Child Care Subsidy Payments

The Office of Childhood (OOC) Child Care Subsidy section manages provider child care subsidy payments, including Payment Resolution Requests (PRR), and conducts desk reviews of payment data to ensure compliance with Child Care Development Fund guidelines.

Learn more about Child Care Subsidy .

The Child Care Subsidy payment team processes payments for child care subsidy providers. The provider payment rate structure, payment process, and what you need to do if there is an error with a payment can be a complicated process to navigate. The items below provide guidance on both processes and rate structure to help assist providers with the payment process.

Child Care Payment Rate Tables (Current)

Child Care Subsidy Rates and Sliding Fees

Payment Calculation Information

The state rate for child care services is called the "maximum base rate." This rate applies to all non-foster children (children in the legal custody of the Children’s Division) participating in the child care subsidy program. As a child care provider, the amount you charge for your child care services is your decision. This amount is called your "rate." If your rate is higher than the maximum base rate, the child's family is responsible for paying the difference directly to you. This difference is called the "co-pay".

The maximum base rate you are paid is based on all of the following factors:

County you reside in or facility location (rates vary depending on if you live in an urban or rural part of the state)

Type of child care facility (family home, group home, center, etc.)

Age of the child Infant (newborn to 2 years) Preschool (2 years to 5 years) School age (5 years and over) Effective May 2026 , children who are not yet age 5 before August 1 will be paid at the preschool rate for the school year. For children with special needs, the child’s functional age is used instead of chronological age.

Number of hours you care for the child Full day (5 to 12 hours per day) Half day (3 to 4 hours and 59 minutes per day) Part day (30 minutes to 2 hours and 59 minutes per day)

What time during the week you provide care Daytime (Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) Evening (Monday through Friday from 7:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) Weekend (6 a.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Sunday)

Service Description Codes Reference Guide

Child Care Subsidy Rates and Sliding Fees

You will receive an Authorization Letter from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for each child who is eligible for child care subsidy that identifies the following:

Name of the child

Beginning and ending dates the child is authorized for child care subsidy

Portion of day (full, half, or part) the child is eligible

Number of days in the month the child can receive child care subsidy

Sliding fee the parent must pay to you

The state will not pay for more hours or days of care than stated in the Authorization Letter. If there are any questions about a child's authorization, have the parent contact Childhood Finance.

Providers must be contracted to receive child care subsidy before DESE can issue payments. You will not receive payment for any dates of child care provided prior to your contract start date. You must also be registered in our Missouri Buys powered by MOVERS system to receive payments.

Please visit our child care subsidy providers webpage for instructions on how to become a child care subsidy provider or renew a child care subsidy contract, as well as how to register in Missouri Buys powered by MOVERS.

Contracted child care subsidy providers will receive payment approximately 10 to 15 days from the time invoices are entered into the payment system by DESE.

The OOC provides an electronic time and attendance system to subsidy providers at no cost to them. This system, the Child Care Business Information System (CCBIS), is where payments are initiated according to the time and attendance data captured in the system.

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The Child Care Subsidy payment team is responsible for ensuring accurate payments. If there is an error with your payment or if CCBIS is not working correctly, providers should submit a Payment Resolution Request (PRR) in their Provider Portal of the child care data system. If a request cannot be entered in the Provider Portal, providers can submit information manually through the Payment Resolution Request (PRR) Form. You must submit a request within 60 calendar days of the service month with the reason for the request and the attendance record. If applicable, submit the attendance form with the PRR.

Payment Resolution Request

Child Care Attendance

Accreditation is a way child care providers are recognized for meeting high standards of quality. There are seven accrediting organizations that are recognized by DESE.

If you are accredited by one of these organizations, are in good standing with DESE, and are serving a child eligible for Child Care Subsidy you are eligible to receive the accreditation rate differential .

To receive the accreditation rate differential, you must submit your accreditation certificate to the Child Care Subsidy Agreement Unit via:

Email: CCPayments@dese.mo.gov Fax: 573-526-2926

Office of Childhood, Child Care Subsidy PO Box 480 Jefferson City, MO 65102

Accreditation is a 20% rate differential awarded to providers who are accredited by one of the seven DESE recognized accrediting agencies. Apply here: Accreditation Rate Differential Agreement

Disproportionate Share (DS2) program is a 30% rate differential awarded to providers who are Accredited AND it’s been verified that 50% or more of the children enrolled for care are state-subsidized. The provider is eligible if they are a licensed or license-exempt child care provider who is:

Contracted or registered with the Office of Childhood Child Care Subsidy Agreement Unit.

Providing care to a disproportionate share (50% or more) of children receiving child care subsidy.

Accredited or working towards accreditation with one of the DESE recognized accrediting organizations. Apply here: Accreditation/Disproportionate Share Enhancement Agreement If all requirements are met the provider will receive the DS2 rate differential for one year unless provider becomes ineligible.

Note: Providers can only receive one of these two rate enhancements.

Providers who receive the 20% accreditation enhancement will continue to receive the enhancement as long as they maintain accreditation.

Providers who receive the 30% accreditation enhancement and serve a disproportionate share of subsidy eligible children (50% or more) will continue to receive the enhancements as long as both criteria are met. If the facility remains accredited, but no longer cares for the disproportionate share of subsidy eligible children (fewer than 50%), they will no longer be eligible for the 30% enhancement, but would be eligible for the 20% accreditation enhancement.

For additional information and resources about the child care subsidy program, please review the options listed below:

Child Care Disaster Plan

Child Care Disaster Preparedness

Child Care Manual

Child Care Market Rate Survey

Child Welfare Manual

Show Me Child Care Resources