Committee hears bill to restore courthouse childcare; $210,000 appropriation requested

The House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services held a public hearing Feb. 6 on House Bill 2842, which would appropriate $210,000 from the general fund to the Department of Administrative Services to distribute to the Marion County Lawyers Charitable Corporation to expand free childcare for people attending courthouses or other government business.

Supporters told the committee the Mid Valley Court and Community Care program provides short-term, episodic childcare so caregivers can attend court or other government appointments without taking children into courtrooms. "Before the creation of Mid Valley Court and Community Care, hundreds of children were brought into courtrooms each year because caregivers lacked other options," said Rebecca CUNY, vice president of Marion County Lawyers Charitable Corporation. She said courtroom exposure to sensitive matters can harm children and disrupt proceedings.

The program began as a pilot in 2017 in Marion and Polk counties, operating at the YMCA in Salem and at Family Building Blocks in Dallas. Rebecca CUNY said the program served more than 1,500 children during 2017–2019; she did not specify whether that total covers Marion County alone or both counties. The sites closed after the YMCA was demolished and rebuilt in 2019 and then largely shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic; services resumed in Salem in May 2024. At present the Salem YMCA site is able to care for three children at a time.

Catherine Denning, a family law litigator and court-appointed family advocate, described how lack of childcare affects access to protective orders: "I've seen the effect on the judges and the judicial staff who have an incredibly difficult job ... They don't want to have to make the decision to yell at a parent to take their child out." She said long docket waits for FAPA (Family Abuse Prevention Act) restraining-order dockets make a drop-in childcare option especially important.

Parent testimony underscored the program's practical effect. "As a parent, knowing that my daughter was in a nurturing space gave me peace of mind during a time when I needed to focus on my legal obligations," said Brianna Lucy, who described using court care when it operated at the YMCA.

Program partners and local funders were highlighted: local bar associations have held fundraisers; the program received a Judith K. Hoffer Philanthropic Fund grant from the Oregon Community Foundation in November 2024; and private donations helped launch the original pilot. Lisa Harnish, executive director of the Marion and Polk Early Learning Hub, said the program serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years and that a community approach — courts, YMCA, county services and advocates — is part of the model.

Committee members asked for operational details. Rebecca CUNY said current YMCA staffing is bilingual (Spanish and English) and that when the program previously ran they also had staff who spoke Russian. She said Marion County is seeking funds to expand afternoon hours and classroom capacity. Committee members were told Polk County has secured a facility "within four minutes of Downtown Dallas" and an amendment is being drafted to request additional funds for Polk County; Marion County representatives said Polk’s reopening would require similar funding and that Polk County could be ready to serve more children once funding is available. Rebecca CUNY said she would follow up with the committee on exact historical service counts and current capacity figures.

Marion County advocates also presented preliminary survey results: the program's organizer reported about 200 survey responses so far, with roughly 60% of respondents saying they had brought children to appointments that were not appropriate for children and 85% saying they would have used a program like Court and Community Care if it had been available.

Representative Kevin Mannix (R–Salem) spoke in favor of the bill and noted an emergency clause in the draft so the appropriation could take effect with the new fiscal year on July 1. He and others urged the committee to consider the Polk County amendment and to view the program as a model that could be adapted by other counties.

The committee did not take a vote during the Feb. 6 hearing. Chair Hartman opened and closed the public hearing on HB 2842 and requested that program partners share follow-up data and survey results with the committee. The panel indicated continued work on an amendment to include Polk County funding and that further details on staffing, hours and budget would be provided to committee staff before future action.

Ending: The committee will consider the bill and any amendments in subsequent work sessions; no formal action or vote on HB 2842 was recorded at the Feb. 6 hearing.