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BACKUS -- Having Sourcewell license child day care services for Cass County has saved the county money and provided more educational services for providers, Michele Piprude, Cass County Health, Human and Veterans Services director, told the county board Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Sourcewell assumed licensing in July 2018 for Cass and provides those services regionally for Becker, Crow Wing, Douglas, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties as well.

Michelle Tautges, Sourcewell's lead regional licensing specialist, told the board Cass has 31 licensed daycare providers.

There currently another 11 working to complete training and obtain their licenses, she said.

Since July 2018, six providers have closed their day cares, Tautges said. Of those, two were retirements, one provider moved and three closed for unspecified reasons.

Sourcewell offers mentors for new providers, Tautges said.

The licensing service costs Cass $16,000 per year. Previously, Cass County staff employees fit the licensing in with other duties and did not have the same training classes to offer to providers, Piprude said.

Sourcewell provides follow-up inspections to help providers keep their licenses current.

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