Oregon's Employment Related Child-Care Assistance

Hi Fellow Urban Mamas,

I read recently the April 19th post about two incomes and trouble affording child-care.  Well that is me and I wanted to alert you and all mamas in Oregon abut some significantly troubling changing in Oregon's DHS child-care assistance program.

I don't know if you are aware of recent changes within DHS and the Employment Related Day Care, but as of April, they have determined that those who are self-employed yet need child-care assistance are no longer eligible for child-care assistance (ERDC). This is very upsetting and troubling to me. I am a mother of two small children (3.5 and 1.5) who works part-time for low wages and my husband owns a small business in downtown Portland.

As many Oregonians do, we have trouble paying the bills and therefore I need to work. However, the child-care costs are too high for me to pay on my own.  We are in a bind---I need to work to pay the bills and therefore need child-care, which is expensive, however, if I do not work and therefore do not have childcare expenses, then we can't live in our home.  Do you see the problem?

My husband has been working very hard to get his business on stable ground so that he can take home a larger salary.  We employ 15 people, which is great for Oregon!, but the overhead expenses of running a business are very high and therefore my husband's income is very unstable.  I feel like we are being punished for being entrepreneurs and stimulating Oregon's economy.  If my husband worked for another company and therefore was not providing jobs in this difficult economy, we would be eligible for ERDC.  Where is the sense is that? 

I think the DHS people believe self-employed persons have flexibility with their schedule and therefore when I am working, my husband can take care of the kids.  This is not the case.  He needs to be on-site during the day, dealing with banks, vendors, staff, etc. 

As mother's here in Portland, I think we can change this policy!  Can you please contact DHS and your state legislator and urge them to change this very ill-though-out policy? The number for the DHS office is 1-503-945-6247.  You can find your state legislator's e-mail through this website:   http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

Thank you very much,

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