Illinois State Senate District 16 issued the following announcement on April 7.
More than ever, the workers who feed, house, protect and heal us need support. The State of Illinois is expanding access to child care assistance for people who must continue to go to work during this pandemic. In addition to the expansion of services under the Child Care Assistance Program to cover those working as nurses and doctors, supporting staff in hospitals, keeping our grocery stores stocked and growing our food, this order also ensures higher rates of reimbursement for people providing child care and a call for emergency child care centers to make themselves available to help.
The state's enhanced reimbursement rates for emergency child care centers and homes are effective April 1, and reflect a 30% increase above the usual pay rate. The change seeks to aid providers as they account for the additional costs of providing care for smaller groups of children.
Child care centers that are interested in re-opening as emergency child centers may apply for a permit through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Information on how to apply is available on the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD) website at www2.illinois.gov/sites/OECD. Home child care providers do not need a permit, and can serve up to six children.
This effort builds on previous initiatives expanding financial relief to child care providers across Illinois.
This move follows efforts by the state to allow child care providers to be paid for all of their enrolled children in the Child Care Assistance Program for March and April so that child care staff could continue to receive pay through this crisis. The state has also reduced parent co-payments in April and May to $1 per month, helping to relieve cost burdens on parents and to make sure providers don't miss out on much-needed revenue at this time.
Original source can be found here.
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