Covering the Costs of Childcare

BY VIVIAN LaMOORE Inaajimowin Editor

One of the biggest barriers to obtaining and retaining a job is covering the cost of childcare. Aanjibimaadizing has a Childcare Assistance program to help ease the financial burden of covering the costs of childcare for Mille Lacs Band families. Applying for assistance is easier than ever.

“Child care is expensive,” said Tammy Wickstrom, Executive Director of Aanjibimaadizing. "The child care assistance program helps Mille Lacs Band families pay their child care costs, or make it more affordable. We help pay that bill.”

Aanjibimaadizing can pay for child care services at licensed child care centers, licensed family child care providers, and even family, friends or neighbors (FFN) who provide child care to Mille Lacs Band families. For the FFN providers, some child-safety training such as first-aid, is required, however, the Aanjibimaadizing program provides that training at no cost to the providers.

“If your sister, aunt, grandma, uncle, brother — any family member — or neighbor are watching your son or daughter, we can help pay them to keep your out of pocket cost affordable,” Tammy said. FFN are paid up to $3 per hour, per child with a maximum of 50 hours per week.

“I feel this is a really under-utilized program and some people do not even know we offer this assistance,” Tammy said. “For families who have young children, or school age children and need someone to watch their child after school, then we can help with the cost.”

Unfortunately, this program is not available in the Urban area at this time.

SLIDING SCALE CO-PAY

There is typically a parent co-payment. These co-payments are on a sliding scale based on income. “They can be zero, but most parents are paying an average of $10 per month per provider. Aanji pays the rest,” Tammy said.

Both the state and county also have childcare assistance programs available for Band members to utilize. “But the benefit of the Aanjibimaadizing program is we do not count per-cap as income,” Tammy said. “And we typically have lower co-payments than the state or the county.”

The Aanji child care assistance program is funded by the 477 program.

“If you need help paying for child care, please contact us,” Tammy said. “If you are curious or have questions of any kind, please call and please leave a message. We try to get back to people within 48 hours. Please leave a message with your name and phone number so we can call you back.”

EASY APPLICATION

1. Apply to become an Aanjibimaadizing client to see if you qualify for services. Applications can be found online at https://aanji.org. Once completed, applications should be submitted to a Case Manager or Rose Wind at rose.wind@millelacsband.com.

2. The Case Manager will give you a childcare assistance application that must be completed with your childcare provider.

3. If you qualify for assistance, you will be notified the amount of your monthly co-payment to the childcare provider. Monthly co-payments are determined by the household income and size. Aanjibimaadizing will pay the rest of the childcare bill when the monthly calendar or childcare invoice is submitted. Payments are made once a month. Please allow seven to 10 days for processing payment.

4. Contact a Case Manager or Rose Wind for assistance. For assistance. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION • You must be working or attending school full-time to qualify for childcare assistance.

• There is an annual limit of $6,000 for childcare assistance.

• Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) care providers may be required to take classes related to child safety. Classes are provided by Aanjibimaadizing at no cost.

CHILDCARE STABILIZATION GRANTS

Sub-grants are available to any licensed childcare provider who provides childcare services to Band member families. These grants can help providers pay for rent, staffing, supplies, just about whatever you need to keep providing childcare to Mille Lacs Band families.

“Part of the reason we offer these grants is that we want there to be places for Mille Lacs Band member to go for quality childcare,” Tammy said.

MORE:

Aanjibimaadizing means “changing lives.” The Mille Lacs Band Aanjibimaadizing program is currently serving roughly 450 adult clients.