For the second time this fiscal year, two thousand children from low-income working families who are already on a waiting list are being added to Alabama’s subsidized child care rolls.
"The children will be selected based on the length of time that they have been on the waiting list," Commissioner Page Walley said. "The 2,000 children who have been on the list the longest will be the first ones to begin receiving subsidized child care," he noted.
"This will give more Alabama parents additional options," said Governor Bob Riley. "The fact that there is a waiting list shows how much this service is in demand."
The families will be contacted by the child care management agencies (CMAs), which handle child care subsidy eligibility under a contract with DHR.
"Subsidized child care is a sound investment because it helps low-income parents continue working instead of relying on welfare payments," Commissioner Walley said.
Each month, approximately 28,000 children receive subsidized day care through DHR.