Child Care Subsidy Payments

The Office of Childhood (OOC) Child Care Subsidy section manages provider child care subsidy payments and reviews protective services authorizations entered by social services specialists to ensure compliance with Child Care Development Fund guidelines. This program works to ensure child care providers are established to receive child care subsidy payments for income maintenance or protective services children, researches and reviews payment discrepancies and authorizations entered by social service specialists, processes claims and supplemental payments, to ensure providers receive timely payments for child care services rendered to all subsidized children. 

Learn more about Child Care Subsidy.

General Payment Information

The Child Care Subsidy payment team processes payments for child care subsidy providers. The provider payment rate structure, payment process, and what you need to do if there is an error with a payment can be a complicated process to navigate. The items below provide guidance on both processes and rate structure to help assist providers with the payment process.

How much will the state pay?

The state rate for child care services is called the "maximum base rate." This rate applies to all non-foster children (children in the legal custody of the Children’s Division) participating in the child care subsidy program. As a child care provider, the amount you charge for your child care services is your decision. This amount is called your "rate." If your rate is higher than the maximum base rate, the child's family is responsible for paying the difference directly to you. This difference is called the "co-pay".

The maximum base rate you are paid is based on all of the following factors:

  • County you reside in or facility location (rates vary depending on if you live in an urban or rural part of the state)
  • Type of child care facility (family home, group home, center, etc.)
  • Age of the child
    • Infant (newborn to 2 years)
    • Preschool (2 years to 5 years)
    • School age (5 years and over)
  • Number of hours you care for the child
    • Full day (5 to 12 hours per day)
    • Half day (3 to 4 hours and 59 minutes per day)
    • Part day (30 minutes to 2 hours and 59 minutes per day)
  • What time during the week you provide care
    • Daytime (Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
    • Evening (Monday through Friday from 7:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.)
    • Weekend (6 a.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Sunday)

Pricing Page

Child Care Subsidy Rates and Sliding Fees

What is an Authorization Letter?

You will receive an Authorization Letter from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for each child who is eligible for child care subsidy that identifies the following:

  • Name of the child
  • Beginning and ending dates the child is authorized for child care subsidy
  • Portion of day (full, half, or part) the child is eligible
  • Number of days in the month the child can receive child care subsidy
  • Sliding fee the parent must pay to you

The state will not pay for more hours or days of care than stated in the Authorization Letter. If there are any questions about a child's authorization, have the parent contact Childhood Finance.

When will I be paid?

You will receive payment approximately 10 to 15 days from the time invoices are entered into the payment system by DESE. Payments made by direct deposit will be received sooner.

If you would like to register to receive payments through direct deposit, please download and complete the Vendor Direct Deposit application and submit it with a voided check or an official letter from your financial institution.

For assistance, please contact the Childhood Finance.

Payment Invoicing/Attendance Systems

The OOC provides an electronic time and attendance system to subsidy providers at no cost to them. This system, the Child Care Business Information System (CCBIS), is where payments are initiated according to the time and attendance data captured in the system.

General Information
Forms

The Child Care Subsidy payment team is responsible for ensuring accurate payments. If there is an error with your payment or if CCBIS is not working correctly, providers can submit information manually through the Payment Resolution Request (PRR) Form. 

Accreditation

Accreditation is a way child care providers are recognized for meeting high standards of quality. There are seven accrediting organizations that are recognized by DESE.

If you are accredited by one of these organizations, are in good standing with DESE, and are serving a child eligible for Child Care Subsidy you are eligible to receive the accreditation rate differential.

To receive the accreditation rate differential, you must submit your accreditation certificate to the Child Care Subsidy Agreement Unit via:

Email: CCPayments@dese.mo.gov
Fax: 573-526-2926

Office of Childhood, Child Care Subsidy
PO Box 480
Jefferson City, MO 65102

How should I address payment issues?

If you have an issue with a payment or lack of payment, you will need to submit a Child Care Provider Payment Resolution Request form. You must submit the request within 60 calendar days of the service month with attendance records and the reason a review is being requested. If applicable, submit the attendance form with your Payment Resolution Request.

Subsidy Rate Enhancement
  1. Accreditation is a 20% rate differential awarded to providers who are accredited by one of the seven DESE recognized accrediting agencies.
  2. Disproportionate Share (DS2) program is a 30% rate differential awarded to providers who are Accredited AND it’s been verified that 50% or more of the children enrolled for care are state-subsidized. The provider is eligible if they are a licensed or license-exempt child care provider who is:
  • Contracted or registered with the Office of Childhood Child Care Subsidy Agreement Unit.
  • Providing care to a disproportionate share (50% or more) of children receiving child care subsidy.
  • Accredited or working towards accreditation with one of the DESE recognized accrediting organizations. 

Note: Providers can only receive one of these two rate enhancements. 

Providers who receive the 20% accreditation enhancement will continue to receive the enhancement as long as they maintain accreditation.

Providers who receive the 30% accreditation enhancement and serve a disproportionate share of subsidy eligible children (50% or more) will continue to receive the enhancements as long as both criteria are met.  If the facility remains accredited, but no longer cares for the disproportionate share of subsidy eligible children (fewer than 50%), they will no longer be eligible for the 30% enhancement, but would be eligible for the 20% accreditation enhancement. 

Additional Resources

For additional information and resources about the child care subsidy program, please review the options listed below: