Past email updates can be found HERE
Department of Children & Families - Joint Finance Committee Request
Part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provides funding for states in the form of a Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).
On Tuesday, The Department of Children and Families (DCF) submitted a formal request to the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) to use $51 million of this funding to support Wisconsin’s early care and education community.
DCF received authority to propose a grant program totaling $51 million for child care providers under Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response legislation (2019 Wisconsin Act 185). As a first step in that process, the proposed grant program must be submitted to JFC for review. DCF can begin taking applications and distributing funds when the proposal is approved.
Our early child care providers are some of the unsung heroes of this public health crisis, providing the care and needed support for the families of our frontline health care workers who are savings lives every single day. As our state makes plans to re-open parts of our economy in the coming weeks, access to affordable, quality child care will be more important than ever as we rebuild. This proposal is a needed first step to get these providers the support they need to continue playing their important role.
The proposed programs include a grant to support those providing care for essential workforce families, a grant to provide hazard pay for early care educators working during the public health emergency, and a grant to support programs which closed operations during the public health emergency.
COVID-19 CASES
Statewide
6,854 confirmed cases
1,512 hospitalizations (22% of cases)
69,394 negative test results
316 devastating deaths
14th District Counties
Milwaukee - 2,940 confirmed cases
Waukesha - 336 confirmed cases
For daily updated information on COVID-19 in Wisconsin, visit the DHS website here.
Updates on the Badger Bounce Back plan gating criteria can be found HERE.
Forward together,