NYS Launches Digital Portal To Make Child Care More Accessible

Governor Hochul Launches Digital Portal to Help New York State Deliver Free or Low-Cost Child Care to More Families Statewide (Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul).

A new digital portal has launched aimed at making free or low-cost child care more accessible in New York State.

The portal can be found at ny.gov/childcare.

Governor Kathy Hochul said the state’s new digital portal makes it easier for families statewide to apply for Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which covers at least 90% of weekly market rate child care costs for most eligible families. That means most eligible families of four will pay no more than $15 per week – saving families thousands of dollars in annual child care costs.

CCAP is already providing free or low-cost child care to approximately 100,000 families statewide. However, state officials estimate that hundreds of thousands more families statewide are likely eligible for CCAP.

CCAP is a state program that helps working families across New York pay for child care. While eligibility is based on multiple factors including income and family size, many families may qualify for CCAP if their household income is at or below 85 percent of the State Median Income. Currently, 85 percent of the State Median Income for a family of four is approximately $108,000.

Previously, only families in New York City and Schenectady were able to apply for CCAP online, while most other families across the state had to apply by filling out a paper form.

The new digital portal is overseen by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). Families can use an online tool on that page to pre-screen for eligibility and then immediately apply for child care assistance, removing any redundant processes and unnecessary reporting requirements placed on families.

CCAP is administered by local social services districts and overseen by OCFS. As part of this launch, OCFS is also collaborating with numerous stakeholder organizations to distribute information about CCAP statewide to families, including new parents, and encouraging families to apply.