The Army is testing a new childcare program which is designed to offer military families more childcare options.
Through the Army Child Care in Your Neighborhood program, civilian agencies recruit childcare centers and civilian providers from areas where military families work and live, then train them to meet Army standards. Additionally, Army families participating in the program receive a special monetary childcare supplement, based on family size and family income, resulting the same childcare costs for those using the program, as those who use on base childcare facilities.
The program is being tested at Fort Sam Houston, Tx; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Drum, N.Y.; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Meade, Md.; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; and Fort Detrick, Md.
“Fort Sam Houston is an ideal site for a pilot program because we’re due to be heavily impacted by Base Realignment and Closure and there will be a higher demand for childcare,” said Rhonda DeVries, Fort Sam Houston Child and Youth Services. “The program will augment the top-quality care we already provide.”
The Family Service Association of San Antonio, affiliated with the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, has already partnered with the Army to augment off-post childcare. The partnership will ensure care provided in off-post homes and childcare centers meets stringent Army standards.
“Family Service Association of San Antonio is proud to be working on a project that supports both our military families and local civilian-childcare programs,” said Nancy Hard, association president and CEO.
The Family Service Association has recruited two childcare centers and 25 civilian providers in areas surrounding Fort Sam Houston for use by local Army families.
To ensure quality of care, participating centers and in-home providers will be monitored by Family Service to ensure their full compliance with standards, DeVries said.
“We continue to see an extraordinary demand for our on-post childcare services,” said M.A. Lucas, director, Army Child and Youth Services. “The Army Child Care in Your Neighborhood project will help with meeting this need and extend the high quality of care Army families experience on post into the communities where they live.”
