Maine Revised Statutes Title 22. Health and Welfare § 3740-C. Affordable child care implementation plan

1. Phased approach. A phased approach with benchmarks that gradually increases eligibility based on income until 2030;

2. Copayments. A graduated system of copayments to eliminate the benefit cliff effect as defined in Title 26, section 3801, subsection 1 for families and to limit the amount a family pays for child care;

3. Cost modeling. Payment rates informed by a cost modeling tool that includes providing a living wage to licensed child care providers;

4. Expanded access. Expanded access to a child care subsidy by developing a model to enable the department to provide contracted slots to programs that service a family using the child care subsidy; and

5. Strategy. A strategy, a budget, revenue recommendations and a timeline to achieve the goals of this section.