Child Care Assistance is Available for South Carolinians Affected by Hurricane Helene

South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA Child Care Assistance even if they did not have property damage.

FEMA may award payment for Child Care Assistance under its Other Needs Assistance program to those with disaster-caused child care expenses following Hurricane Helene. Residents in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation are eligible to apply.

Child Care Assistance covers standard child care service fees and/or personal assistance services for children with a disability, as defined by federal law.

Assistance may be available for up to eight weeks per child or household, up to a maximum of $150 per child.

Eligibility Criteria

FEMA Child Care Assistance addresses disaster-related expenses for eligible households with children aged 13 and under and/or households with children with a disability up to age 21, who need assistance with activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (walking) and continence, and more.

Eligibility begins on the date of the incident period for the declared disaster and continues through the end of the 18-month period of assistance unless the time is extended.

Child care registration fees and health inventory fees are eligible expenses for applicants who require a new child care service provider.

• A registration fee is a one-time fee when registering an eligible child with an authorized child care provider.
• A health inventory fee is a medical office fee for processing required medical paperwork as part of the registration process.

To qualify for Child Care Assistance, the general conditions must be met for FEMA Individual Assistance eligibility, and the applicant must have necessary expenses (child care facility damaged or inoperable) caused by the disaster. In addition to meeting the general conditions of eligibility as a direct result of the disaster, households must have a disaster-caused increase in financial burden for child care.

• The applicant’s gross household income has decreased; or
• The applicant’s child care expenses have increased.

Households must certify they cannot utilize child care services provided by any other source to qualify for Child Care Assistance. Households must submit documents showing a disaster-caused need for Child Care Assistance and amount of eligible expenses.

Documents Required

• Pre- and post-disaster gross household income documentation.
• Pre-disaster receipts, contract, or signed letter from the child care provider for child care expenses.
• Post-disaster receipts or estimates for child care fees, registration, and/or health inventory fees.
• A post-disaster child care provider’s license and post-disaster child care contract or agreement.
• Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), 504 plan, or a medical professional’s statement, if applicable, to verify disability for children up to age 21 who need assistance.
• A signed, written statement from the applicant.

Limitations and Exclusions

If a child is a member of multiple households, FEMA will only award Child Care Assistance to the primary custodial parent or guardian responsible for child care costs.

FEMA will not help with any of the following:

• Fees for extra-curricular activities, educational services and additional services.
• Fees not related to the day-to-day child care services provided to the eligible child.
• Fuel expenses related to transporting the child to and from the child care provider.
• Medical care or services.
• Recreational camps or clubs.

Households who did not have child care expenses pre-disaster but have incurred or will incur child care expenses because of the disaster may also be eligible, but must meet additional eligibility requirements.

For additional information, contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or visit a Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center near you, visit fema.gov/drc.

It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. Homeowners and renters in designated counties can go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, call 800-621-3362 or use the FEMA mobile app to apply. If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.

FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.