On June 2, 2021 the Biden-Harris Administration announced new Office of Child Care (OCC) guidance clarifying that state, territory, and tribal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) lead agencies may use supplemental CCDF Discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act to help parents and child care providers access the COVID-19 vaccine. For example, CCDF lead agencies can use these funds to provide bonuses or other financial incentives to child care providers who choose to stay open extra hours or provide care on the weekends so parent can be vaccinated. For providers, lead agencies can provide stipends to child care providers to cover the cost of transportation to vaccine sites and paid time off to receive the vaccine and recover from any side effects.
This guidance is available as Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) #36 on the OCC website.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is also issuing new guidance that encourages states to use child care funding from the American Rescue Plan to provide financial incentives to neighborhood- and home-based child care providers who join the President’s call to action and support their communities in getting vaccinated. Visit Vaccines.gov/incentives.html to learn more.
Read more in this White House Fact Sheet .
OCC is issuing this FAQ to lead agencies due to the time sensitive nature and urgency with ensuring that Americans can access the COVID-19 vaccine. Forthcoming guidance will comprehensively address use of the supplemental CCDF Discretionary funds in the ARP Act. Guidance will be available on the OCC COVID-19 Resource page.