Agenda - 03-21-2006-7a - Laserfiche WebLink

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i~ Federal, State and County Subsidy Resoarces Because of the high costs, many working families have difficulty affording quality day caze for their children. A pazent making less than a prescribed income, and meeting certain eligibility criteria maybe eligible for help to pay part of their childcare costs. North Cazolina's Division of Child Development uses a combination of state and federal funds to provide subsidized child care services to eligible families through a locally administered state-supervised voucher system. Annually, each county Departrnent of Social Services receives a combination of state and federal funding from the Division of Child Development for subsidized childcare services. The amour of funding allocated to each county is determined by legislation, This enables increased access to child care for low income families.. Orange County is one of only a few conrriies in the state that has a dual subsidy system. Both Child Caze Services Association (CCSA) and the Orange County Department of Social Services (DSS) handle child care subsidies, and the two agencies have different but complementary roles. The funding sources for the programs differ, as do eligibility criteria and waiting list priorities (See Attachments 3 & 4). DSS provides the majority (more than 60%) of all childcare subsidies in Orange County, These funds are federal, state and county. Eligibility guidelines aze determined by the state and are listed in Attachme~ 4. CCSA is a coumy as well as national organization, and provides subsidies from funds provided by Smart Start, The University of North Carolina, the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and private donations, The largest source of subsidy at Child Care Services Association is Smart Start, and the amount of those funds as well as the eligibility criteria aze established by the Orange County Partnership for Young Children. Subsidy eligibility for CCSA is designed to extend the subsidies provided by DSS, Eligibility Hiles differ in part because of differed fending sources, and in order not to duplicate efforts. In a county with great need and high quality resources, flexibility is required to provide subsidies for the greatest number of people in need. In addition to subsidies and irrtensive family referrals in Orange County, CCSA also engages in a range of professional development initiatives for child care providers including training, health i„~,*:+~ce, and salary supplements across North Carolina and in twenty one states.. Additional sources of subsidy come from specialized funding that may tazget specific groups, Examples of this type of funding aze Smart Start, More at Fow, and the UNC Chancellor's Fund. For additional examples and further detail, see Attachment 5, Waiting Lists and Priority Applicants If the county department of social services or other local purchasing agency does not have enough funding to serve all families who apply for subsidized child care, the agency may establish priorities for services. For example, an agency may choose to give priority to working paze~(s) or families who need child care to support child protective services, and may change the priorities at any time. In Orange Count', when insufficiem funds are available to meet demand, waiting lists aze implemented by the Department of Social Services and Child Caze Services Association, and aze coordinated between the agencies. As funds become available, names aze taken from the top of the waiting lists for services. Each agency has tazgeted priority groups that move to the tap of the waiting lists and receive services first when funds become available (See Attachment 4).