CARES Act Support for Early Childhood
New Resources Available!
Supports for early childhood care and education providers and families are now available!
These resources are connected to Phase Two of the funding Kansas received from the CARES Act. Federal CARES Act guidelines govern use of funds and timeline (funds must be spent by 12/30/2020).
Read below to learn how you might qualify and benefit.
Last update: October 6, 2020
CARES Act Support
Workforce Health Funds
Kansas Department of
Health & Environment
Child Care Facility Grants
Kansas Department of
Health & Environment
Technology for Families
Kansas Children’s Cabinet
and Trust Fund
Remote Learning Support Grants
Kansas Children’s Cabinet
and Trust Fund
Workforce Health Funds
The Early Childhood Workforce Health Fund will pay or reimburse for lost wages and medical expenses directly attributable to COVID-19 testing and treatment between March 12, 2020 (Governor’s emergency declaration) and December 1, 2020, or until funds are no longer available. Verification of eligibility is required. Depending on the individual situation, this may involve payments directly to health care providers for medical bills or reimbursements to the qualifying individual for expenses already incurred, including lost wages. (Of note: Similar health funds are also available for previously designated essential workers through the same application process.)
Application Closed: December 1, 2020
Governor Kelly’s press release announced the creation of this fund. Visit the Kansas Hero Relief website for more details and to apply.
Eligibility
Who is eligible for support from the Essential Worker Health Care Fund?
- You must have been tested for COVID-19 and received notice that you are positive or presumptive positive; AND
- You must be an early childhood professional (KDHE-licensed child care facility owner/operator, active licensed facility staff, or a home visitor employed by an organization delivering a program model supported by/partnering with a state agency); OR
- You must have been on the original designated essential worker list (see the full list here).
Child Care Facility Grants
Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC) will be available to all KDHE-licensed facilities for technical assistance/consultation and to assess environments (through virtual or on-site visits). Consultants will advise on actions or modifications needed to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) health and safety recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Eligibility
- All KDHE-licensed facilities are eligible to receive support from a CCHC, up to and including a virtual or on-site assessment (any program type).
- Facilities that complete a self-assessment of the environment in partnership with a CCHC will be eligible to apply for a health and safety grant to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
Technology for Families
The Technology for Families Program provides connectivity, equipment, and devices to support virtual access for families receiving home visiting services. Families benefiting from these funds will have children prenatal/birth to age 5 and will have demonstrated need.
Please note: The final application deadline for this program was 5:00 p.m. on October 30, 2020. Applicaitons are now closed.
Technology for Families Flyer (pdf)
Eligibility
You must be an organization partnering with a state agency to deliver one of the seven home visiting models outlined below and have capacity to distribute technology directly to families in need.
The seven eligible home visiting program models are:
- Attachment & Biobehavioral Catch-up Intervention (ABC)
- Healthy Families America
- Parents as Teachers
- Early Head Start
- Nurse-Family Partnership
- Universal/Maternal & Child Health
- Infant-Toddler Services/Part C
The purpose of the program is to ensure Kansas families most in need during the COVID-19 pandemic have the connectivity supports and devices they need to access services. Grantee organizations who work closely with these families will identify and prioritize their equipment and connectivity requests to meet the unique technology needs of each family they intend to serve.
Allowable Use of Funds
100% of funds must go to purchase devices and connectivity equipment or supports such as data plans and/or hotspots to be distributed directly to families–with demonstrated need–who receive home visiting services.
Timeline
- Aug 18 – Sept 15 – Applications, round one
- Sept 8 – 29 – Applications, round two
- Oct 30 – FINAL application deadline (Applications Closed)
- Dec 10 – All funds spent and technology dispersed by grantees; Final Reports from Grantees Due
Reporting Requirements
Grantees will be required to submit head of household demographic and geographic information, and provide information on the demonstrated need of families receiving support through the Technology for Families Program.
To Apply (Applications Closed)
All applications must be submitted using the online form (linked below). Funded projects will be announced on an ongoing basis, with a final deadline of October 30, 2020. All funds must be spent, with technology dispersed to families, by December 10. The “Apply” button below will load the application as a pop-up window on this website. Please ensure you do not have pop-ups blocked to access.