Wisconsin's Child Care Counts Program to Receive Unused Federal Pandemic Relief Funds

Sunday, July 23rd, 2023 -- 12:00 PM

(Madison Lammert, Appleton Post-Crescent) Child Care Counts will get an infusion of millions of dollars after the state Joint Committee on Finance on July 20 approved a request by Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Children and Families to direct unused federal pandemic relief funds to the program.

Accrding to Madison Lammert with the Appleton Post-Crescent, the program is credited with keeping thousands of child care businesses afloat since its inception in May 2020. According to DCF, the agency that administers the program, it has distributed more than $630 million since its start.

Because the recently passed 2023-25 state budget did not include funding to continue Child Care Counts, the program is set to end in January 2024. The spending plan just approved by the finance committee will not extend the program’s end date, DCF Communications Director Gina Paige previously told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.

However, it will increase the total funding pool for the program’s remaining months. This will affect providers on an individual basis, meaning not all providers will see an increase in their monthly payment amounts, she said.

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau and DCF said that the newly approved plan consists of three parts, As previously approved by JFC, DCF will direct unspent federal relief dollars that were distributed under the Child Care and Development Block Grant to Child Care Counts.

About $11 million in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funding originally allocated for the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program will be put toward Child Care Counts.

Roughly $2 million in unspent ARPA funds slated for a previous fiscal year will be able to be used for Child Care Counts’ administrative costs, which Paige said includes personnel costs associated with running the program, technology needs and more, through its end.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.