This is part of a series of legislative updates on the state's 2022 General Session. See also:
For years in disability circles, families have reported high rates of refusal or removal, or requests to provide 1:1 support themselves. In terms of childcare research, this creates a desert, or absence of support for a particular community.
Substitute House Bill 2082 - Assessing Child Care Access, focuses on childcare deserts for children with developmental delay or disabilities.
Why is this important? Because the Department of Children, Youth & Families has left out this demographic when assessing gaps in childcare access.
The bill was rewritten in committee but still focuses on the
developmental disability community and still tries to gather information
the state needs to resolve lack of access. The bill:
- Requires the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to conduct competitive procurement as necessary to conduct a statewide assessment of child care access for families of children with developmental delay or disabilities
- Requires DCYF to partner with the Office of the Developmental Disabilities Ombuds and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to review the statewide assessment and make recommendations to increase the availability, affordability, and accessibility of childcare for families of children with developmental delay or disabilities.
The bill is waiting for a vote in the state House of Representatives. If approved, it moves over to the state Senate for committee action and possible vote.
- You can read about the bill and track its progress here
- If this matter is important to you, please comment here. This state legislative website link takes you to a comment form that is sent to your elected members.
- For the wonky: We created an informal policy paper that reviews the situation families of children with disabilities find themselves in, including information about programs and relevant disability and civil rights law.
