COLUMBUS – Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder today announced Ohio is spending $50 million to temporarily reduce costs for families receiving publicly funded child care (PFCC). Under the program, ODJFS will waive copayments for families receiving PFCC and instead directly reimburse providers the amount of those co-pays.

“Affordable access to quality child care is critical to keeping Ohio families working,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This program is designed to help families while ensuring child care providers continue to receive their full amount of funding.”

ODJFS helps parents who are working or in school pay for child care through the PFCC program. Eligibility, including the amount of copayment the parent is responsible for, is determined by factors such as gross income, the federal poverty level, and family size. Under this program ODJFS will add the amount of the copayment, normally collected by the provider to that provider’s payment.

The $50 million for this program was authorized by Amended Substitute House Bill 110 of the 134th General Assembly, and ODJFS began using it to cover the copayment on May 8, 2022. The program will continue until the funding runs out.

“Approximately 90,000 children have access to safe care and quality educational development through publicly funded child care,” said Damschroder. “Waiving copays is a $50 million shot in the arm to these families who now have a bit more in their weekly budgets.”

In addition to notifying PFCC recipients, all programs that provide PFCC have been notified of the temporary waiver assistance and informed to no longer collect the assigned copayment during this temporary waiver period.