Pilot program

(a) Establishment The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) shall establish a pilot program to award competitive grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations to supplement the wages of eligible child care workers. (b) Considerations In selecting States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations to receive grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider— (1) the number of children under the age of 5 residing in the State or on the Tribal land of the Indian Tribe or Tribal organization; (2) the number of child care workers working in licensed, regulated, or registered programs in the State or on the Tribal land; (3) the average wage of child care workers working in the State or on the Tribal land; (4) the percentage of families in the State or on the Tribal land who are eligible for child care subsidies under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq.) but do not receive the subsidies; and (5) the need for additional child care workers in the State or on the Tribal land. (c) Eligibility To be eligible for a grant under this section, a State, Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including— (1) information showing a significant need for increased numbers of child care workers and increased wages among child care workers; (2) a commitment to using the grant funds to supplement the wages of low-wage eligible child care workers; (3) a plan for using the grant funds to supplement the wages of eligible child care workers, including— (A) the criteria that will be used to determine which child care workers are eligible to receive the wage supplements; (B) a description of how funds will be prioritized for areas with greatest need, including areas with overall staffing challenges, underserved geographic areas, areas with shortages of programs that serve low-income children and families, and areas with shortages of programs that serve infants and toddlers, that serve children with disabilities, or that offer child care services during nontraditional hours; and (C) a description of how the wage supplements will be provided to eligible child care workers (directly, through the employer, or through a trusted intermediary) and how the supplements will be provided in a timely manner; (4) a plan to engage in a public awareness campaign directed at eligible child care workers; (5) a description of the measures that will be used to assess the impact of the wage supplement pilot program on attraction and retention of eligible child care workers, eligible child care worker well-being, child care services quality, and availability of affordable child care services, provided by eligible child care workers; (6) a description of how the pilot program will contribute to the State’s or Tribe’s overall plan for increasing eligible child care worker compensation; (7) a description of the plan for addressing and minimizing any destabilization that may occur after the grant funds are expended; and (8) such other information as the Secretary may require.