Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard and Child Care Aware of Kansas today announced additional benefits within the Hero Relief Program to continue to support child care providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth unexpected challenges for many Kansas families and businesses, and our child care providers were among the hardest hit,” Governor Kelly said. “These resources will help offset lost income, and will make sure our families have access to high-quality child care programs as we get Kansans back to work and back to school.”
Providers will now be eligible for Revenue Replacement and Health Care and Emergency Worker Support bonuses. The funding for these opportunities is provided by the Kansas Department for Children and Families through the federal CARES Act and is administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas.
“We know the pandemic continues to have significant impact on the child care community,” Howard said. “These new benefits will provide additional supports to providers who are working hard to keep their businesses viable.”
The revenue replacement grant opportunity is designed to provide financial assistance to DCF-enrolled child care providers and relative providers who have lost child care subsidy income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All DCF-enrolled providers will be eligible to receive this payment if they experience a measured decrease in subsidy payments, including school age programs and Head Start programs. Child care providers who are open or who have closed temporarily are eligible. Relative providers, enrolled as DCF providers, who have remained open are eligible.
The Health Care and Emergency Worker Support bonus is a one-time bonus to provide recognition to the child care provider and elevate the importance of ensuring that child care options are available to the health care and emergency workforce in Kansas. Due to the increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 by caring for children of workers (parents/legal guardians) on the frontlines, a bonus acknowledges the additional protective measures needed to ensure a child care provider can meet the demand of a healthy and safe environment.
- Healthcare workers are defined for this program as hospital and nursing home employees.
- Emergency workers are defined for this program as fire, law enforcement, and corrections officers.
The following child care programs are eligible for the Health Care and Emergency Worker Support Bonus:
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs must be licensed by and in good standing with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs must hold a current Kansas Child Care Center License or a Kansas School Age Program License or a Kansas Day Care Home License or a Kansas Group Day Care Home License.
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs must be currently open to provide care at least full-time (30 hours or more per week).
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs who care for children with a parent/legal guardian working as a health care or emergency worker for organizations such as hospitals, nursing homes, fire and rescue, law enforcement, or correctional staff which have operated during the COVID-19 outbreak. Child(ren) identified must be or have been attending the program from the date of application to August 1, 2020.
For more information and for instructions on how to apply, visit KSHeroRelief.com or ks.childcareaware.org