The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) will expand child care assistance to low-income families and support child care providers with funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Child Care Plan, the agency announced May 6.
Temporary changes in some eligibility guidelines for the Child Care Subsidy and Transitional Child Care Subsidy programs will make it possible for more low-income Missouri families to qualify for child care assistance. Also, some families will see an increase in benefits under the Transitional Child Care Subsidy program. The CARES Act Child Care Plan also provides special assistance to child care providers who continue to support working families during COVID-19.
CARES Act Child Care Plan benefits for parents:
■ Low-income Missouri families who are unemployed due to COVID-19 may now get a temporary Child Care Subsidy benefit (up to 90 days) while they look for work. This benefit is available through December 2020. From May 1 through Aug. 31, parents who work, attend school or train for work with an income from 138 percent to 215 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) may now qualify for Transitional Child Care Subsidy, even if they previously did not qualify for Child Care Subsidy.
■ Missouri families qualifying for or currently receiving a Transitional Child Care Subsidy benefit will receive an 80 percent subsidy benefit if their income is between 138 to 176 percent of the FPL or a 60 percent subsidy benefit if their income is from 177 percent to 215 percent of the FPL.
CARES Act Child Care Plan benefits for providers:
■ Child care providers that serve essential personnel may receive a one-time payment that is based on the child care provider’s capacity and ranges from $1,000 (under 10 children served) to $7,500 (more than 200 children served).
■ All licensed or licensed-exempt child care providers who operate non-traditional hours – 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday, as well as on weekends – may receive a $100 monthly stipend for each child care slot for the months of April, May and June.
■ Missouri Child Care Subsidy providers will receive payments based on authorized care instead of actual attendance for April, May and June.
■ Missouri has allocated $10 million for one-time grants to higher education institutions to establish on-campus child care programs that include slots for Child Care Subsidy families.
Child care providers interested in CARES Act Child Care Plan benefits should visit the DSS COVID-19 Information web page to find more information under the “Child Care” section.
For information about Child Care Subsidy, Food Stamp, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefit programs, visit dss.mo.gov, and use the DSS Virtual Assistant to get immediate answers to basic questions 24 hours a day.
For information about personal assistance, call 855-FSD-INFO or 855-373-4636 from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Missourians may apply for services online by visiting MyDSS.mo.gov, or sending completed applications and verification documents by emailing them to FSD.Documents@dss.mo.gov or by faxing them to 573-526-9400.
