The Child Care Subsidy Program is shifting to payments based on authorized enrollment, before the care is provided. This is a big shift from the current payment model that is based on attendance, after the care is provided. We are updating our subsidy rules and terms and conditions to allow DESE to pay in advance for subsidy providers, as well as working on Child Care Data System (CCDS) development for the changes needed to implement pay in advance and on authorized enrollment.

Once the system changes are in place, DESE staff will conduct user acceptance testing along with quality assurance testing from developers. There is a sample group of child care subsidy providers that have agreed to test the changes before the changes go live statewide for all subsidy providers. We are working on a website update where we will soon be able to post all the details about exactly how pay in advance will work, what the system changes will look like, when will this change happen, etc. We will also provide trainings and guides before this goes live statewide.

To stay informed, please make sure that the email we have for your facility account in CCDS is current and that you join future DESE Office of Childhood webinars and trainings about pay in advance.