COLORADO SPRINGS — The El Paso County Department of Human Services (DHS) has had to stop enrolling families in a state child care assistance program, known as CCCAP. It provides child care subsidies to eligible low-income families.

With no end to the frost in sight, there are fears that families will be forced to make sacrifices.

DHS said nearly 3,300 children are in the care of CCCAP.

“This is the first time we’ve had a freeze,” said Yesenia Torres, director of DHS’s Division of Adult and Family Services.

Torres said they can’t support new families with its current budget.

With the new state requirements, CCCAP now pays providers more per child, without any additional funding.

“There has been a reduction in funding on top of the upcoming changes that are not accompanied by the associated funding,” Torres said.

More than 60% of families at the Early Learning Connections Center in Colorado Springs under CCCAP.

“We are concerned that we are having an impact on the number of families who come to us and are able to accept our services,” said its president and CEO, Liz Denson. “I think freezing the CCCAP will force families to choose between keeping their child in daycare and going to work.”

Currently, three other counties in the state have also stopped CCCAP enrollment.

DHS recommends that families rely on other utility, rent and food assistance programs.

“If a family applies for food assistance and qualifies, this is a way for them to offset some of the costs of their home and be able to free up those funds to fund child care,” Torres said.

Torres said about 40 families have applied to CCCAP since the registration freeze. It is still recommended to apply so DHS can track needs if the freeze is lifted.

Denson said they want to help new families get child care without CCCAP.

“We are fortunate to have philanthropy and a sliding fee scale, which helps us close this gap, making child care still affordable for families,” Denson said.

As a universal early education provider, Denson hopes the program offering up to 15 hours of free early childhood education per week will be helpful.

“We should be grateful that UPK exists in our state and provides some financial assistance because every child, regardless of income level, is eligible for this funding,” Denson said.

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