The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) has announced that $47 million in CARES Act funding will go to assist the state’s child care centers.
Most child care centers across Mississippi have been forced to shut down for extended periods of time due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, forcing many to question whether they would be able to reopen their doors ever again.
Hopefully, this funding dished out by MDHS’ Division of Early Childhood Care and Development (DECCD) will help those centers stay afloat.
“I often say child care represents the backbone of the workforce,” DECCD Deputy Director Chad Allgood said. “Without child care, we couldn’t work. It is extremely important that we understand how important child care is, and the funding we receive is just part of the support that we can throw behind out child care providers.”
The $47 million will be used in the following ways:
- $8.2 million in Emergency Certificates, which allow essential and emergency personnel to receive assistance paying for child care
- $13.9 million in enhanced rates and enrollment-based payments designed to ensure child care centers provide the pandemic
- $7.3 million to pay co-payments for parents to stabilize provider provider income streams while eliminating an additional expense for families
- $4 million to provide health and safety personal protective equipment (PPE) for child care centers in the 12 hardest hit child care centers
- $13.6 million as a one-time, assistance payments to child care centers
To apply for child care assistance, click here.
