HB 1863-S - DIGEST

(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)

     Requires the department to contract for a study of families currently on temporary assistance for needy families and those utilizing transitional child care in order to measure the impact of welfare-to-work programs on child care demand.

     Requires the department to contract for a study of child care supply.

     Provides that:  (1) Existing community-based, nonprofit child care resource and referral programs shall support families moving from welfare to work with appropriate child care assistance;

     (2) in order to provide all families in Washington state with equal access to child care information, the department shall within existing funds, support nonprofit child care resource and referral services across the state;

     (3) the department may support a program of enhanced child care resource and referral in order to provide more in-depth client-centered assistance to recipients who have children under six years of age and are unable to find appropriate, affordable, available child care through conventional means.