MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — As federal grants helping childcare facilities across the country come to an end, I wanted to find out if there was other help available for Tennessee families.
Turns out, the state is stepping up with additional dollars as of October 1st. The Tennessee Department of Human Services is doing this in three ways -- with increased reimbursement rates to licensed child care centers enrolled in the Child Care Certificate Program.
Under this program, the state pays a portion of the daycare bill for qualifying families. Second, adjusting reimbursement rates to meet market value -- an incentive for daycare providers to partner with the state. And finally: giving more money to centers located in child care deserts.
So -- what is a child care desert?
I discovered it's where there are more kids in need of care than daycare centers accepting state dollars.
This interactive mapby TDHS in partnership with University of Tennessee breaks things down by zip code.
Take Mt. Juliet for example:
1,873 children are enrolled in state subsidized care, but the need is more than double that: 4,270! Meaning 2,397 families are left in the gap of qualifying for assistance, but having no where to go.
The state hopes with more funding, that equation won't be so lopsided.
