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State extends date and expands free childcare for essential workers

Kids of healthcare workers, first responders, military, grocery store and restaurant workers, and others are eligible.

UPDATE: The state has extended the deadline for this program until mid-August, though an exact date has not been determined.

The state has also updated the list of what's classified as essential workers to include financial, religious, utility and hotel industries among others.

Existing applicants who fit into one of the expanded categories do not need to apply again, even if they were previously denied or their application is still in process. TDHS is reviewing and reevaluating those previously submitted applications under the expanded employment categories.

Original story

Free child care is available for parents who are serving the state in essential positions during the coronavirus pandemic through June 15.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) designed the COVID-19 Essential Employee Child Care Payment Assistance program so essential workers can stay on the job.

To be eligible, parents must be employees of a healthcare entity, law enforcement, first responders (EMS, Fire Departments, etc.), corrections officers, military, activated national guard, human and social services workers, postal workers, transportation employees, restaurant workers or grocery workers.

Applications for payment assistance will be accepted online throughout the state of emergency here. Once you are approved, TDHS will make arrangements to pay for child care at the TDHS licensed program where the child is currently served.

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If your child is not already in an approved program, you can find a list here of licensed child care agencies that are open and able to accept children of essential workers. 

TDHS is also working with the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee to establish free child care for school-aged children of essential workers at temporary locations. As those locations are set up, they will be listed here and here. You don't have to apply with TDHS first for these locations.

The free childcare by the YMCA of East Tennessee will be available from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at its various locations in Knoxville

"Care will be supervised by trained YMCA childcare team members for school age children, ages 5-12. We have put safety precautions in place and have been working with CDC, local health departments, and state and local governments to ensure that we are able to offer this emergency care as safely as possible," according to the YMCA

For more information and to sign up, please visit ymcaknoxville.org/emergencycare

"TDHS hopes to lessen the financial burden for these essential employees, whether they are using licensed child care or accessing a temporary child care location," according to a press release.

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