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Childcare subsidy enrollment climbs after eligibility and rate reforms; agency outlines shift to cost‑of‑quality rates
Summary
DCYF told the Senate Ways & Means Committee that Working Connections Child Care participation is near recent highs after eligibility expansions and reduced family co‑pays; DCYF described efforts to move from a market‑rate subsidy to a true cost‑of‑quality model and to expand provider participation in the Early Achievers quality system.
DCYF staff on Jan. 21 told the Senate Ways & Means Committee that the state’s Working Connections Child Care (WCC) subsidy caseload and paid‑case counts are at their highest levels in recent years following eligibility expansions and reduced family co‑payments enacted under the Fair Start for Kids Act.
Assistant Secretary Nicole Rose and Director Alison Kreutzinger said WCC currently serves more than 54,000 children in paid cases per month and that statewide subsidy utilization (the share of potentially eligible families receiving subsidy) has risen from under 12% in 2021 to nearly 17.5% more recently. DCYF attributed the increase to expanded eligibility (currently up to 60% of state median income, with a…
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