Indiana voucher waitlist falls 78% after $200M investment

Indiana’s Child Care and Development Fund voucher waitlist fell 78%, from 41,175 children in May to 9,006 at the end of October, after Gov. Mike Braun directed $200 million from a state fund to expand access. Nearly 48,000 children now receive vouchers, with enrollment efforts prioritizing siblings of current recipients, young children and several groups facing particular barriers, including children in foster care or experiencing homelessness. The vouchers are intended to help families afford child care while parents work, study or pursue training. The state had paused new sign-ups in late 2024, and a United Way of Central Indiana official said the funding came too late for some providers that closed in the interim; families above the program’s income threshold also remain ineligible.