Indiana State University has been awarded a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, on behalf of the US Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE). The Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS) award of $714,824, is 100% funded with federal funds.
The grant is designed to expand childcare assistance and support services for Indiana State students who are also parents.
The four-year federal grant will help reduce barriers that can make it difficult for student-parents, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, to pursue and complete a college education. Funding will support childcare expenses while also helping student-parents navigate University and community resources that can contribute to their academic and personal success.
“This grant provides us with an important opportunity to strengthen the support system for Indiana State students who are balancing the responsibilities of being both a student and a parent,” said Holly Curtsinger, director of the Jan McCarthy Early Childhood Education Center. “Access to affordable, high-quality childcare can make a tremendous difference in a student’s ability to attend class, complete their coursework and remain on track toward earning a degree.”
A key component of the initiative will be the hiring of a full-time navigator and advocate dedicated to assisting student-parents. The navigator will help students identify, access and coordinate resources available across the Indiana State campus while also connecting them with appropriate social services and community resources outside the University.
Grant funding also will help eligible student-parents meet out-of-pocket childcare expenses and increase their ability to utilize childcare services provided through the Jan McCarthy Early Childhood Education Center.
The CCAMPIS program provides competitive grants to institutions of higher education to support campus-based childcare programs primarily serving students from low-income backgrounds. The program prioritizes initiatives that leverage institutional and local resources and may also support services necessary to help student-parents continue their postsecondary education.
The award aligns with Indiana State University’s Take Root & Rise strategic plan, and particularly the University’s Culture of Care. By addressing childcare and resource-access barriers facing student-parents, the initiative strengthens the University’s commitment to creating an environment in which students receive the support they need to persist, graduate and achieve their educational and career goals.
The Jan McCarthy Early Childhood Education Center provides early childhood education and care while serving as an important resource for Indiana State students, employees and families. Through the CCAMPIS grant, the Center will expand its role in helping student-parents successfully balance their educational goals with the responsibilities of raising a family.