Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials announced that the county Board of Supervisors has allocated $15 million in CARES Act funding to provide child care vouchers for essential workers and low-income families in the county.
“This amount of money translates to three months of child care for 5,000 families … (to assist) parents of younger children who are relying on day care centers to care for their young children while they’re at work,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Public Health’s Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education will lead distribution of the funding in partnership with the county’s Early Childhood Education COVID-19 Response Team, which was created in March to support essential workers, such as health care workers and first responders, Ferrer added.
To expedite the process, the funding will be infused into the existing voucher system, while eligibility for these vouchers is set by the state.
Families seeking early care and education services may access vouchers by calling 888-92-CHILD, or 888-922-4453.
