Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $402 Million in Annual State Contracts with 110 Child Care Providers
Contracts prioritizes thousands of spots for infants and toddlers, families with the most needs
NEW BEDFORD – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) awarded new contracts to 110 early education and care programs. The contracts invest $402 million a year to purchase high-quality early education and out-of-school time care through approximately 19,000 contracted seats in center-based and family child care programs for children eligible for child care financial assistance.
This is the first time in 15 years that the state has re-procured these contracts, which provide state and federal support to child care providers so that they can deliver high-quality, comprehensive care to families. With these contracts, programs can provide financial assistance, child care, and support services like transportation for families. For the first time, EEC prioritized subsidized seats statewide for infants and toddlers and in areas where there is more demand for seats than seats available, as well as for families with the most needs, including for children with young parents under age 24 and for children experiencing homelessness.
“As Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and I travel around the state, we always hear about the high cost of child care, and the impact it’s having on families and business. That’s why we’ve prioritized making child care more affordable and accessible,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Today’s awarded contracts continue our efforts to improve government services and make it easier for parents, especially our low-income families, to access high-quality early education and care in their communities.”
“Our administration is all about taking a fresh look at government processes and identifying areas that could be updated and streamlined to improve the experience of our residents,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These updated contracts will improve our child care financial assistance system so that, regardless of zip code or economic background, our youngest learners can access the high-quality education they need to succeed in school and beyond, while also supporting our local economy and communities.”
Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler, Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw, and Children and Families Commissioner Staverne Miller made this announcement today at Crayon Campus, Inc. In New Bedford to highlight how this re-procurement will better serve the child care needs of children and their families working with the Department of Children and Families (DCF).
Providers could bid for contracted seats for families who are income eligible for child care financial assistance and/or for contracted seats for families considered “priority populations,” which include families experiencing homelessness, young parents, and families working with DCF. Through these contracts, EEC is adding programs to support priority populations access to care and wraparound supports:
- 7 new providers supporting seats for families working with DCF
- 11 new providers supporting seats for children of young parents
- 25 new providers supporting seats for homeless families
- 10 new providers supporting seats for income eligible families
“Commissioner Kershaw and her team have been taking an end-to-end approach to transform the state’s child care financial assistance programs. Today’s announced contracts are another step forward in that work – improving the experience for providers and families that centers equity and addresses some of the current challenges, including access to infant and toddler seats,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “I was pleased to have Secretary Walsh and Commissioner Miller with us today to shine a light on how critical access to these contracted seats are for families with complex needs, not only providing high-quality learning experiences, but also access to transportation and mental health supports.”
“High-quality childcare programs go beyond education; they are a foundation for overall wellbeing for children, caregivers and whole families,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “These contracts ensure that children in Massachusetts – including those with complex family circumstances – will get the great start they deserve in school and in life.”
The updated contracts focused on centering the family voice and restructuring requirements to continue to modernize and improve the experience for families and providers, strengthen and align educator staffing and training requirements across programs, improve performance monitoring and effectiveness, and continue efforts to simplify rates for providers.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is the first to reprocure these child care services in 15 years, continuing our work to improve access and affordability to care for families and make government services more modern and equitable. This type of child care financial assistance is vital for families, especially for families experiencing homelessness, young parents, and families working with DCF, to set kids up for school and life success, while also supporting their parents and caregivers,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw.
“For many children, these contracted child care slots are their first exposure to early education and we are excited for this expansion,” said DCF Commissioner Staverne Miller. “Children are safest when they are visible in their communities and, for young children, the availability of child care programs like Crayon Campus is critical. We also know that supportive relationships that children develop with educators and their peers is key to well-being, helping to counteract trauma and improve mental health.”
“With the high cost of child care being a burden for many families in New Bedford and across Massachusetts, this historic re-procurement and investment in early childhood education and care programs will benefit low-income families and make child care financial assistance programs more accessible,” said Representative Antonia Cabral (D-New Bedford). “Every family and child deserves access to high-quality child care and education. I appreciate the administration’s support and investment in improving early childhood education for all.”
“We are very excited to continue our partnership with EEC, DCF, and other community partners to continue providing care to all our families we serve,” said Crayon Campus Administrator Nancy D. Cruz.
Child care financial assistance is provided to families through contracts with providers to secure a set number of seats for families, and vouchers which are portable and families can use at any program that accepts child care financial assistance. The state’s programs are funded federally through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and by the state through multiple EEC line items. This fiscal year, the Healey-Driscoll administration and Legislature delivered $872 million towards child care financial assistance.
