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Explore How States are Supporting Military Families
Across the country, states are advancing thoughtful policies, programs, and partnerships that strengthen support for military and veteran-connected families. This toolkit brings together those efforts in one shared, accessible place.
Select a state on the map to explore local initiatives, or browse the full database below to discover ideas and opportunities being activated nationwide.
Darker shaded states are a Do Your Part state.
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Maintain expanded eligibility and affordability from post-pandemic levels to ensure child care continues to be accessible for low-income families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Military Spouse Liason
Washington State created the Military Spouse Liaison, the nation’s first, to address military family childcare and advise on early learning policy through the state’s Early Learning Advisory Council.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Child Care for Military Families in Washington State Roadmap
Guides military families through finding and paying for childcare after receiving orders or experiencing a change in family status, including military and civilian childcare programs in Washington State.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Ensures active-duty, National Guard, and other service members and their families have access to high-quality child care in their communities when on-installment child care isn’t available.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Helps eligible military families find affordable community-based childcare, offering reduced fees for licensed providers and referrals to on-post childcare near installations.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Title 7, Chapter 57, Section 15 (a)(2) of the Alaska Administrative Code
Alaska law (Title 7, Chapter 57, Section 15 (a)(2) of the Alaska Administrative Code) simplifies military childcare facility operations by eliminating conflicting state regulations, reducing barriers and improving access to quality military childcare.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Provider Appreciation Day
Washington observes annual Provider Appreciation Day events each May to recognize and honor childcare providers statewide, including those who support military families and contribute to quality early care and education.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Oklahoma expands MCCYN‑PLUS childcare fee assistance, helping eligible military families access high-quality civilian childcare when on-base programs are unavailable.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
MFRAP provides financial grants up to $5,000 to eligible Pennsylvania service members and their families to cover emergencies, including sudden loss of income, property, or childcare, natural disasters, and other urgent needs.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Cost of Living Report
Cost of Living Report: financial assistance, grants, or cost-relief benefit for eligible service members, veterans, and military families in Washington.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
MCCYN-PLUS provides childcare through Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) for Army families in areas without nationally accredited care, using state QRIS ratings to ensure high standards.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Qualifies licensed community childcare providers for the MCCYN-PLUS military fee assistance program in New York, helping military families offset childcare costs up to $1,800 per month per child based on family income.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
New Hampshire HB 1382 ensures special education hearing officers can issue subpoenas, with witness fees for military parents reimbursed if the hearing officer rules in their favor, supporting due process access for military families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Delaware’s Purchase of Care Program provides income-based childcare assistance, helping eligible families afford licensed family childcare and center-based childcare while supporting early childhood learning and development.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Washington State Child Care for Military Families Workgroup
Washington State’s Military Child Care Workgroup brings together military leaders, DCYF staff, civilian providers, nonprofits, and school districts to share best practices, resources, and recommendations for improving childcare access for military families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
A program that offers free childcare through a variety of providers for service members while away on duty during drill.
Populations: Guard and Reserve Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Utah’s Child Care Assistance program helps eligible families cover part or all of their childcare costs to support employment and training by paying selected providers directly, with eligibility based on income, work hours, and household size.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Wyoming’s Military Assistance Trust Fund provides emergency financial grants to service members and their families facing hardship directly related to state or federal military duty, with applications submitted through the service member’s unit.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Florida Senate Bill 538
Florida Senate Bill 538 creates a provisional childcare license in Florida, allowing providers serving military families to operate sooner by meeting Department of Defense training and safety requirements while completing state licensing for a smoother transition among military families. An upcoming 2026 revision of this bill will also prohibit: "a school from imposing additional fees on a student who wishes to participate in extracurricular activities."
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Hawaiʻi House Bill 2227, Act 146
Hawaiʻi House Bill 2227, Act 146 addresses the shortage of childcare and exempts military-certified family childcare providers from state licensing requirements to expand access to qualified childcare for military and civilian families and reduce provider and family burden.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Your Feedback is Welcome!
This toolkit is launching in 'beta' to demonstrate the incredible potential of state level work. We'll keep refining it and would love your help in making it the most comprehensive, easy to use tool out there. Help us improve the States toolkit by sharing anything that needs attention with Blue Star Families by filling out this form.
A comprehensive overview of the methodology and supporting data can be found in the full technical memo.
Let's work together to support our military families.
The Do Your Part coalition is led by Blue Star Families with support from Craig Newmark and craig newmark philanthropies.
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