Coronavirus: Austin Raises Income Limit For Child Care Help

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Public Health on Saturday announced it will increase the income threshold for essential workers in need of child care financial assistance. To ensure workers have access to child care if they need it, the income threshold for subsidies has been expanded to approximately 150 percent of the state’s median income, which translates to a household income of about $118,000 annually or $9,800 monthly or less for a family of four.

Essential workers in Travis County who require child care to work can review and complete an eligibility form for child care subsidies online. Providers who do not have an agreement to accept subsidies can contact their local Workforce Development Board to set up an agreement.

Austin Public Health also announced the launch of a new task force that will focus on supporting child care and child care needs within the city of Austin and Travis County.

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The purpose of the Child Care Task Force is to ensure that existing child care centers, child care workers and employees of essential industries who need child care have the support they need during the ongoing new coronavirus crisis.

The launch of the task force builds on the creation of the Frontline Child Care Website, which aims to help essential workers in Texas locate child care amid coronavirus outbreak.

The Frontline Child Care Portal allows essential workers to search for child care facilities near them, as well as facility operating hours and the number of spots available, officials said. It also includes links to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's inspection and compliance records for each facility.

The new task force includes members from Child Care Regulation/Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Travis County, Workforce Solutions Capital Area, United Way for Greater Austin Child Inc., Austin Independent School District other early childhood stakeholders.

RELATED: Coronavirus: Texas Portal IDs Essential Worker Child Care Sites

For more information about childcare for families, visit www.wfscapitalarea.com/Child-Care-Services/COVID-19ResourcesChildCare. For guidance and resources for Travis County childcare providers, visit austintexas.gov/department/covid-19-information/businesses-and-industries.