Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the State of Maine has been awarded $10,953,470 to provide child care assistance for low-income families, health care sector employees, first responders, sanitation workers, and other workers deemed essential, and to support child care providers. This funding, authorized by the CARES Act they voted for, was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families’ Child Care and Development Block Grant program.

“With child care providers throughout the state facing decreased enrollment and even closure due to COVID-19, this investment will provide much needed financial assistance to ensure that they will be able to continue to serve Maine families,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “This funding will also be used to provide child care assistance to those who are working on the front lines in Maine to fight this pandemic.”

The Child Care and Development Block Grant Program provides funding for child care subsidies to help eligible low-income working families access child care and to improve the quality of child care for all children.  Through the CARES Act, this program was expanded to assist child care providers in the case of decreased enrollment or closures related to coronavirus.  Additionally, funding from this program can now be used to provide child care assistance to health care sector employees, emergency responders, sanitation workers, and other workers deemed essential during the response to the coronavirus, without regard to the income eligibility requirements.