying about the same for the last five years, and the cost of doing business going up, KACCRRA last year decided to redesign its programs and services, mainly by consolidation. Now, instead of 15 district offices, each with its own administration costs, there are seven district offices and three major call centers. Although they will all call the same 800 number, callers will be routed to a call center for their area code. The Wichita call center will handle the 620 and 316 area code calls. The Kansas City call center will cover 913 area code calls. The Topeka call center will receive 785 area code calls.

"KACCRRA, just like every other organization, faces the challenge of trying to make the dollars available stretch as far as possible," Wywadis said.