ANSBACH, Germany (May 8, 2020) – Starting June 1, 2020, the updated School Year (SY 19-20) Army Child & Youth Fee Policy will be implemented. The updated guidance addresses patron fees for Child Development Centers (CDCs), School Age Care (SAC), Family Child Care (FCC), Middle School & Teen Programs, SKIESUnlimited Instructional Programs, Youth Sports & Fitness, and Army Community Based Programs.
Major changes include a 2-hour, no-show hourly rate that may be implemented for hourly care, and transportation fees which may be charged when Child & Youth Services (CYS) transport children to and from school, because parent fees may not be used to pay for school transportation. Updates were also made to the Family Child Care (FCC) subsidy program with relocation and retention bonuses, and to the Army Fee Assistance program.
Standardized DoD fees are used service-wide; by law, military child care fees are based on Total Family Income (TFI), not military rank or civilian grade. The military subsidizes fees on a sliding scale for every family regardless of rank or grade.
TFI is validated during CYS Services annual registration. It is defined as all earned income including wages, salaries, tips, special duty pay (flight pay, active duty demo pay, sea pay), and active duty save pay, long-term disability benefits, voluntary salary deferrals, retirement or other pension income including Social Security Income (SSI) paid to the spouse and VA benefits paid to the surviving spouse before deductions for taxes. TFI calculations must also include quarters’ subsistence and other allowances appropriate for the rank and status of military or civilian personnel whether received in cash or in kind. For dual military living in government quarters, include Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) of the senior member only; for Defense Civilian OCONUS, include either the housing allowance or the value of the in-kind housing provided.
Veronica Bischoff, chief of USAG Ansbach Child & Youth Services, explains: “In a nutshell TFI is a requirement where the parents have to provide household and financial information to determine the parent fees.” Documentation provided by the parent or guardian to Parent Central Services to calculate TFI may include the following: Military or DoD Civilian Leave and Earnings Statement, Non-Appropriated Funds Earnings and Leave Statement or Self-Employed IRS return, W-2 Wage and Tax Statement, 1099 Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit Sharing, Non-DoD Civilian Pay Stub, and Employer Letter, depending on status.
Families using Army Child Care receive a discount when they have more than one child enrolled; the full fee is paid for the child enrolled in the most expensive child care option, and the remaining children receive a 15 percent Multiple Child Reduction (MCR). DoD contractors and specified space-available patrons are not eligible for the MCR.
CYS Services programs are a force enabler that impacts Soldier readiness and retention. Child and Youth programs help minimize the conflict between mission requirements and parental responsibilities. These programs are an investment in the future of the Nation and Army.
“Simply stated, CYS programs provide quality child care, youth out-of-school options, and school support services so that Soldiers and Department of Defense Civilians can focus on their job, knowing their children are well cared for by professional staff in state of the art facilities. Taking care of our Soldiers and their families with consistent, effective and safe programs builds and enhances not only military readiness and retention, but also family resilience,” says Bischoff.
They provide Army families peace of mind both on the battlefield and on the job because their children are in safe, healthy and secure environments.
“Because military children and youth face unique challenges, we provide them with access to specialized opportunities where they can cultivate lifelong friendships and develop the resilience they need to build greater futures by providing a safe and healthy environment to help them succeed.”
The Army continues its commitment to affordable and outstanding child care and youth programs by striving to keep fees lower than comparable community programs and by paying a portion of the cost of care for most families using Child and Youth programs. For questions specific to the USAG Ansbach program, contact the CYS coordinator at DSN 467-2535 or 09802-83-2535,
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