Alaska · Child Care Assistance Program (PASS Child Care)
Child care help in Alaska: the income line, the co-pay, and the wait
Alaska's program is Child Care Assistance Program (PASS Child Care), run by Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance / Child Care Program Office. Here is its entry line, its exit line, its co-pay machine, its rule on the second bill, and whether it is funding new families right now.
The lines, for a family of 4
85% of state median income (about $7,372/mo for a family of 4 on the state plan).
85% of state median income.
Who skips the income test
These lanes waive or shortcut parts of the income test in Alaska — if one is you, say so on page one of the application:
- Families receiving Alaska Temporary Assistance (TANF)
- Children in foster care or with an open protective-services case
- Families experiencing homelessness
The co-pay
ONE copay per family, no matter how many children are in care, capped at 7% of family income since January 2025.
Fee scale: Jan 2025 (7% cap effective).
The gap: allowed in Alaska
State guidance makes the family responsible for any difference between the provider's private rate and the state maximum rate for that community — budget for the overage where a provider charges it.
The gap estimate in the free check uses the state rate ceiling on this page and the price you enter. It is always an estimate — your child's rate category and your contract set the real figure.
No single statewide maximum rate was opened in the October 2026 check; rates vary by community.
How to apply
Apply through the Child Care Program Office or your local Public Assistance office. A 2025 law (SB 95) raises the entry line toward 105% SMI from January 2026 once the state plan amendment is federally cleared — ask which line the office is using.
Limits checked October 2026 · Fee scale checked Jan 2025 (7% cap effective) · Ceiling checked Not published · Waitlist checked October 2026
Sources: source · cross-checked against the state's CCDF plan. If a figure here disagrees with the agency's current chart, the agency's chart wins — tell us at help@doogex.com.
The Daycare Help Kit — $29, one-time
The check gives you the answer. The kit walks the whole road after it: the application packet in the agency's own order, the denial translator, the real-bill worksheet, the redetermination calendar, and the tour-and-judge checklists — for all 50 states and DC.
See what's inside the kit $29 · one-time payment