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Department of Social Services announces more child care assistance for low-income families and child care providers

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Department of Social Services (DSS) will expand child care assistance to low-income families and support child care providers with funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Child Care Plan. Temporary changes in some eligibility guidelines for the Child Care Subsidy and Transitional Child Care Subsidy programs will make it possible for more low-income Missouri families to qualify for child care assistance. Some families will see an increase in benefits under the Transitional Child Care Subsidy program.  The CARES Act Child Care Plan also provides special assistance to child care providers who continue to support the needs of working families during COVID-19.

“The CARES Act child care funding is an opportunity to support Missouri’s Show Me Strong Recovery plan by providing low-income families impacted by COVID-19 with child care assistance as they reenter the workforce,” said Jennifer Tidball, Acting Director, Department of Social Services. “At the same time, we must support our child care providers so all Missouri families have child care options.”

CARES Act Child Care Plan benefits for low-income families:

• Low-income Missouri families who are unemployed due to COVID-19 can now get a temporary Child Care Subsidy benefit (up to 90 days) while they look for work. This benefit is available through December 2020.  Effective May 1 through August 31, parents who work, attend school, or train for work with an income from 138 to 215 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), may now qualify for Transitional Child Care Subsidy, even if they previously did not qualify for Child Care Subsidy.
• Missouri families qualifying for or currently receiving a Transitional Child Care Subsidy benefit will receive an 80 percent subsidy benefit if their income is between 138 to 176 percent of the FPL or a 60 percent subsidy benefit if their income is from 177 to 215 percent of the FPL.

Child care provider CARES Act Child Care Plan benefits:

• Child care providers remaining open to provide services to essential personnel can receive a one-time payment. The payment is based on child care provider’s capacity and range from $1,000 (under 10 children served) to $7,500 (over 200 children served).
• All licensed or licensed-exempt child care providers who operate non-traditional hours, 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, can receive a $100 monthly stipend for each child care slot for the months of April, May, and June.
• Missouri Child Care Subsidy providers will receive payments based on authorized care instead of actual attendance for April, May, and June service months. 
• Missouri has allocated $10 million for one-time grants to higher education institutions to establish on-campus child care programs that include slots for Child Care Subsidy families.

Child care providers interested in CARES Act Child Care Plan benefits should visit the DSS COVID-19 Information webpage to find more information under the “Child Care” section. 

Missourians in need of information on Child Care Subsidy, Food Stamp, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefit programs can visit dss.mo.gov and use the DSS Virtual Assistant to get immediate answers to basic questions that are not specific to an individual’s case 24 hours a day. They can also call for information or personal assistance 855-FSD-INFO or 855-373-4636 Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Missourians can apply for those services 24/7 online by visiting MyDSS.mo.gov, or sending completed applications and verification documents by email to FSD.Documents@dss.mo.gov, or by fax to 573-526-9400.

The Missouri Services Navigator can also help Missourians find essential services near them. This tool offers information on over 2,000 programs and services available in the state.

The Department of Social Services is committed to serving the needs of Missouri citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Information regarding the department’s response to the pandemic is available online at https://dss.mo.gov/covid-19.

The mission of the Department of Social Services is to empower Missourians to live safe, healthy, and productive lives.  Visit dss.mo.gov to learn more about the Department of Social Services and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.