Washington State Department Of Children, Youth & Families

This initiative supports families in managing child care expenses while they are employed or engaged in WorkFirst activities. Eligibility is limited to those with incomes at or below 60% SMI and includes assistance for individuals employed seasonally in agricultural sectors.

Intake Process: Interested families can either call or check the website for more information. Notably, families applying for the homeless child care program are not required to provide proof of homelessness.

Fees: Participants may incur a copay based on their monthly earnings and household size. The copay structure is as follows: 0-20% SMI: No copay; 20-36% SMI: $65 copay; 36-50% SMI: $90 copay; 50-60% SMI: $165 copay; 60-65% SMI: $215 copay. The $215 copay is exclusively for reapplications; new applications exceeding 60% SMI will be deemed ineligible. The income threshold is not applied during the application process but is used to assess eligibility for continued support. Additionally, copays are waived for participants in the Homeless Child Care Program.