Program Information
The US Secret Service (USSS) Child Care Subsidy Program is a fee assistance program that keeps affordable child care in reach for eligible families. With the subsidy, up to $416.50 per month of your household's child care cost is paid to reduce the cost of using community-based care. The goal is to make it easier for you to afford quality child care from local community providers.
Who's Eligible?
The USSS Child Care Subsidy Program is available to US Secret Service employees who meet these criteria:
- Are full-time, permanent USSS employees (including active-duty National Guard or Reservists) and
- Have a total family income (TFI) of $250,000 or less, based on the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for both parents or guardians.
If married or in a domestic partnership, your spouse or partner must be:
- A paid, full-time employee,
- A full-time student, or
- Unable to work due to a disability; taxable disability compensation will be included in the TFI.
If they are employed by a federal agency, they cannot receive a federal child care subsidy for the same child. If employed by the Secret Service, only one subsidy is approved for the family.
The USSS child care subsidy is available for:
- Children from birth through age 12.
- Children under 19 who are physically or mentally incapable of self-care as determined by a physician or licensed psychologist.
The child must be on at least one parent's or guardian's Federal tax return.
To identify yourself as a Secret Service employee in your MCC household profile, select Other Federal Employee as your sponsor type, and then indicate that you work for the US Secret Service.
Note: Families living outside of the US and US territories should contact the USSS Child Care Subsidy Program for more information.
Required Documentation
When you complete your registration, you must submit documentation to verify your eligibility.
SPONSOR
All sponsors must provide:
- Most recent tax return (Form 1040 only) showing an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of no more than $250,000, and
- Most recent Personnel Action Request Form (SF-50 Form).
USSS COST WORKSHEET
Before payments can be issued to your provider, they must be approved to participate in the subsidy, and you must submit a USSS Cost Worksheet for each child. The USSS Child Care Subsidy Program will pay up to $416.50 per month ($4,998 per year) per household directly to your approved provider. You will be responsible for paying the remaining provider fees.
Provider Information
PROVIDER LIST
The DoD is committed to making a variety of child care options available – both on and off base – to ensure families have access to the care they need. On our website, you may search for community child care providers who meet the requirements to participate in MCCYN or may already be serving families receiving fee assistance.
To see if the MCCYN program is available to you, log in to your MCC household or create an MCC account. You can then access the community provider resource list when searching for care by selecting the View MCCYN Providers link under the MCCYN program profile, or, if you've requested fee assistance, from your "My Child Care" page.
If there are no providers listed in your area, or your provider is not listed, you may choose your own provider. All providers must meet the eligibility requirements, apply, and be approved to participate.
PROVIDER REQUIREMENTS
The US Secret Service is committed to providing affordable, quality child and youth care in a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment. To do that, all employees receiving a child care subsidy must enroll their child with a licensed or regulated provider that offers full-day care or before and after care.
Choosing Quality Child Care
While licensing standards vary by state, all are designed to ensure the health and safety of children in care and outline the minimum standards that providers must meet to operate legally. They often include rules that ensure caregivers have passed criminal background checks and have taken required health and safety training.
When selecting a child care provider, consider additional quality standards like accreditation or participation in a state's Quality Rating and Improvement System, or QRIS, that indicate a provider has gone beyond licensing requirements to provide high-quality care.
- Accreditation shows a commitment to quality and indicates that the provider meets standards for high-quality early childhood and school age education that are above a state’s minimum licensing standards.
- A QRIS communicates the level of quality in early and school age care. Like rating systems for restaurants and hotels, a QRIS awards quality ratings to early and school age care that meet defined program standards. A QRIS supports providers to embark on a path of continuous quality improvement.
Visit ChildCare.gov for more information on how to choose quality child care and find child care providers in your state.
PROVIDER APPLICATION
If your provider is interested in participating in the USSS Child Care Subsidy Program, they must complete and submit the MCCYN Provider Interest Form.
Email Contact
For more information, contact the Fee Assistance team at USSSMCCYN@MilitaryChildCare.com.