Outgoing PHHS supervisor highlights child care progress, gaps

Nancie Deming’s final day as supervisor of Children and Family Services at Cook County Public Health and Human Services was Dec. 19. After three years in the role, Deming plans to continue working on child care initiatives across northern Minnesota.

Deming’s work in Cook County began through an early childhood grant at Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, where she helped lead a community needs assessment focused on families with young children.

“At that time, we had done a community needs assessment for parents, families with young children,” Deming told WTIP. “And the number one unmet need for parents with young children was affordable, accessible child care. So since I had a background doing some of that and lots of connections, I said, ‘We can do something about that.'”

Child care access quickly emerged as both a family issue statewide and an economic development concern in Cook County. Employers reported losing potential hires who declined job offers after being unable to secure affordable child care.

One local response was the county’s wage enhancement program for child care workers, which Deming said helped attract and retain providers. The program was initially funded through the county’s fund balance and is now part of the Public Health and Human Services operating budget.

“This is the first year that is an actual line budget item for PHHS, which means the Board of Commissioners is committed to that,” Deming said. “I am so proud that our commissioners recognize it’s an issue, and they’re going to do something about it. ”

Despite those efforts, Deming said child care challenges persist. Providers have told WTIP they struggle to fill slots for older children entering preschool because school district programs are significantly less expensive. At the same time, state licensing requirements limit the number of infants providers can serve, leaving demand unmet.

Deming hopes to continue addressing those issues through her future work. Minnesota’s new Department of Children, Youth, and Families is developing a project known as the Mixed Delivery Action Lab, which Deming said could help subsidize private child care and make it more affordable for families.

“My vision would always be so families can choose for themselves what they believe is best for their child right now,” Deming said. “Whether it’s going to a nature-based preschool, whether it’s going to the school, whether their grandma is going to keep them, you should be able to choose what is going to be best for your children.”

High operating costs and regulatory requirements contribute to the cost of child care for families while wages for providers remain low. Parents typically pay between $200 and $300 per week per child, depending on age, while Deming said more than 60 percent of child care providers qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

As the department looks ahead, Deming encouraged her successor to stay closely connected to the community.

“It’s going to take all of us brainstorming to find good solutions,” Deming said. “But we won’t know what the solutions are for Cook County, unless you get out there and listen and talk to the people who live here.”

WTIP’s Josh Hinke spoke to Deming about her time working for Cook County and the state of childcare.  The audio of that conversation can be found below.

Josh Hinke December 26, 2025