Therapeutic Child Care Grant Program - Funding - Alterations
Summary
SB359 makes a targeted change to Maryland’s Therapeutic Child Care Grant Program by altering the fiscal years in which the Governor must include a $3.7 million appropriation in the annual budget bill. The bill keeps the program itself intact and continues the State’s commitment to funding therapeutic child care providers that serve children under age 6 with developmental delays, physical disabilities, or social, emotional, or behavioral challenges.
Under the amended statute, the required appropriation applies for fiscal years 2023 through 2025 and again for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, creating a gap year in fiscal 2026. The Department of Education remains responsible for administering the program and awarding grants by August 15 each year. The distribution formula for grant funds is unchanged: money is allocated among existing providers, additional services for existing providers, and new or expanding providers, with any leftover funds redirected to additional services.
Impact
The bill amends Education Article § 8-420(d) to revise the State’s budgetary obligation for the Therapeutic Child Care Grant Program. It does not change eligibility, administration, or the grant distribution structure, but it does affect when the Governor must include the annual $3.7 million appropriation in the budget bill. As a result, the measure directly impacts state budgeting and funding continuity for therapeutic child care providers and the children they serve.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House by overwhelming margins, indicating strong bipartisan agreement on maintaining support for therapeutic child care services. No committee transcript was provided, but the voting history suggests the measure was viewed as a routine funding adjustment rather than a disputed policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only notable policy issue is the timing of the required appropriation, including the insertion of a fiscal-year gap before funding resumes in later years. Because the bill preserves the existing program structure and grant formulas, any discussion likely centered on budget timing and fiscal planning rather than on eligibility, program design, or the merits of therapeutic child care funding itself.