How the child care funding freeze could hit California
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California is one of five Democrat-led states where the Trump administration is pausing billions in federal funding for child care and other social services.
Why it matters: Cutting funding could affect some providers' ability to operate, forcing families to go without welfare and child care and cutting off financial assistance for food, shelter and other expenses that many pregnant parents and families rely on.
Driving the news: The federal government announced this week it's freezing $10 billion in funds from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) programs.
- The administration is requiring states to provide child care attendance data an other documentation and explain how the money would be used before agreeing to release the funding.
- Any effects may be slow to emerge because the funding is distributed in phases and California supplements federal support with state dollars. Federal money makes up about $1.6 billion of the state's roughly $5.5 billion child care budget, KQED reports.
The big picture: The investigations stem from accusations of fraud by child care center operators in Minnesota and concerns about inadequate oversight by that state's officials.
What they're saying: California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Politico the cuts could lead to another lawsuit against the administration.
- "If it's unlawful, if we can challenge it in court and be effective — like we have 80% of the time — and block it, then we will," Bonta said, per Politico. "But right now, we're in the assessment period."
Zoom in: Such funding freezes are "devastating," hurt vulnerable families and result in parents having to make the difficult choice between "keeping their children safe or paying their bills," Max Arias, a spokesperson for Child Care Providers United, a union representing 70,000 family child care providers in California, said in a statement.
- "Sudden changes to child care access caused by freezes have the potential to ravage our economy and force employers to face unpredictable workforce shortages," he added.
What's next: Officials and state departments are awaiting guidance on how to use federal funds and further direction.
- It remains unclear when the funding freeze in California is expected to begin.