New York Launched Child Care Cost-Sharing Pilot
The state, employers, and families split childcare costs in a new pilot program for workers in Buffalo and the Capital District.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Child Care
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New York has initiated the $4.8 million Empire State Child Care Share pilot program to help address rising family expenses. The program enables participating employers to share the burden of childcare costs with the state and their own employees.
Why it matters
By subsidizing care expenses, the program aims to tackle the high cost of childcare that impacts staff recruitment and retention. It specifically addresses widespread employee concerns regarding the affordability and accessibility of care services.
This pilot program provides $4.8 million in state funds to offset childcare costs, which currently average $1,500 monthly for full-time infant care. The effectiveness of this three-way cost-sharing model is currently under investigation.
The players
Catholic Health
A health system providing medical services that is participating in the pilot program to support employee benefits.
Child Care Resource Network
An organization based in North Buffalo that coordinates employer participation in the childcare pilot.
The details
Under this initiative, the state, the employer, and the family split the total cost of childcare in equal parts. Employers participate by coordinating through the Child Care Resource Network to offer this benefit, while family eligibility is determined based on household income and family size. Catholic Health is one of the first employers to join, selecting 10 employees for the program through a random drawing.
Timeline
September 28, 2026: The pilot program launch was officially reported.
Health Landscape
This program marks a shift toward collaborative cost-sharing models for childcare in New York. It sits within a broader landscape of efforts to improve worker stability by addressing the financial barriers to high-quality care.
If you are a working parent in the Buffalo or Capital District regions, check with your human resources department to see if your employer is participating in this network. These programs often have specific income and family-size requirements that are worth discussing with your administrator.
The takeaway
Childcare access remains a primary driver of work-life stability and employee retention. Families should monitor state-led subsidy initiatives to identify whether their household qualifies for emerging local support programs.
Further reading
For additional context on programs supporting families and working parents, see our guide to Child Care.
More information
Employers can review participation requirements by accessing the Child Care Resource Network employer agreement forms.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WKBW.
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