Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C–Walden) today raised concerns about ongoing funding shortfalls in New York’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), as lawmakers, providers and parents gathered at the Capitol to highlight disruptions impacting families across the state. Maher said the issues raised at the press conference reflect broader structural challenges within the program that must be addressed. The goal of the state’s CCAP program is to help qualified families pay for child care in order to help them become self-sufficient.

Maher said the challenges facing CCAP reflect a broader issue with how the program is structured, noting that recent expansions in eligibility to include more New York families, while welcomed, have not been matched with a funding model that keeps pace with demand.

“Expanding access to child care was the right goal, but without a sustainable state funding structure, families are being left behind,” said Meghan Hurlburt, chief of staff to Assemblyman Maher.

Maher has been advocating for a structural fix to CCAP, warning that even significant increases in funding will not resolve the issue without changes to how funds are distributed across counties.

“When counties are forced to pause applications or place families on waitlists despite increased funding, it’s clear the system isn’t working as intended,” Hurlburt added. “This is not just a funding issue—it’s a structural issue.”

As part of this effort, Maher is introducing legislation to improve how CCAP funds are allocated and managed statewide. His proposal would reallocate unused funds from counties with surpluses to those experiencing shortfalls, improve transparency through real-time reporting and adjust distribution formulas to better reflect actual enrollment and demand.

Maher said these reforms are critical to ensuring the program is reliable for both families and providers.

“Child care is a vital part of our economy, and families should not be left in limbo because of how the system is structured,” Hurlburt said. “We need a program that works in practice—not just on paper.”

Maher’s office said he will continue working with colleagues to ensure the final state budget includes both adequate funding and meaningful structural reforms to stabilize the child care system and support working families across New York.