Federal CCDF Payment Freeze Leaves Maryland Unchanged

On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a nationwide freeze on Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) payments, citing fraud concerns in some states' programs. A separate $10 billion freeze was applied on January 6 to five states under heightened review: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. Maryland's Child Care Scholarship Program (CCS) has received no federal notification of funding changes and continues to operate normally, according to Montgomery County Child Care Support Services.