{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"Child Care Pause Leaves Sullivan County Families Without Affordable Options","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":466,"description":"Since July, families in Sullivan County have faced uncertainty after officials announced a pause on enrollment and recertification for New York State’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) due to a funding shortfall. Parents and providers are now questioning how long the pause will last and what it means for working families who rely on affordable child care.“It provides funding for low-income families to help pay for child care,” explained Isabel Braverman, editor of the Sullivan County Democrat. “That means either a daycare or other certified provider. The funding helps to pay for either a partial cost or the total cost of daycare for these families.”Why CCAP Enrollment Stopped in Sullivan CountyThe state funds CCAP but recently expanded eligibility, leading to a surge in applications. “A lot more people enrolled in the program and the funding ran out. It couldn’t keep up with the demands,” Braverman said.Sullivan County Health and Human Services Commissioner John Liddle told the Democrat that while the expansion has helped families and daycares, it also far exceeded expectations. “Their predicted numbers for the amount of children who would be eligible for this funding exceeded their predictions by a lot,” Braverman recounted.Local and State ResponseThe New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) praised Governor Kathy Hochul’s expansion of CCAP, which allowed about 170,000 children statewide to benefit. To help cover rising costs, OCFS released an additional $250,000 to Sullivan County, but Commissioner Liddle said the funds are expected to run out before the end of September.Because of the funding gap, counties cannot accept new applicants or re-certify families already in the program.Enrollment Numbers Double in a YearThe demand is clear: according to the Sullivan County Child Care Council, 583 children were enrolled in CCAP in June 2023. By June 2024, enrollment had jumped to 1,344 — more than doubling in just one year.Impact on Families...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}