CLASP recently published a brief outlining how immigrant providers and families can utilize the two child care funding streams made available in the American Rescue Plan Act: $24 billion in stabilization grants and another $15 billion for child care assistance through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Because immigrant families are a significant share of the nations families with children, and because immigrant workers comprise a substantial slice of child care providers, CLASP argues that excluding immigrant needs from planning processes risks leaving significant numbers of families and children behind. CLASP recommends that state agencies conduct outreach in immigrant communities to inform them about their eligibility for relief and to reduce fear and misunderstanding, support mental health services for immigrant workers and families, use funds to improve and coordinate state data systems, and be sure to bring the voices of immigrant communities into the decision-making process. #covid-19 #childcare #mentalhealth #racialequity
