Subsidized Child Care Stipends
On March 4, 2020, the Governor declared a State of Emergency in California in response to COVID-19. Since then, several rounds of child care stipends have been sent out to child care providers serving families who receive subsidized child care. Stipends are meant to help providers with hardships caused by the pandemic such as reduced enrollment, increased teacher-to-child ratios, additional cleaning costs, and other costs.
New: You can review the status of these stipends and your eligibility for them in our ARPA Investment Overview
$1,442 per child stipends (AB 179)
COVID-19 financial relief paid directly to the child care and development workforce was authorized via AB 179 in September 2022. To be eligible for these stipends, providers must complete the newest version of the ARPA survey. More information about the ARPA Survey can be found on our ARPA Survey Webpage.
Who is Eligible to Receive an AB 179 Stipend check?
CDSS anticipates releasing these stipends in winter 2023. Providers who served children receiving subsidies from the following programs in April 2022 will be eligible for a $1,442 per-child stipend:
- CalWORKs Stages One, Two (C2AP) and Three (C3AP)
- California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP)
- Migrant Alternative Payment Program (CMAP)
- General Child Care and Development Program (CCTR)
- Migrant Child Care and Development Program (CMIG)
- Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC)
- Child Care and Development Services for Children with Special Needs (CHAN)
- Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program)
This includes providers who submitted “hold harmless” requests for reimbursement for children normally in their care but who were kept home by their parents due to the pandemic.
How Will the Child Care Stipends Be Issued?
The CDSS contracted with the Foundation for Community Colleges (Foundation) to send out the stipend funding to Alternative Payment Programs (APPs), direct-service contractors, child care centers and child care providers. Stipend checks will be issued in Winter 2023.
CDSS is no longer sending out stipend funding to providers eligible for the below stipends.
$600 Stipends (AB 131)
COVID-19 financial relief paid directly to the child care and development workforce is part of an April 2021 agreement between the State of California and California Child Care Providers United. Assembly Bill (AB) 131 (Chapter 116, Statutes of 2-2021) passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Newsom includes these funds, which are being distributed by the Department of Social Services.
Who was Eligible to Receive a $600 Stipend check?
Providers who served children receiving subsidies from the following programs in March 2021 will be eligible for a $600 per-child stipend:
- CalWORKs Stages One, Two (C2AP) and Three (C3AP)
- Alternative Payment Programs (CAPP) including Migrant Alternative Payment Programs (CMAP)
- General Child Care and Development Programs (CCTR)
- Migrant Child Care and Development Programs (CMIG)
- Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC)
- Child Care and Development Services for Children with Special Needs (CHAN)
- Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program)
This included providers who submitted “hold harmless” requests for reimbursement for children normally in their care but who were kept home by their parents due to the pandemic.
How were the Child Care Stipends Issued?
The CDSS contracted with the Foundation for Community Colleges (Foundation) to send out the stipend funding to APPs, child care centers and child care providers. CDSS is no longer sending $600 Stipend Funding to eligible providers.
$525 Stipends (AB 82)
Assembly Bill (AB) 82 (Chapter 6, Statutes of 2021) requires that the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the California Department of Education (CDE) use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stabilization funding for stipends to providers who are reimbursed through voucher and center-based subsidy programs for children in their care.
Who was Eligible to Receive a $525 stipend?
Providers who served children receiving subsidies from the following programs in November 2020 were eligible for a $525 per-child stipend:
- CalWORKs Stages One, Two (C2AP) and Three (C3AP)
- Alternative Payment Programs (CAPP) including Migrant Alternative Payment Programs (CMAP)
- General Child Care and Development Programs (CCTR)
- Migrant Child Care and Development Programs (CMIG)
- Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC)
- Child Care and Development Services for Children with Special Needs (CHAN)
- Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program)
This included providers who submitted “hold harmless” requests for reimbursement for children normally in their care but who were kept home by their parents due to the pandemic.
How were the Child Care Stipends Issued?
Stipend checks were issued in April 2021 and July 2021. CDSS is no longer sending $525 Stipend Funding to eligible providers.
SB 820 Stipends
SB 820 (Section 11 of Chapter 24 of the Statutes of 2020) requires that the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the California Department of Education (CDE) use funding from federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to give stipends to providers who are reimbursed through voucher and center-based child care subsidy programs.
Who was Eligible for the SB 820 Stipends?
Providers who served children receiving subsidies from the following programs in July 2020 are eligible for a per-child stipend:
- CalWORKs Stages One, Two (C2AP) and Three (C3AP)
- Alternative Payment Programs (CAPP) including Migrant Alternative Payment Programs (CMAP)
- General Child Care and Development Programs (CCTR)
- Migrant Child Care and Development Programs (CMIG)
- Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC)
- Child Care and Development Services for Children with Special Needs (CHAN)
This includes providers who submitted requests for reimbursement for children who did not receive child care because their families kept them home due to the pandemic.
Stipends are based on the number of children enrolled and the average per child cost of care as determined by the Regional Market Rate (RMR) specific to the age and child care setting from the CW 115/115A. Therefore, providers who serve the same number of children, but provide child care in different counties may have received varied stipend amounts.
How were the SB 820 checks issued?
Stipend checks were issued in November 2020 and March 2021. CDSS is no longer sending out the SB 820 stipends to eligible providers.