FAQ

The American Rescue Plan of 2021 has made funding available to provide relief for child care providers and to provide support for families that need help affording child care. To help make child care more affordable for families, the Division of Family Development (DFD) will use a portion of these funds to fully cover all copayments on behalf of all families participating in the Child Care Assistance Program from November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2023.
 
Copays currently are included in the rate paid by the state on behalf of the family. Providers should not collect copays from families through October 31, 2023.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division of Family Development instituted Temporary COVID-19 Family Differential Payments. These Family Differential Payments provide up to $300 for full-time care, or $150 for part-time care, per eligible child, per month above the baseline reimbursement rate. These Family Differential Payments will be added to the base rate for licensed child care centers and registered family child care providers from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023.
 
Family Differential Payments are designed to help pay the tuition difference and reduce any other costs or fees paid by families that are not covered by the baseline reimbursement payments. This means that if your rate is greater than the states baseline reimbursement rate, you must reduce the family’s cost of care by directing these funds to any difference owed by the family. If there is no difference, the additional amount received through the Family Differential Payment must be directed to cover any balances due to by the family or to cover any other costs or fees. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division of Family Development instituted enrollment-based Child Care Assistance Program payments on a temporary basis. During this time, you are being paid on the number of children currently enrolled, regardless of whether the child(ren) are in attendance on a given day. 
 
For your child care assistance families, this means they do not have to use the use the eChild Care attendance system (POS or IVR system) to check their child in and out of care.
 
You should continue to participating in the Child Care Enrollment Study during this time period. Paying based on enrollment is designed to provide stability to providers and flexibility for families and will continue through June 30, 2023.