CLEVELAND, Ohio — The newly launched Childcare Voucher Program in Ohio is already helping over 5,000 children across 3,400 families, according to Kara Wente, director of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.
Wente made the announcement during a visit to Cleveland on Thursday, where she discussed the state’s efforts to improve access to child care. These efforts include the Childcare Choice Voucher Program, which is designed to assist families with incomes up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, or approximately $60,000 for a family of four.
Wente was joined by local and state education leaders at the Murtis Taylor Early Childhood Education Center in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood. The gathering highlighted Ohio’s ongoing initiatives to support child care and early education. Wente noted that 146 programs across the state—29 of them in Cuyahoga County—have already increased the number of available child care seats.
Katie Kelly, executive director of PRE4CLE, a program aimed at expanding access to high-quality preschool education, emphasized that initiatives like the Early Childhood Access Grants, Childcare Choice vouchers, and Infant Toddler Infrastructure Grants are making a significant difference. “These programs are opening doors for families, expanding learning opportunities, and making affordable, high-quality child care accessible for working families,” she said.
Governor Mike DeWine also highlighted child care improvements in his recent State of the State address. He announced an $85 million grant program to create new child care centers, expand existing ones, upgrade facilities, and provide more training for staff, especially those working with children with special needs.
Local media outlets, including cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer, are closely following these developments as part of a broader examination of the state’s child care challenges. The coverage explores both the difficulties families face in securing quality, affordable child care and proposed solutions to alleviate the burden on families and strengthen the economy.
Lovell Custard, president and CEO of Murtis Taylor Human Health System, shared how the organization benefited from two Early Childhood Access Grants. “These grants allowed us to add two new classrooms and 40 additional child care spots,” he explained, noting that many of the new openings were for infants. Custard added that the new spaces allow parents to enroll their children at one center, making child care more convenient and accessible.
Bridgette Stephens, administrative coordinator at Murtis Taylor and a grandmother, spoke personally about how the grants and vouchers have helped her family. “Before the grants, my son couldn’t afford to enroll his children in these programs,” she said. “Murtis Taylor’s child care program has been life-changing for us. My kids love the teachers, and they are thriving because of them.”
Wente stressed that affordability and access are critical components of Ohio’s child care strategy. She explained that the state’s goals include ensuring kindergarten readiness, providing access to quality programs, and fostering strong local and state partnerships. Wente also expressed a desire to expand public-private collaborations to further support child care initiatives.
“We all have an obligation to come together to figure out how to better support our children and families,” Wente said. “We want Ohio to be the best place to not only have children, but to raise a family.”
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