Whitmer expands child care services during COVID-19 outbreak

LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive order that expands capacity for child care services for health care workers, first responders and other people who are essential to responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

Whitmer says the order provides temporary relief from some restrictions and allows the use of certain property of child care services. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs will be able to expedite the process to give provisional licenses expanding capacity for child care services.

The order also allows employers like hospitals to create a disaster relief child care center for their employees. School facilities can also be used as a child care center for children whose parents are a part of the essential workforce.

"Our health care workers and everyone who's providing emergency medical services are doing incredible work to help us fight COVID-19," Whitmer said in a release. "That's why I'm taking action to expand capacity for child care services for these critical frontline workers.

"By expanding our ability to care for children, we are allowing them to continue working and protect public health and safety."

To keep the child care services safe, all the disaster relief centers are required to perform a health evaluation of everyone who comes to the facility every time they enter and deny anyone who doesn't meet the criteria.

Already licensed child care providers who are willing to stay open or reopen are asked to complete a survey.