ARPA Final Stipend

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has contracted with Child Development Associates (CDA) to disburse unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stabilization funds through a final stipend to eligible child care providers on behalf of counties in which CalWORKs Stage One and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program) are administered by the County.

To download the Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 24-15 click here.

Who is eligible for a stipend issued by CDA?

CalWORKs Stage One and Foster Bridge Program child care providers who have been identified as eligible by CDSS and served children receiving subsidies in the month of April 2022 and completed the updated ARPA survey which closed on August 15, 2023.

When will stipends be issued?

As directed by CDSS, CDA shall invoice Alternative Payment Program (APP) contractors to collect remaining unspent ARPA and General Fund (GF) stipend funding. Once the funds have been collected and the per-child amount has been determined; CDA will issue the final per-child stipend to eligible providers identified by CDSS within 45 days.

Additional Information

The ARPA stabilization funding is intended to stabilize the child care and development workforce, and federal requirements prohibit distributing ARPA funds to providers that are permanently closed. Child care center and family child care homes that are temporarily closed are eligible for this stipend.

For child care centers that have undergone a change in ownership since April 2022, payments are to be issued to the new center owner. License-exempt family, friend, and neighbor providers who cared for a subsidized child any time during the month of April 2022 are eligible for this final stipend, if they are currently providing subsidized care. To receive this final stipend round, providers must have completed the ARPA survey, which closed on August 15, 2023.

To download the Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 24-15 click here.

This page will be updated as CDA receives additional information.

For questions, please contact our team by clicking here.