Oklahoma Halts School-Age Child Care Subsidy Applications Amid Federal Shutdown

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) is making significant changes to its Child Care Subsidy program starting November 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has halted nearly three-quarters of its funding. New applications and renewals for school-age children (6 years and older) will be paused, and the $5 per day COVID-era add-on incentive for providers of school-age children will be removed, effectively reducing payments by $5 per day. These measures aim to preserve funding for infants, toddlers, preschool-age children, and certain exceptions such as children in foster care, children with disabilities receiving special needs rates, and unhoused children. In addition, OKDHS has announced temporary furloughs for about 2,300 employees starting November 2, with unpaid days based on salary levels. The agency acknowledges the hardship these changes will cause families and providers but stresses the necessity of these actions to maintain the subsidy program's integrity amid the federal funding pause. They encourage state employees and the public to urge Congress to resolve the shutdown promptly to restore funding and program operations.