April 18th, 2024-COLUMBUS, Ohio-Ohio Governor Mike DeWine unveiled two new initiatives during his recent State of the State address aimed at enhancing child care accessibility. The first initiative is a child care voucher program catering to families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level, equivalent to $60,000 for a family of four. This program is expected to aid 8,000 children in the state. Presently, only families earning up to 145% of the federal poverty level are eligible for publicly funded child care, equating to a family of four with an income of up to $45,240.
The second initiative involves allocating $85 million in federal funding to improve and expand child care facilities across the state. Despite these efforts, experts emphasize that Ohio still faces significant challenges in expanding access to affordable child care. The average annual cost of child care at a center for a family with one infant is $11,438, far exceeding the threshold for affordability.
