Voucher Crisis

The Problem
Arkansas has a child care crisis. There is not enough funding to go around for subsidized child care for low-income families. In recent years Arkansas used stimulus funding to add families to subsidized child care, but this funding has run out. The Arkansas DHS Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education has notified families that the support was only temporary and when it would run out. When the stimulus funding ran out, the division was able to move about 5,000 of the lowest income children over to a more permanent source of federal funding, the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF).

The news was not so good for other kids. When the stimulus money ran out on July 1, 2010, about 4,600 low-income children lost their vouchers and lost child care. Combined with the children already on the waiting list for subsidized child care, this means there are about 11,000 children who qualify for assistance and are on the waiting list but can't access it because of the lack of available funding.

The Solution
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families has identified a solution to serve some of the children on the waiting list. The State Workforce Investment Board oversees the Transition Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) money. Arkansas receives $57 million dollars in federal TANF funding and is allowed to up to 30 percent of that funding to subsidize child care. Historically, the state has had large unspent balances in the TANF program that carry forward year to year. While the board has already provided $9 million in TANF funds to support the ABC pre-k program due to state general revenue shortfalls, there is room to transfer additional funds to help with the child care crisis. If the state were to transfer an additional $5 million in TANF funding to child care, the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education would be able to provide subsidized care for approximately 1,520 children through June 2011.

You Can Help
We need YOU to contact the director's office of the Department of Workforce Services and encourage them to authorize this transfer.

Artee Williams
501-682-2121
artee.williams@arkansas.gov

Sample Messages

Short (could be used in email or phone call):

Please transfer the $5 million requested by DHS/DCCECE to use for child care subsidies!

One in four Arkansas children live in poverty. These children need reliable child care so their parents can work; they need regulated care so that the children will be safe and healthy. With the loss of child care support, many parents will find it difficult to stay employed in their jobs. They will be forced to either spend part of their limited earnings on child care, or use unregulated child care. Child care is the second most common barrier to employment. PLEASE keep families working and children safe by authorizing the transfer of requested TANF funds to child care.

Long (most suitable for a letter to board members):
One in four Arkansas children live in poverty. These children need reliable and regulated care so their parents can work and the children can be protected. With the loss of child care support many parents will find it more difficult to stay employed in their jobs. They will be forced to either spend part of their limited earnings on child care, or use unregulated child care.

Tell personal stories here - Share information about how this loss has affected families in your program or how it has affected your business as a child care provider and employer.

Child care is the second most common barrier to employment. PLEASE keep families working and children safe by authorizing the transfer of requested TANF funds to child care.

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