More details and how to register for this program are coming soon from Office of Child and Family Services
September 12, 2022 MEMORANDUM from OCFS:
In April 2022, Governor Mills signed the supplemental budget which included salary supplements to increase the pay for early childhood educators employed in licensed child care facilities and family child care programs. The budget provides more than $12 million in ongoing state General Fund dollars to increase pay for early childhood educators providing direct care to strengthen the Early Care and Education system across Maine.
Maine’s Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement Program is designed to:
- Increase early childhood educator’s regular pay through monthly cash awards;
- Incentivize continuing education of the early childhood workforce; and
- Raise the overall quality of care for young children.
With the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Child Care Stabilization grants scheduled to end August 2022 (payments in September), the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement Program portal will be opened in September 2022 (payments in October).
- The first payments to the workforce will be issued in October 2022 and, as with the ARPA grant, these salary supplement payments must be paid directly to the early childhood workforce. These supplemental payments are required for all providers to receive and pass through to their eligible staff.
- In addition to the $200 staff supplements, 7.65% additional funds will be added to cover the cost associated with the staff supplements in the providers’ monthly payments.
- The Early Childhood Educator Workforce Salary Supplement Program will be administered by Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) through the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS).
fccamaine.com 