The Mississippi Department of Human Services said Wednesday it will add $5 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to help more low-income families cover child-care costs.
The department said the new money is separate from its existing annual conversion of about $25.7 million from TANF to the Child Care Development Fund, which reflects the maximum allowed under federal law. “Child care is not a luxury — it is the infrastructure that makes work possible for Mississippi families,” MDHS Executive Director Bob Anderson said in a statement. “This $5 million investment is a targeted, responsible use of TANF funds to reach working parents who need help, and it reflects our commitment to deploying public resources where they make a real difference.”
MDHS said the funding will expand the Division of Early Childhood Care and Development and provide more vouchers under the Child Care Payment Program to families not currently receiving benefits. “Mississippi working families have always been the heart of what we do at MDHS,” Chad Allgood, director of the division, said in a statement. “This additional investment means we can say yes to more families trying to build a better future.”
The department said eligibility for the program is based on income and on work and education requirements. MDHS said families who have already applied will not need to resubmit; those who may qualify and have not applied are encouraged to do so through the agency’s website or their local DHS office.
MDHS said child-care businesses will continue to receive reimbursements under the existing Child Care Payment Program process, and the new funds will be distributed through the established voucher system. The Magnolia Tribune reported that Democratic members of the Legislature had expressed discontent this year after a $15 million reduction in state appropriations to child-care funding, saying the reduction followed a reallocation last year to cover a federal funding shortfall.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
