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IMPORTANT CCPP INFORMATION

ECCD is currently only accepting applications for the Child Care Payment Program for families who fall within the following categories: TANF families and families transitioning away from TANF assistance, MDCPS foster care children, teen parents, families with children that have special needs, deployed military families, and homeless families. DECCD is unable to accept any applications for families that do not fall within these categories. This includes new applications, applications for redetermination, and applications to add a child to a family’s existing certificate.

Have questions? Check out these FAQs.

Dear Parents:

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Mississippi received a temporary increase in funding from the federal government to support child care in Mississippi. The state had until September 30, 2024, to use all the temporary funding we received. We are very happy that we were able to use all funding to support child care statewide including using a large portion of the temporary funding to issue additional child care certificates to you, our families.

MDHS remains committed to supporting ~~our~~ families’ access to child care in our state but with the ending of the COVID-19 relief funding, we also must make changes to the number of families and children we can serve with the funding available to us.

Effective April 1, 2025, the Division of Early Childhood Care and Development (DECCD) has implemented the following temporary changes:

We will continue to accept applications and issue certificates to the families that fall within six exception categories: (1) TANF families and families transitioning away from TANF assistance (TCC), (2) MDCPS foster care children, (3) teen parents, (4) families that have special needs, (5) deployed military families, and (6) homeless families.

For families that do not fit into one ~~fall outside~~ of the six categories listed above, DECCD will also continue paying for services for the duration of their current certificates until the 12-month period of the certificate expires. For example, if your current certificate is set to expire in September of this year, DECCD will continue paying for services through September.

DECCD will place a temporary pause on accepting any applications for families that do not fall within the six exception categories listed above.  This includes new applications, redeterminations, and applications to add a child to a family’s existing certificate.

The pause will remain in place until the number of certificates we have issued falls back into line with what our current budget can support. We cannot accurately estimate how long the pause will remain in place, but we will be monitoring the situation very closely and will lift the pause as soon as we can.

If you have any questions about your current certificate or the redetermination process, please reach out to us at ccpayment@mdhs.ms.gov or 1-800-877-7882. We will continue to have staff available to answer your questions. We have also placed some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on our website at www.mdhs.ms.gov.

The Division of Early Childhood Care & Development administers the Child Care Payment Program.

The Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) provides qualifying parents and guardians with child care tuition assistance. Parents may choose any type of child care while participating in the program, including home-based child care or a child care center.

Parents who receive tuition assistance through CCPP may still need to pay a monthly co-payment to their child care provider. In addition, parents are responsible for paying their child care provider the difference between the amount of their child care tuition voucher from CCPP and their child care provider’s published tuition rates.

For example, if a parent has a child enrolled in AZQ Preschool and the preschool’s published tuition rates are $390 per month and the Child Care Payment Program pays $300 per month, the parent is responsible for paying the $90 difference to the child care provider in addition to their monthly co-payment.

Eligibility Guidelines

The CCPP serves many different types of families, including those who:

Have low or very low incomes
Have a child or a single-parent with special needs
Are caring for foster children
Have a parent deployed in military service
Are referred to the agency from another public program

Families must meet eligibility requirement including income limits and work requirements to receive tuition assistance through CCPP.

Learn More

Find a Child Care Provider

Parents receiving child care tuition assistance through CCPP may choose any type of child care while participating in the program, including home-based child care or a child care center.
Search our provider database, learn about the types of child care available, and get information about how to choose the right provider for your child.

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Apply for Child Care Tuition Assistance

Most people will need to submit an application in order to receive child care tuition assistance through CCPP. You will also be asked to provide certain documents as proof to support your application.

Apply for Assistance

Check Application Status

Parent Forms

Find forms you may need to apply for child care tuition assistance, report a change to your family’s information, request to change child care providers, or file a report or complaint.

Parent Forms

Co-Payment Information

Parents may be responsible for paying their child care provider a monthly co-payment fee. See how these co-payments are calculated and determine your co-payment amount.

Making Co-Payments