BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that both parents and childcare providers will benefit from additional enhancements to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) starting this month.

The recent enhancements to CCAP include a reduced co-pay amount for most parents, an increase in the maximum payment to childcare providers, and a new bonus for providers who care for infants and toddlers enrolled in CCAP.

“To address North Dakota’s child care needs, we are continuously exploring ways to utilize existing infrastructure to help address high-priority needs,” said Michele Gee, Economic Assistance Director. “Since the beginning of the North Dakota Child Care Initiative, HHS has made several high-impact improvements to CCAP to improve affordability for working families and to support the financial health of child care businesses.”

Additional enhancements to the state’s CCAP program include the Child Care Workforce Benefit, extending the eligibility period from 12 months to 18 months, and quality-based bonuses for providers.

HHS has also introduced a new tool for parents to easily calculate their co-pay amount, available here.  Parents can find more information about CCAP, including eligibility requirements and application procedures here. Information for childcare providers is available here.

In 2023, Gov. Doug Burgum signed House Bill 1540, allocating nearly $66 million in state funds to complement federal funding for the ND Child Care Initiative. The initiative aims to address the state’s significant barriers to workforce participation by focusing on childcare availability, affordability, and quality. This initiative is designed to make it easier for parents and guardians to work, support their families, and strengthen local businesses and communities. More information about the initiative can be found here.