Key Provisions
The Choices in Child Care Act would
establish demonstration projects in 5 to 7 states to allow eligible low-income
parents to receive a subsidy to care for their infants in their own homes in
lieu of a child care subsidy.
Eligible Families
·
Family income
must not exceed the income limits specified in Child Care and Development Block
Grant (CCDBG).
·
Families must
have a child under the age of 12 months to be eligible, unless the State chooses
to extend eligibility to families with children under 24 months.
·
Participating
families must include a parent with a recent work history.
·
States may
establish other eligibility requirements for participation.
·
States may
select, but not limit to project to, the participation of two-parent families.
Financing
·
A new
appropriation of $75 million per year to CCDBG for projects.
·
Participating
families will receive a subsidy equal to or less than 100% of the State’s
maximum rate for a licensed family child care provider for full-time infant
care.
·
Subsidies
provided to families are not considered assistance under TANF, and are not
considered income for purposes of any Federal or federally-assisted program
that bases eligibility on financial need.
Program and Administration
·
The Secretary
of Health and Human Services will award grants to between 5 and 7 States and
Indian tribes (does not reduce grants awarded to States) to establish
demonstration projects.
·
States will not
reduce the child care services that they provide after receiving the grant, and
will not prioritize eligible low-income families who want to participate in the
at-home infant care program over the other eligible low-income families on
waiting lists for child care subsidies.
·
States will
provide parents with information on the range of child care options available
to them, ensure that applicants are permitted to choose between at-home
subsidies and child care subsidies, and ensure that applicants can trade their
at-home subsidies for child care subsidies at any point during their
participation in the demonstration project.
·
States will
develop a plan to improve the quality of infant care in their States, and
provide parent education and support services to parents participating in the
demonstration project.
·
The Secretary
will select States with infant care shortages, aim for geographic diversity,
and prioritize States committed to improving the quality of infant care.
Evaluation