Governor Bill Richardson Directs CYFD to Extend Child Care Assistance

Press Release

Governor Bill Richardson today directed the Children, Youth & Families
Department to extend child care assistance to 5,000 families that had been notified they would lose state aid next month.

At the Governor's direction, CYFD Secretary Bill Dunbar will take the appropriate steps to cut provider rates by 10 percent in order to save $6 million and ensure that families will continue to get child care assistance until the Legislature meets again in January.

"Facing a drastic loss of federal money, combined with budget cuts mandated by the Legislature, I am still determined to provide families with access to child care during these tough economic times," Governor Richardson said. "This effort will help working families."

There are currently about 25,000 children enrolled in the state's childcare assistance program. Their childcare is subsidized by the state, using federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families money. About 5,000 families were at risk of losing that assistance without the Governor's help.

Source