By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony today for the UAMS Child Development Center in Little Rock, a 20,000-square-foot facility that is scheduled to open in early May.

The center will provide services for about 200 children, from infancy through prekindergarten, of UAMS employees and students. Of those slots, 10% are reserved for the children of employees who live in the surrounding community, and another 10% go to workers or students who qualify for Child Care Development Fund vouchers through the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

Access to high-quality child care has long been identified as a need for UAMS employees. Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., UAMS provost and chief strategy officer, said the UAMS Child Development Center will provide a safe and welcoming place where children can learn, thrive and have fun.

UAMS Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Child Development Center in Little Rock

Stephanie Gardner, UAMS provost and chief strategy officer, cuts the ribbon at a ceremony to celebrate the UAMS Child Development Center, which is scheduled to open in early May. ***Image by Bryan Clifton***

By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) broke ground today on a nearly $10 million Child Development Center on a four-acre property in Little Rock.

The approximately 20,000-square-foot Child Development Center will be built at the intersection of 11th and Monroe streets, just south of the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library and across Interstate 630 from the UAMS campus. The facility is expected to open in spring 2024.

Chancellor Cam Patterson stands with Jeannette “Jan” Shorey, professor emerita in the UAMS College of Medicine. Image by Bryan Clifton

The center will be able to provide services for about 200 children, from infancy through prekindergarten, UAMS employees, and students. Of those, 10% of the slots will be reserved for the children of employees who live in the surrounding community, and another 10% will go to workers or students who qualify for Child Care and Development Fund vouchers through the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/09/14/uams-breaks-ground-on-child-development-center/