The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty for so many of us. Beyond keeping our families healthy and safe, we are all being affected economically in different ways. We have made changes to one of our child care subsidies programs to help more families afford child care and reduce their expenses.
What’s Different? During this crisis, DHS is temporarily expanding eligibility for Child Care Connection Hawaii (CCCH). Some of the most notable changes include: • No income cap – CCCH subsidies will be awarded to all families impacted by this emergency, with priority given to underserved and at-risk families, so long as money is available. • Suspension of activity requirements – parents temporarily do not have to meet activity requirements to assist families who have lost jobs and are looking for new employment. • Suspension of subsidy co-payments – parents may have their family co-payment portion of the subsidy payment waived. • Ability to hold spots – families who have kept their child at home during this crisis or whose providers have temporarily closed can still use subsidies to hold their child’s spot until their provider reopens.
These changes are meant to help families who are impacted by COVID-19. We know that our recovery as a community and state means that families need someplace safe to send their youngest children when parents start to go back into the office or look for new employment. Your ability to afford child care is essential to overall recovery. Please apply if you need help. Please apply if you need help paying for child care.
