Washington, DC – United States Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced today that Colorado will receive nearly $30 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help boost health and human services programs that provide care for small children and prevent disease. Specifically, Colorado will receive nearly $25 million and $3.3 million in Recovery Act funding to support child care for working families and to increase the availability of vaccines for underserved Americans, respectively.
“These investments will help struggling families during these unsure times. By supporting child care and disease prevention programs, we help working parents with day care assistance and we help kids stay healthy,” Udall said.
“Behind every job loss is the story of a parent worried about how they’re going to make ends meet and how they’ll be able to provide for their family,” said Bennet. “With these funds, working families will be given access to not only safe and affordable child care while they’re at work, but also the vaccines their kids need to live safe and healthy lives.”
The nearly $25 million in ARRA funds for the Child Care and Development Fund will allow Colorado to support child care services for more families whose children require care while they are working, seeking employment or receiving job training or education. The funds will be used by states to provide vouchers to families for child care or to provide access to care through contracts with child care centers or invest in quality improvements. Recovery Act dollars will support a wide range of child care providers, including child care centers and home-based programs.
In addition, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe will receive Child Care and Development Fund allocations of $60,124 and $66,936, respectively.
The $3.3 million in immunization grant funding will be used to purchase vaccines that will be distributed through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Section 317 immunization program. Funding will also be used to support national public information campaigns regarding vaccines and support grants to states that demonstrate innovative new ways to ensure more Americans receive the vaccines they need.
For more information on the Child Care and Development Fund, please click here. For more information on the immunization grant program, please click here.
More information about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is available at recovery.gov or at colorado.gov/recovery.