Kansas expands eligibility for child care assistance, opens new grants for providers
More Kansas parents will soon be eligible for funding that can help them pay for child care costs, while child care providers can apply for new grants, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday.
Both programs are funded through federal COVID-19 relief dollars.
The Hero Relief Child Care Assistance Program was first implemented at the beginning of the pandemic to help essential workers pay for child care. New expanded eligibility guidelines will allow all Kansas workers to have the chance to qualify.
“In order to support our growing economy, Kansans in the workforce need reliable access to quality child care,” Kelly said in a statement. “Expanding the Hero Relief Program helps businesses and parents, and ensures children, our most precious resource, have opportunities to develop in nurturing environments.”
The new income limits allow any employee in Kansas who makes 250% or less of the federal poverty level eligible for child care assistance.
For a family of two, that means the maximum income is $3,630 per month. For a family of three, the cap is $4,575 per month and for a family of four the limit is $5,520 per month. A family of five can make up to $6,468 per month.
As part of the new expansion, the eligibility period will grow from six months to a year. Kansas will also waive the family share deduction for essential workers and reduce it for other employees.
The hero relief program is available to families who need child care in order for adults to work. Parents in the household must be employed an average of 20 hours per week.
“Parents have faced additional challenges because of the pandemic, and it was important to me that we provide meaningful assistance to families,” Laura Howard, secretary of the state Department for Children and Families, said in a statement.
In addition to the expanded eligibility, the state is also launching a new grant program to help child care providers across Kansas with operating costs. Dubbed the Child Care Sustainability Grant program, it will run as a partnership between Child Care Aware of Kansas and the state Department for Children and Families.
Individual grant awards will range from $5,000 for family child care programs to $60,000 for large centers. Nearly $50 million will be disbursed overall.
The grant application for providers is available online at the Child Care Aware of Kansas website. Applications are due by 5 p.m. July 30. All licensed providers that are in good standing with the state can apply.
Facilities can use the additional funding for any normal operating expenses or extra costs taken on to meet federal health guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Child care was one of the industries hit hard by the pandemic and recession early on. While some parents worked remotely from home and had to cope with both work and child care responsibilities, many workers continued their jobs in person and leaned on child care facilities that had staffing struggles of their own. COVID-19 also created extra costs for child care providers that worked to implement disease mitigation policies.
“Child care is essential for a thriving Kansas economy,” Kelly Davydov, executive director of Child Care Aware of Kansas, said in a statement. “When child care providers operate a safe, happy, nurturing environment, families can feel at peace knowing that their child is in good hands.”
For more information and for instructions on how to apply for the expanded child care assistance, visit www.KSHeroRelief.com.
For more information about the Child Care Sustainability Grants, visit ks.childcareaware.org.
This story was originally published July 1, 2021 at 12:37 PM.
