Oklahoma Child Care Centers Struggle During Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis

As the state continues to battle the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, an industry critical in that fight said they are in big trouble. Child care centers across Oklahoma are either closing or struggling to stay open.

Board members of the state's two largest child care associations are pleading with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) to step in with assistance. They said by mid-week last week 525 of the state’s child care centers had to shut down and that number is climbing by the day.

Child care centers across the state are doing all they can to stay open: taking temperatures of every child and keeping everyone, even parents outside.  But their biggest challenge so far of the coronavirus crisis is financial. 

Tammy Maus owns Kinderberry Academy in Norman -- one of her programs is down to just 25% of what it was.

“We can’t stay in business continuing like that without some kind of assistance or help in some way,” she said.

Janell Wheat said the attendance at her center is now down to about 62 children down from 148.

“They’re begging us to stay open, that we are not only critical for health care workers but prison employees, people, putting bread on the counters and checking you out,” Wheat said.

Both the Licensed Child Care Association of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Child Care Association have sent letters to the state asking for help. Both groups would like, among other things, for DHS to pay subsidized rates for enrollment not attendance. Wheat, who is also a board member for the Licensed Child Care Association of Oklahoma said her group would also like the state to release money from a block grant.

“So for the state expecting us to stay open but not providing the funding for us to provide the services to everyone on the front lines. it's got to be a partnership and we don't feel like it's been a partnership at all,” Wheat said.

Casey White, Communications Administrator for DHS, released the following statement Monday:

We are thankful to the service of child care providers in this unprecedented time. On Tuesday of last week, Director Brown announced additional childcare provider supports with three additional subsidy absent days for a total of ten for the month of March, rate increases for 1 and 3 star programs and special needs effective April 1, and rate changes for school-age children to be paid in weekly rates now that school is officially closed for the year. Childcare providers also have access to the 7(a) loans that were part of the Cares Act signed by President Trump on Friday.  These loans can cover 100% of all payroll costs, rent or mortgage payments, utilities and debt service for debt incurred prior to March 1, 2020.  These loans are available for the period of March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.  If the childcare facility maintains their full payroll for this period, the entire loan can be forgiven. We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and provide further guidance and supports as we are able over the coming days and weeks.