Delaware House directs health agency to report on child care aid

The House directs Delaware's health and social services secretary to prepare three reports. The reports cover Delaware's Purchase of Care child care aid program. Each report must show child counts, spending, and funding sources for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The reports must include other use and family details when that information is available. Reports are due on or before December 1, 2025, March 1, 2026, and June 1, 2026.

The health department must report spending forecasts and cost estimates. The forecasts cover fiscal year 2026; the estimates cover possible aid for families at higher incomes and higher payments to child care providers. The 2026 forecasts and estimates for possible policy changes are required when the information is available. The department must also summarize estimates from an alternative method for setting payment rates. The alternative rate-setting estimate must be included in the quarterly reports.

The health and education departments must present the data, and the health department must share and post the reports. The departments must present to state early childhood and resource planning groups. The health department must also send the reports to those groups and state budget officials. Each report must appear on a state website within one week of its publication.