First responders and other essential workers in King County struggling with childcare needs will soon get some relief thanks to emergency legislation approved Tuesday by the King County Council.

The measure, requested by Executive Dow Constantine and approved unanimously by the council, provides $2.2 million in unspent Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account funding to provide free childcare to eligible families of first responders and other essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a county council news release. Many of these hardworking families have had difficulty finding childcare because many childcare providers and many child care providers and early learning facilities have closed due to declined enrollment.

“Our first responders have been working tirelessly to keep us safe, healthy and provide essential services during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. “The last thing they should be worried about during this crisis is finding and paying for childcare for their children.”

First responders and essential workers include front-line essential medical professionals and support staff, first responders, childcare providers who are providing emergency care, grocery and pharmacy employees and transit workers.

The legislation is a first step to ensure that first responders and critical essential personnel who live or work in King County outside the City of Seattle have access to safe, consistent and uninterrupted care, while supporting a network of childcare providers that need to fill vacant slots.

The county will work with Childcare Resources to identify providers and match families with vacant slots. Eligible providers will be reimbursed at higher rates to reflect start-up costs associated with new health and safety guidelines, health insurance offsets, or whatever is most needed for the site to continue operating. This effort will help ensure these facilities are still operating when the pandemic ends and families return to their normal working lives.

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services will oversee the program, while the City of Seattle will administer service agreements and payments.