State Senator Mary Kiffmeyer is asking state officials what they’re doing to fix the problem, after payments for the Child Care Assistance Program stopped last Thursday due to an apparent computer glitch. The Big Lake Republican says there’s already a child care shortage in Minnesota, and such problems discourage providers from entering the field — or encourage them to leave. “And those who are still there, they have… had their life thrown in upheaval because for them, not receiving these payments is a big deal,” Kiffmeyer says.
Kiffmeyer adds there was no direct communication with those affected when the problem occurred. “They [officials] must have had those same e-mail address[es]. They could have notified them immediately when this problem happened. It appears as though that was not done.”
Officials with the state’s I-T department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.