State Boosts Childcare Spending

Highlands Current Audio Stories · Jun 26, 2026 · 4m

Dutchess, Putnam faced funding shortages More funding is on the way for families who were turned away for childcare assistance when Putnam and Dutchess counties suspended their programs last summer. Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers agreed last month to provide $2.4 billion in the 2026-27 budget for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), a 40 percent increase. It also includes $630 million in supplemental funds for 2025-26. Demand for the program, which covers most of a family's childcare costs, skyrocketed when the state began allowing people with higher incomes to qualify. Income…