The U.S. Army Child, Youth and School (CYS) Services is committed to supporting the needs of Army families located on the installation or in areas where no military child care and youth programming is offered or is unavailable at installations due to high demand. CYS Services maintains a network of delivery systems through which the Army provides quality, affordable, available, and accountable childcare and youth programs for Army families.

Effective April 17, 2023, Army families must have an account and a household profile on MilitaryChildCare.com to request fee assistance for their child(ren).

Please visit MCCYN | MCC Central (disa.mil) with instructions on how to create an account and request Army Fee Assistance for child care through the MCCYN program.

Children and youth of active duty Army Soldiers are eligible for CYS programs. For child care eligibility see the Child Development Centers fact sheet, School Age Services fact sheet and Child & Youth Services (CYS) fact sheet.

Many active duty soldiers live in communities where no military childcare or youth programming is available or where there are long waiting lists for on-base childcare, school age programs or access to youth programs. To meet this need, the Department of Defense has partnered with state and local Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies and National Youth Organizations to refer military families.

What is Army Child Care Fee Assistance?

Child, Youth & School Services is helping Army families find affordable child care that suits their unique needs. Through the fee assistance program, eligible families receive monthly fee assistance (paid directly to the child care provider) to help offset the cost of child care in their communities. Army Fee Assistance Program guidelines state that if there is space available for a Sponsor's child/children at an Army CDC/FCC/SAC, then such space must be used for the care of their child/children. In the event that the Army CDC/FCC/SAC does not have space available, then the Sponsor may be eligible to apply for Off-Post Community Based Fee Assistance.

• Army Fee Assistance is the Army's contribution toward the total cost of child care for Army families

• Fee Assistance buys down the higher cost of off-post care allowing eligible families to pay fees comparable to those charged at the Installation or Army supported joint base for full day services. Fee assistance compensates for the difference between a community-based provider's rate and an installation's rate for similar services. Calculations for fee assistance are based on provider rate caps

• The parent rate (parent's portion) and the amount of fee assistance combined usually equal the provider's rate

• This program is not an entitlement program and is subject to the availability of funds, which may be discontinued at any time

The Fee Assistance Program is administered by the Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA). For more information about eligibility requirements and fee assistance application instructions call 800-424-2246, 703-341-4100, or visit Child Care Aware of America.

• What Army Child Care Fee Assistance Programs are available?

Operation: Military Child Care (OMCC)

OMCC provides child care fee assistance for eligible families whose children (6 weeks - 12 years) are enrolled in licensed off-post community-based care programs to support Military parents with their additional child care needs when they are deployed. OMCC helps geographically dispersed military families locate licensed child care options where they reside and arranges for them to pay reduced child care fees while the Military Parent is deployed. Children of deployed single military parents, dual military couples and service members whose spouse and children's guardians are working or attending school full-time/part time. Licensed Child Care Centers and family Child Care Providers are available in all 50 states. For eligibility requirements and fee assistance application instructions, please contact the Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) at 800-424-2246 or msp@usa.childcareaware.org. Visit Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) for more information.

Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN)

MCCYN provides off-post childcare options for families who have children 6 weeks - 12 years of age. MCCYN helps Army families locate and enroll in quality nationally accredited programs in the community where they live, and allows them to pay reduced fees, comparable to those charged on-post. MCCYN supports Child Care Centers and family Child Care Providers with fee assistance in all 50 states and helps to support the program's enrollment and demonstrates recognition of their accredited high quality childcare program. MCCYN is for children of active duty single military parents, dual military couples and service members whose spouses are working or attending school. This also includes eligible reserve component families.

Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood – PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS)

MCCYN-PLUS is a program initiative in select states. MCCYN-PLUS implements a state Quality Rating and Improvement System for non-accredited, licensed center-based child care programs with the intent to improve the quality of child care. MCCYN-PLUS is only approved if accredited care is not available. Visit the MCCYN PLUS page for more info.

If a family is not able to find a provider that meets the MCCYN or MCCYN-PLUS (in pilot locations only) requirements they should contact a specialist at CCAoA for assistance in locating an eligible provider.

MCCYN-PLUS Fact Sheet

MCCYN-PLUS Parent Pamphlet

Army Respite Care

The Army Respite program provides no-cost, hourly child care to support the unique child care needs for Army families who meet certain criteria. Per the Army’s implementation of FRAGO 01 Update to Execution Order 300-16, Respite Care is available for the following service members:

• Criteria 1: Deployed Contingency Operation

• Criteria 2: Wounded Warriors (must be assigned to a WTU or WTB)

• Criteria 3: Rotational Forces

• Criteria 4: Deployed Non-Contingency Operation

For service members with eligible deployment orders, families are eligible for up to 16 hours of no-cost, hourly child care per child per month.

Respite care can be used for any of the following:

• Attending appointments

• Running errands

• Taking a much-needed break

• Nights, weekends, and overnight care

• Respite care may also be used during the day, but it must be outside of the regularly subsidized care if the family already participates in the Army Fee Assistance Program

Respite Family Eligibility

Service members must submit the following documents to determine eligibility:

• Orders

• Online Application or paper copy of the Army Respite Child Care Parent Application

• Child(ren)’s Birth Certificate or Self-Certification Form

• For service members who are a single parent: Must provide a Power of Attorney (POA) and the POA’s contact information

The spouse/second parent does not have to be working, going to school, or looking for work to qualify for the Respite Care program.

https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/cys

https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/cys/childcare-fee-assistance

Army Fee Assistance Program:
https://www.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/military-families/army/afa-program/