— LEAGUE RECOMMENDATION —
Increase eligibility for child care assistance to 150% of poverty to expand the number of Michigan parents who can afford to work, and to improve employers’ bottom line.
BACKGROUND: At 120% of poverty, Michigan had the lowest child care income eligibility levels in the country in 2016. Even with small increases to 125% of poverty in 2017 and 130% in 2018, Michigan’s income cutoff remains near the bottom.
- For many parents, the cost of child care is an absolute barrier to work. The cost of placing one infant in a child care center in Michigan (approximately $10,200) is nearly as much as the annual cost of tuition at a public four-year college, and exceeds the median annual cost of rent. In Michigan, single parents pay 48% of their income for infant center care, while married parents of two children who live at the poverty level would need to devote 92% of their income for center care.
- Child care assistance cases and expenditures are down dramatically. In part because of restrictive eligibility, the number of families receiving child care subsidies dropped by nearly 70% between 2009 and 2016. State spending for the child care subsidy fell from $491.6 million in 2003 to $124.2 million in 2016.
- Michigan’s investment in child care has dropped compared to other states. In 2003, Michigan’s spending on child care was the 11th highest in the nation; by 2013, the state dropped to 39th—the 11th lowest.
WHY IT MATTERS:
If parents can’t work because of high child care cost, their children are more likely to live in poverty. The youngest children in the state have the highest poverty rates—in part because of the barrier of child care costs. It is well documented that exposure to poverty in the earliest years of life can affect children’s long-term development and success.
- Systemic barriers to economic security based on race and ethnicity have made child care less affordable for families of color. Children of color are less likely to have access to high-quality child care in part because of the barriers to economic opportunity faced by their parents. In 2015, the median family income of African-American families in Michigan was $27,200 compared to $71,600 for non-Hispanic White families.
- Without child care assistance, parents may need to resort to care that is temporary and of unknown safety and quality. If parents cannot afford child care, they must either give up the hope of finding and holding jobs to support their families, or rely on a patchwork of relatives, friends and neighbors who may be unable to make long-term commitments.
- The inability to find stable child care affects employers’ bottom line. Employers offering low- or moderate-wage jobs are negatively affected when their employees don’t have reliable child care.
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Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
