Subsidy Waitlist Now in Effect: What to Know

As of March 1, Missouri has implemented a child care subsidy waitlist for new Child Care Subsidy applications.

Families who are currently approved and actively receiving child care subsidy are not subject to the waitlist as long as their case remains active. However, now that the waitlist is in place, it is more important than ever that families renew their subsidy on time. If a family misses their renewal deadline and their case closes, they will be placed on the waitlist.

Simply put, a missed renewal could result in a disruption of benefits and, ultimately, a disruption in child care.

How Providers Can Help Families Be Prepared

Now that the waitlist is in effect, providers can play a key role in helping families stay on track.

You can support families by:

• Reminding them to complete their renewal on time.
• Encouraging them to regularly check their portal for updates or requests for additional documentation.
• Reinforcing how important it is to respond quickly if DESE requests information.

Providers can also log into the provider portal and sort families by authorization expiration date to see which families are approaching renewal. This allows you to proactively notify families before their benefits expire.

For additional information and ongoing updates, visit the Missouri DESE Child Care Subsidy Waitlist webpage by clicking here. 

Staying proactive now will help families avoid interruptions in care.

Explore our other Child Care Aware® of Missouri resources:

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Missouri Office of Childhood Updates
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