Hoosier state invests $200 million in affordable childcare, local daycares ready to accept voucher-eligible children

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Indiana Governor Mike Braun announced Tuesday morning a $200 million push to get more Hoosier kids into quality childcare facilities.

The state of Indiana is injecting the money into the state-funded voucher program which suffered major cuts a year ago to help cover pre-K costs for thousands of infants through five-year-olds statewide.

It means that instead of being met with long waitlists at local daycares, families in the state-funded voucher program will be met with 'Now Enrolling' signs, like the ones that can be seen at some Growing Kids Learning Center locations across northern Indiana.

"Across our locations, we have some locations in areas that desperately need childcare, and we serve a lot of communities that make use of the voucher program," explains Growing Kids Learning Center Founder & President Mike Garatoni. "So we are hoping and we are planning, that with this additional funding in the voucher program, is that we'll be able to reunite some families who have not been able to enroll all their children so that it makes it easier for parents, and we're also hoping to be able to help more families who are now able to enroll in the voucher program."

State leaders say the rollout of this investment will prioritize siblings of current voucher holders so families can be reunited.

They're followed by infants, toddlers, three, four, and five-year-olds.

As it stands now, there are zero infants on CCDF vouchers receiving childcare statewide, and leaders say the investment will likely increase the enrollment of CCDF voucher-eligible children of all ages from 14,000 to a projected 57,000.

State leaders including Governor Braun say this voucher system isn't just a support program; it's an economic engine.

Instead of leaving jobs to take care of their children, thousands of Indiana parents can focus on pursuing better jobs, gaining new skills, and building stronger futures for their families.

"This is the first step of allowing more families and their children to be in high quality childcare, and for parents to be able to go to work and to help childcare businesses and also help business and economic growth here in the state of Indiana," says Adam Alson, Director of the Indiana Early Childhood and Out of School Learning Office.

The state is also increasing the number of vouchers available in the program from 43,000 to 57,000.

Families needing assistance can apply for the On My Way Pre-K Program now on the Indiana FSSA website. FSSA: Carefinder: On My Way Pre-K