Missouri Lawmakers Investigate Child Care Subsidy Backlog

Missouri lawmakers are urgently calling for investigations into the state's prolonged child care subsidy backlog, with bipartisan support for emergency interim committees. The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee has scheduled a hearing for September 10 to examine the causes of delays in payments, which have been attributed to technical issues stemming from a transition to a new data system. Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin criticized the Office of Childhood's handling of the situation, claiming it has harmed child care providers reliant on federal funds. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade has described the situation as a crisis, emphasizing the detrimental impact on families and providers. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) acknowledges the challenges and is working on solutions, including hiring additional staff to address the backlog. However, some providers are still facing payment issues, leading to facility closures and loss of care for many families.