October 13, 2017

Dear Community Partners:

The Tarrant County Child Care Management Services (CCMS) has been pleased to have been enrolling children off the child care scholarship wait list for several months. We know child care services is a need for many and are pleased that CCMS is currently assisting over 7,000 children in care. Child care policies changed statewide in the last year to include an emphasis on serving “Mandatory” children including CHOICES, Transitional, and Former DFPS. Children who are “mandatory” do not pay a copay which has resulted in an increase of the average cost per child paid by the CCMS program.

Because of a dramatic increase in the numbers served of mandatory children, CCMS needs to begin to slow down the enrollment process. Beginning October 11, 2017, CCMS will no longer be pulling children off the wait list for child care assistance. Until further notice from Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, CCMS will only be able to pull from the “first priority” waiting list. The “first priority” group will be able to access child care services and includes children of parents eligible for the following:

• Choices
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Applicant
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training
• Transitional
• Children who need to receive protective services

A second “priority group” will be served subject to the availability of funds and includes, in the following order of priority:

• Children of a qualified veteran or qualified spouse
• Foster youth
• Children experiencing homelessness
• Children of parents experiencing a military deployment
• Children of teen parents
• Children with disabilities

Third priority group includes all other eligible groups, including:

• WIOA
• Low Income

CCMS and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County will be working together to track enrollment as well as expenditures in order to offer as many child care subsidies to qualifying families as possible. We thank you for your support and your continued commitment in serving our community’s most vulnerable children and families.

If you have additional questions or needs, please do not hesitate to be in touch.

Sincerely,

Rita Morris
CCMS Director