A child care program for low-income children in Idaho faces a $15.5 million budget shortfall this year.
According to the Health and Welfare Department, the shortfall happened after the state expanded eligibility and reduced what families are required to pay each month while day care costs rose.
The Idaho Statesman reports the deficit has prompted state health officials to temporarily stop accepting many new families into the Idaho Child Care Program, which partially covers child care costs for low-income families with working parents.
To cut down on costs, the department plans to temporarily pause admitting many new families that apply to the program; lower the income threshold to reduce the number of people who can qualify for the program; and delay paying higher rates to day care centers for several months.
Those changes are expected to keep the program within its budget in the coming months.
