ADVOCACY UPDATE – THE ONGOING FISCAL CRISIS
Thank you for all the calls you generated to the Governor’s office and your local elected officials in opposition to the cuts proposed to the child care assistance program. The child care assistance program allows low income working families access to high quality learning environments. YOUR CALLS MADE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Governor Quinn recently announced that IDHS will be cut by $56 million in Fiscal Year 2011 – NOW!!! This number is down from the originally announced $200 million.
The new program guidelines for Child Care that will go into effect April 1 st, 2011.
Copayments will be increased as slated April 1, 2011. Child care providers and parents received notices of the new copayment amounts through a new approval notice that was sent in January.
Eligibility will be reduced to 185% of the federal poverty level. Families currently on CCAP that fall between 185% and 200% will remain eligible until their next redetermination period. All new applications beginning after April 1, 2011 will be based on the new 185% eligibility guidelines.
Click here to see the new income guidelines set at 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.
All other proposed cuts are off the table currently. This is an amazing victory and would not have happened without your calls, forwarding of our emails and you taking the time to educate the parents so that they would make calls as well. Child Care Resource and Referral appreciates your efforts to ensure funding for this vital program remains.
Discussions will begin soon in regards to the FY2012 budget. Please respond to upcoming advocacy alerts as we must continue to be the voice of children and families in the State of Illinois!
