LANSING, Mich., Nov. 15 — Today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi) celebrated the expansion of free or low-cost child care to include 105,000 more children. Earlier this year, lawmakers in Lansing passed a budget which lowered the eligibility criteria to include more working families. Families of four earning up to $49,000 will be eligible for free or low-cost child care under the new criteria, boosting Michigan’s economic momentum by helping parents go back to work knowing that their kids are cared for.
“Thankfully, after nearly a year of legislative work, more families around Michigan will finally be able to afford quality child care without breaking the bank,” Breen said. “No longer will families be forced to spend almost a third of their income on child care. By reducing red tape and providing additional grants, we are giving care providers much-needed flexibility. We were able to expand eligibility to nearly 105,000 more children and improve the quality of day care facilities around the state. Moving forward, my colleagues and I will continue to prioritize working families and their children by bringing them the relief they need to thrive in our changing economy.”
In addition to expanding eligibility, beginning immediately, family contributions (the amount parents receiving state child care support are required to pay toward the cost of care) are waived until Sept. 30, 2022. This lifts some of the financial burden on the nearly 40,000 families currently receiving state child care support.
Eligible families must apply to receive child care support through the Child Development & Care Program, commonly called the child care subsidy. Families must be income eligible, have a child under age 12 and have an eligible need, such as working or going to school, to qualify.
Families can visit NewMiBridges.Michigan.gov to apply today and visit GreatStarttoQuality.org to find child care that meets their needs.