Arkansas childcare providers come to state capitol to push for a delay in reimbursement policies

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The School Readiness Assistance program helps offer affordable, quality childcare to low-income families.  On Tuesday, Childcare Providers pushed for a delay on changes to reimbursement and co-pay policies.

Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Jacob Olivia said childcare providers now have a 30-day pause before the new reimbursement rates for providers take effect.

The changes were supposed to happen on Oct. 1.     

This will move the current tiered system to a fixed rate for all providers.

Olivia said the changes to co-payments from the individual families paying for childcare will need to take effect tomorrow.

This means families with an income over 40% of the state’s median income do have a co-pay. And that co-pay is based on a sliding scale.

Childcare providers said the legislative meeting was a step in the right direction.

“We’ve seen a little win, but we’re still concerned for our families and our providers across the state. Now it’s time to take it up out of the state level, and get it to the federal level,” Conway childcare provider McKinley Hess said.

Olivia said the changes need to happen because the money for the SRA program is through a federal grant. And as of right now, the federal government has not given the state the money for the new fiscal year.

Child care providers said they won’t be able to keep doors open under the new reimbursement rates.