Growing child care program splits costs between parents, employers, and the state

Grand Rapids Business Journal | By Rachel Watson | Crain’s Detroit Business | October 19, 2022

GRAND RAPIDS — Michigan is expanding a program to help cover the cost of child care thanks to $2.5 million in the 2023 budget.

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) and the Michigan Women’s Commission on Wednesday announced the expansion of the MI Tri-Share pilot, which divides child care costs evenly between employees, employers and the state, with coordination by regional “facilitator hubs.”

First piloted in March 2021, the program expanded to 59 Michigan counties earlier this month. That’s up from just three counties when it launched as a public-private partnership between the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and Representative Greg VanWoerkom (R-Norton Shores) with $1 million from the state. Lawmakers allocated another $2.5 million to the program in November 2021. By February 2022, seven hubs were added covering 52 counties and the city of Detroit.

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