Military Child Care Fee Assistance

Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) is the Department of Defense's fee assistance program for families who can't get child care on base, whether because of distance or waitlists. The program looks at your total family income and the provider's rate, and pays part of your monthly child care cost to the provider. You pay the rest.

Fee assistance isn't an entitlement, and it depends on available funding. The program, not Stetson, decides who is eligible and how much it pays.

Each branch sets its own rules. In general, families may qualify if the sponsor is:

• Active duty
• National Guard or Reserve on active duty orders (for the Army, Title 10 or Title 32 orders of at least 30 consecutive days)
• A Department of Defense civilian employee
• A Gold Star spouse

Usually also required:

• Children are age 12 or younger, live with the sponsor, and are listed as dependents in DEERS.
• If the sponsor is married, the spouse works, is a student, or is looking for work (looking-for-work approval is short-term).
• MCCYN is offered at your duty location, or you don't live near a base with a child development program. (Not every installation offers MCCYN.)

Only the program can confirm eligibility, after you apply.

Before & After Care: yes, this is the part that can qualify. For children in kindergarten through age 12, fee assistance applies to before and after care only. It doesn't cover K–8 tuition.

A regular schedule is needed. Fee assistance is based on a set monthly schedule, so use our Monthly Care plans. Drop-in days generally aren't covered.

Transitional kindergarten (TK): Ask us about TK. Before you apply, we'll help you check what the program will count for your child.

Summer and school breaks: Ask us before you count on it. Programs generally don't cover drop-in care or care only during school breaks.

What isn't covered: late fees, activity and field trip fees, snack fees, transportation, and other extra fees.

Our rates for military families are never higher than for any other family.

1. Request care. Create a household profile on MilitaryChildCare.com and submit a request for MCCYN fee assistance for each child. Not sure where to start? Call Child Care Aware® of America Parent Services at 1-800-424-2246, option 3.
2. Choose Stetson. When you're asked for a provider, enter Stetson Academy, 1949 Peabody Rd, Vacaville, CA 95687, Child Care Aware® of America Provider ID 9251322. Then let our office know you're applying.
3. Accept your offer and send your documents. When you get an offer, finish the application and upload what your branch asks for. That usually includes:
   • a recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), plus orders if you're Guard or Reserve
   • SF-50 and civilian LES for DoD civilian sponsors
   • your spouse's recent pay stubs, school schedule, or looking-for-work form
   • a self-certification listing your children
   • a Provider Cost Verification Form. We fill it out and sign it with you, so ask the office.
4. Get your approval. After review, the program emails a Family Packet (your approval certificate) to you and to Stetson. It shows our monthly rate, your share, and the fee assistance amount.
5. Confirm attendance each month. Stetson submits attendance online each month, and you approve it from the email you receive. The program then pays its share to Stetson.

• Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN) on MilitaryChildCare.com
• MCCYN family eligibility requirements
• Child Care Aware® of America: military families
• Army Fee Assistance FAQ (Army MWR)

You pay Stetson's regular rates until your approval starts, and again after it ends. Approval covers only the dates on your certificate, so keep paying as usual while you wait.

• The program pays its share to Stetson each month, and you pay the rest.
• Tell us and the program right away if your schedule, care plan, or anything else on your certificate changes, or if you withdraw.
• Watch for your recertification date and send any requested documents before it, so your assistance continues without a gap.

Schedule a tour, or start your application, and let us know you're a military family.

Office: 707-471-5101 · [email protected]