{"id":84609,"date":"2020-07-02T16:13:57","date_gmt":"2020-07-02T16:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/07\/02\/dod-looks-to-expand-child-care-fee-assistance-pilot-program\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:16:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:16:45","slug":"dod-looks-to-expand-child-care-fee-assistance-pilot-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2020\/07\/02\/dod-looks-to-expand-child-care-fee-assistance-pilot-program\/","title":{"rendered":"DoD looks to expand child care fee assistance pilot program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As child care options start to open up<\/a> more in the era of coronavirus in some states and on some military installations, defense officials are looking at the results of an ongoing pilot program to determine where it might be expanded to provide child care for more military families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the Military Child Care In Your Neighborhood-Plus initiative that started in October as a two-year pilot program limited to Maryland and five regions of Virginia \u2014 central, eastern, north central, northern and the Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are in the process of reviewing the initiative for possible expansion to other areas where child care on the installation is limited,\u201d and where state quality standards could provide an opportunity for more child care, according to DoD spokeswoman Lisa Lawrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DoD and the services have been looking at a variety of ways to increase the amount of affordable child care<\/a> for military families, who too often face long waiting lists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCOVD hasn\u2019t changed the intent of the MCCYN-Plus initiative, but it may have slowed down participation since many programs are limiting operations to implement COVID prevention efforts,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could see the impact of this pandemic going well into the second year [of the pilot program],\u201d said Nicole Russell, government relations deputy director for the National Military Family Association. \u201cWe\u2019d certainly be in favor of expanding and continuing this program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russell noted it could be helpful especially for junior enlisted families who might not otherwise be able to justify the cost of child care when making a decision about whether a spouse will work. \u201cI never want to see a family have to make a decision like that, but the reality is, military families make that decision all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current military fee assistance programs<\/a> offset the cost of child care in the civilian community when child care isn\u2019t available on the installation. It helps those in locations with long waiting lists for child care, as well as those in assignments that aren\u2019t near a military installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MCCYN-Plus pilot means more child care centers could participate in the fee assistance program in these two states. In Virginia, for example, MCCYN-Plus meant a possible expansion to more than 800 additional eligible child care centers in regions with military presence. In Maryland, there are more than 4,600 child care programs that can participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pilot program tests paying the subsidy in locations where nationally accredited care isn\u2019t available, but the child care centers are quality-rated by their state\u2019s Quality Rating and Improvement System, or QRIS. That\u2019s over and above state licensing. That\u2019s the difference between the pilot program and the ongoing fee assistance \u2013 the ongoing program requires national accreditation; the pilot program expands the universe to include centers who aren\u2019t nationally accredited, but are enrolled in their state\u2019s quality rating program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ratings are awarded to providers as they continue to improve their quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many states use a QRIS, although they use different names for their programs. In some states, the QRIS is regionally based. The QRIS in Maryland is called \u201cMaryland EXCELS; in Virginia, it\u2019s \u201cVA Quality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Child care centers with a QRIS level of three or higher will be available to military families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven providers that have met the standards of the lowest QRIS levels have achieved a level of quality that is beyond the minimum requirements to operate,\u201d according to Child Care Aware, which administers the fee assistance program for each of the services.<\/p>\n\n\n\t