Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Advisers and advocates report early wins but warn workforce and outreach gaps remain in Act 76 rollout
Summary
Building Bright Futures and Let's Grow Kids reported to the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee that Vermont's Act 76 has rapidly expanded Child Care Financial Assistance Program eligibility and increased provider reimbursement rates, producing new slots and more open programs but leaving workforce shortages, data gaps and outreach shortfalls to be addressed.
Morgan Crossman, executive director of Building Bright Futures, and Anna Brulette, the organization's policy and program director, briefed the committee on Jan. 23 about the role Building Bright Futures plays monitoring and advising on Vermont's early-childhood system and on the first 18 months of Act 76 implementation.
Crossman said Building Bright Futures is charged by state and federal statute to advise the governor, legislature and federal delegation on children and families prenatal to age 8 and to convene a network of regional councils, strategic-plan committees and an interagency coordinating team. "As an advisory body, we do not directly lobby for or oppose any specific bill or action," she told the committee.
Anna Brulette summarized implementation steps under Act 76: the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) expanded eligibility to 575% of the federal poverty level; co-pays were eliminated for families up to 175% of FPL; the law's payroll tax…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
