County updates draft Child Care Assistance Fund plan and outlines comment period

Kurt (last name not specified), director of economic assistance in Beltrami County Health and Human Services, briefed commissioners on the draft Child Care Assistance Fund plan the county must submit to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Kurt said the state agency reorganization moved childcare assistance statutory references and centralized provider registration. "Now the state is centralizing that registration of all childcare assistance centers, non legal non licensed providers that want to be part of the child care assistance program," he said, explaining the change removes the need for separate county provider lists.

He told commissioners the county must post the biennial plan for public comment and that the open comment period runs until August 15. He also described program priorities: subsidizing care for families who are working, seeking employment, enrolled in education, or participating in employment services and noted an allocation for basic sliding-fee families of about $632,000 for 2025.

Commissioners asked whether full-time college students and families experiencing homelessness are eligible. Kurt said students in education plans may qualify if income limits are met and that expedited approvals for homeless families include a 90-day window to provide verifications.

Kurt said administrative reimbursement for running the program exists but that county administrative costs and required county share (about $46,000) offset much of the reimbursement.

Ending: The draft plan is posted on the county website and staff will send it to local partners for input during the comment period; no formal action was taken at the work session.