Child Care Subsidy Information for Parents

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The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) can help with the cost of child care (called a child care subsidy).  Your gross income (income before taxes, insurance, and any other deductions are subtracted) is used to see if you are eligible. Both earned income (for example, wages) and unearned income (for example, child support, Social Security payments, Unemployment Insurance) are counted.

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There is help for:
  1. Families who are no longer eligible for Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) because of earnings; and
  2. Families who have not recently received ADC. Families may be eligible if income is at or below the monthly income limit, which is based on family size.

In order to qualify for assistance, you must need child care because you're:

  1. Employed;
  2. Attending school or training sessions;
  3. Going to medical or counseling appointments for yourself or another child;
  4. Incapacitated (must be verified by a physician).

If there are two parents in the family, both parents must be participating in one of the activities listed above.

Generally, families with children who are 12 or younger may receive help through the Child Care Subsidy Program. However, a family may receive Child Care Subsidy for a child up to the age of 19 if the child requires extra care due to an acute or chronic physical or mental condition.

Depending on your income, you may owe a monthly fee for each child for whom you receive assistance. That fee is paid directly to your child care provider. He or she then bills DHHS for the remainder of the bill.

All families eligible for Child Care Subsidy may select the provider of their choice. However, DHHS will only pay for child care if the child care provider is licensed or approved by the Department. In addition the provider must have a Provider Agreement with DHHS. Parents can select providers from the following:

  • Licensed Child Care Centers
  • Licensed Family Child Care Homes
  • License Exempt Homes: A home that is not required to be licensed by state law.
  • In-Home Care: Care provided in the parent’s home (there are some restrictions on this type of care).

PDFUnderstanding the Child Care Subsidy Program

Contact:

To learn more about the Child Care Subsidy Program, or to apply, contact your local Health and Human Services office.

For help in finding a child care provider or in using the list of providers on the DHHS Web site, call 1-800-89-CHILD or 1-800-892-4453.

You can also contact:

Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
Child Care Subsidy
P.O. Box 95026
Lincoln, NE 68509-5044
Phone: (402) 471-9325

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