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  Office for Young Children (OYC)

Programs for Low-Income Families

Thank you for showing interest in the Office for Young Children and information about programs and services for low income families. The next pages include brief summaries of the following programs:

• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) - food and nutrition program
• Child Care Scholarship Programs - City of Lansing, East Lansing, and LCC
• Child Care and Taxes - IRS Child Care Tax Credit, and Earned Income Credit
• MIChild and Healthy Kids (formerly MichCare Medicaid) - Health care coverage for pregnant women and children
• DHS Child Day Care Services - Child care assistance for working families

For additional information and eligibility requirements, you may contact each program individually at the phone number included in the program description. Please feel free to contact the Office for Young Children at 887-4319 or (800) 234-6996 if we may be of further assistance.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a food and nutrition program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture through the Michigan Department of Community Health. WIC helps correct or prevent poor nutrition in low to moderate income pregnant or breastfeeding women, women who recently had a baby, infants, and children up to 5 years old. WIC services are free to applicants and participants.

WIC provides nutritious foods to supplement and help improve the diet. Participants receive coupons which they may redeem for specified foods at retail stores throughout Michigan which are authorized to accept WIC coupons.

Nutrition education is also offered to all WIC participants or their caregivers. Topics include nutrition during pregnancy, encouragement for breastfeeding, nutrition during childhood, and wise food shopping.

The WIC program also screens for other health problems and refers to other appropriate health and social services. These referrals may be for Medicaid, Food Stamps, immunizations, child health screening, family planning, and more.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who have recently had a baby, and children from birth to five years may be eligible for WIC services. In order to be eligible they must be residents of the state of Michigan, meet risk criteria as determined by clinic staff, and be income eligible (see chart below).

If you have Medicaid, you are income eligible. If you are pregnant then increase the count of family size by one. For further information or to apply for WIC services contact your County Health Department:

Barry-Eaton District Health Department, 541-2630 or 485-7110

Ingham County Health Department, 887-4326

Mid-Michigan District Health Department (Clinton County), (989) 224-7734

Shiawassee Health Department, (989)743-2383

rev. 9/2005

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Child Care Scholarship Programs

City of Lansing
The City of Lansing funds the Lansing Child Care Scholarship Program which is designed to assist low and moderate low income Lansing families with their child care expenses while parents are working or going to school at least part time. In order to be eligible for the Lansing Child Care Scholarship Program, a family must reside in and use regulated child care within the corporate limits of the City of Lansing. There are specific income limitations applied in determining eligibility. Call the Office for Young Children at 887-4319 (press 3) for further information and application forms. Income eligibility guidelines are:

                                                                                            rev. 3/06

The next round of applications will be available: May 4, 2007

Deadline to return completed application:  May 25, 2007

Scholarships will be awarded approximately:  early June 2007

The Scholarship period begins July 1 through Dec 31, 2007

Eligible applications received after May 25, 2007 will be placed on the waiting list. 

East Lansing
The City of East Lansing  funds a Child Care Scholarship Program. Applications are accepted in August. Awards are for a 12 month period. Call the East Lansing Community Development office at 319-6930 for more information.

Lansing Community College
The LCC Women's Resource Center offers child care awards to eligible students to help pay part of the costs of licensed child care while attending LCC. Scholarships are awarded three times a year. The application deadlines are: May 1st for summer session, July 1st for fall semester, and November 1st for spring semester. Call the Women's Resource Center at 483-1199 for more information.

Women’s Caring Program

The Women’s Caring Program, administered through the Michigan 4C Association (MI4C), offers assistance to a limited number of low-income families to help with their child care costs. For more information, contact the MI4C at (800) 950-4171. To be eligible, parents must not exceed the following income guidelines:

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Child Care and Taxes

IRS Child Care Tax Credit

The Federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit is available to parents who work outside the home and pay someone to care for their children while they work.  The law allows the tax credit for children up to age 13, or older if they are disabled.  The tax credit can range from 20% - 35% of qualified expenses depending on your income.  The maximum Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit is $1,050 for one child and $2,100 for two or more qualified dependents.  The Office for Young Children encourages families to contact a tax professional with any further questions on income tax preparation, or visit the IRS website at www.IRS.gov

Earned Income Credit (EIC)

The earned income credit, or EIC, is a refundable credit for workers who meet certain requirements and file a tax return. Persons with or without a qualifying child may claim the EIC.  For tax year 2004, the maximum credit is $2,604 for persons with one qualifying child, and $4,300 for persons with two or more qualifying children.  For the 2004 tax year, if you work and have one qualifying child, your earned income and adjusted gross income must be less than $30,338.  If you have two or more qualifying children, your earned and adjusted gross income must be less than $34,958.  Even if you do not owe any Federal taxes, you can receive the credit but, you must file a Federal 1040 or 1040A with Schedule EIC. Your filing status can not be "married filing separate".  For more information about this EIC, and advanced payment of the EIC, see IRS Publication 596 or the IRS website at www.IRS.gov.  The Office for Young Children strongly encourages families who have further questions after reviewing the IRS publications to consult a tax professional.             Rev. 11/04

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Healthy Kids & MIChild

If you are pregnant or have children under the age of 19, Michigan has programs to help you with medical expenses. Each program covers most health care services for children and pregnant women's needs including doctor visits, prescriptions, lab tests, specialty care, hospitalization, vision, hearing, and more!

Program eligibility is based on monthly gross income, family size and the age of the children. (Unborn children are included in the family size.)

Your application will first be considered for Healthy Kids (formerly MICHCare Medicaid) eligibility. If not eligible for Healthy Kids, determination will be made for MIChild.

The following monthly income limits are used to determine eligibility. (Many variables are considered when determining monthly income and all families and pregnant woman are encouraged to apply.)