Hub for Child Care Financial Assistance Programs Changes

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) has been working to make significant changes to the state’s child care financial assistance regulations that went into effect October 1, 2023.

As EEC rolls out changes to our policies and procedures, we will be updating this page to ensure that you are supported through the phased deployment process. 

EEC understands the policy and procedure changes are significant and is committed to supporting providers through the process of rolling out these policies and procedures in a manner which is thoughtful, supportive and minimizes disruptions to families seeking or receiving child care financial assistance. We want to get these changes right in response to the needs of families and providers. 

Please check back frequently.

Overview

In partnership with families and stakeholders, EEC is focused on expanding equitable and dignified access to high-quality early education and care. This work includes a series of system reforms focused on significantly updated and new child care financial assistance regulations, policies, and procedures, reprocured contracts for CCR&Rs and contracted providers (expected July 2024), and the beginning stages of modernizing the EEC digital experience.

EEC formally kicked off the regulation review process in December 2022, with the goals of revising the regulations to: increase overall system efficiency, prioritize family needs and experience, and modernize and update the overall child care financial assistance system. With revised regulations comes updates policies and procedures that utilize modern technology to be more flexible, accessible and user friendly.

These changes all focus on simplifying the application process, reducing the paperwork burden for families and programs, and updating policies to better support homeless families, families with disabilities and families impacted by domestic violence.

Regulations, policies

• Read the regulations
• Read the interim policies

Principles of Engagement Training

This course outlines the values driving EEC’s effort to modernize our guidance, which is to provide a more family-centered operating model with a customer service approach.

View transcript

Skip this video.

You skipped the video, Principles of Engagement CCFA Training.

Drop In Sessions

In addition to live trainings (see section below), EEC is offering optional virtual office hours throughout the training period for an opportunity to ask additional questions or get more personalized support:

• December 8 at 11am to 12:15pm (Provider Experience)
• December 15 at 11am to 1pm (Program Integrity & Administrative Procedures)

Kick-off Sessions

EEC hosted two kick-off sessions for family access administrators on September 26 and 28.

Family access administrators are responsible for administering child care financial assistance that includes eligibility, enrollment and placement, as well as resource and referrals.

Skip this video.

You skipped the video, EEC Child Care Financial Assistance Programs Changes Kick-off Session.

Family Journey Training

This full-day course walks trainees through the refreshed view of the family journey procedures, from intake to reauthorization.