Child care programs impacted by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina may have the opportunity to reopen, even if they lack running water or cannot meet standard requirements. This initiative aims to address the urgent needs of local communities.
The North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is urging licensed child care programs in the region to reach out to a licensing consultant. These consultants can help determine if and how programs can reopen without adhering to the usual licensing requirements. Information on consultants for the Western region can be found on pages 4-12 of the state resources.
Families seeking child care assistance can call the NC Child Care Hotline at 1-888-600-1685, available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. This service, operated by DHHS and Child Care Resource & Referral agencies, helps families locate care options for children up to 12 years old.
Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order on Friday that acknowledges the critical role of child care in the region’s workforce. The order states that many programs have been “damaged, destroyed, or closed” and that reopening under normal requirements may be “difficult or impossible.”
The executive order allows state and local agencies to offer flexibility in the 27 counties affected by the federal disaster declaration. DHHS is permitted to waive or modify child care requirements related to activities, records, training, nutrition, attendance, staff qualifications, and sanitation, including those for subsidized child care.
As of October 11, DCDEE reported that 55 child care programs in the original 25 disaster-declared counties were unable to reopen due to damage. Additionally, there were 40 programs that had not been contacted, 130 programs that were operational but closed, and 587 programs that remained open. DCDEE is collaborating with the Division of Public Health’s Environmental Health unit and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to assist each program in reopening based on its specific situation.
Last week, the North Carolina legislature passed a $273 million relief package for Hurricane Helene, which Governor Cooper subsequently signed. However, despite requests from DCDEE and early childhood leaders, the legislation did not include funding for child care. Local leaders and educators have expressed that immediate financial support is crucial for repairing or replacing facilities and for continuing to pay teachers.
Candace Witherspoon, acting director of DCDEE, mentioned in a newsletter on Friday, “We hope our request for funding is approved when the General Assembly reconvenes closer to the end of the month.” The legislature is scheduled to meet again on October 24.
Advocates also stress the need for additional funds for the long-term operation of child care programs, as pandemic-era relief funding is set to expire in December. The legislature is expected to return in November to finalize its budget.
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