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Q&A
New priority rules for child care voucher renewals
0:36:01
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65 sec
Commissioner Jess Dannhauser explains the new priority rules for child care voucher renewals in response to questions from Council Member Althea Stevens. The changes affect eligibility criteria and the number of families who may not qualify under the new rules.
- Approximately 2,000 out of nearly 70,000 enrolled children may not be renewed under the new rules.
- The eligibility criteria are changing from 85% of area median income to 300% of the federal poverty limit.
- Families who are unhoused or have children with special needs will continue to qualify regardless of income.
- The changes are necessary due to limited funds and the need to adhere to federally structured priority categories.
Althea Stevens
0:36:01
With the new priority rules for renewals, you said that the vast majority would be renewed.
0:36:06
How many would not be and why?
Jess Dannhauser
0:36:09
Our estimate is somewhere around 2,000 of the nearly 70,000 children who are enrolled.
0:36:17
This includes families who make, who qualify because the previous category was 85% of area median income, the eighty fifth percentile.
0:36:31
That's going to change to 300% of the federal poverty limit.
0:36:35
We have to make that change because when you have limited funds you have to go to priority categories that are federally structured.
0:36:44
And so this was the furthest we could get using each of these priority categories.
0:36:50
So we expect somewhere around 2,000 children who are at the highest income levels that qualified under 85 percentile area median income.
0:37:01
If they're unhoused or if they have a child with special needs, they will continue to qualify.