FSSA announces waitlist for childcare vouchers
Dear neighbor,
Earlier this week, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced applicant waitlists for the Indiana Childcare Development Fund and On My Way Pre-K voucher programs, effective immediately. The vouchers support families earning up to 150% of the federal poverty level. In other words, a family of three is eligible for assistance if their monthly gross income is under $3,228. A full income eligibility chart is available at this link. New applicants will automatically be put on the waitlist until further notice due to all federal childcare funds being maximized in the state of Indiana.
As we head into a budget session, it is crucial that we do all we can to allocate funds to affordable, high-quality childcare. Currently, Indiana is ranked last in the nation for access to childcare, and no county in the state is currently meeting established criteria for adequate care availability.
Access to childcare helps countless Hoosier parents get back into the workforce to provide for their growing families, and we as lawmakers have an obligation to create - and fund - as many pathways as we can to these programs. Our state’s economy depends on it.
This session, my fellow House Democrats and I will be working with our colleagues across the aisle to find relief for Hoosiers facing challenges with caring for their children. I echo House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta in his calls for bipartisan support so we can fulfill our obligation to Hoosiers to address this issue.
Learn more about the waitlist on the FSSA website here.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to my office at h71@iga.in.gov.
In service,
Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser
