In response to the COVID-19 crisis and the ensuing safer at home orders, many essential workers have been unable to take their children to their normal daycares and schools. This crisis has put additional stress on the people our state needs most at this time and prevented some of these workers from being able to work to their full capacity. Kith.care was created by the State of Oklahoma to help essential workers utilize family to provide in-home childcare.
In what is likely the fastest response time in OKDHS history, a task force was created to design, build, and implement an entirely new childcare program that aims to help alleviate the stress of childcare for healthcare workers and first responders in a time of crisis by facilitating payment to family members who are willing and approved to provide childcare. To quickly and easily facilitate the approval of healthcare workers, first responders, and their families, we built an innovative mobile-first software platform from the ground up. The lean, SMS-driven solution has allowed us to rapidly deploy this program to all Oklahomans and automate the application, tracking, and payment processes. OKDHS employees are working around the clock to ensure our essential workers and their designated caretakers are being approved as fast as possible.
You qualify for this program if you work for one of the following:
Once an essential worker submits the following OKDHS will review application and send approval via text message typically within 24 hours.
A notification will immediately be sent to caretaker to provide the following:
Once approved, caretakers and essential workers will be notified (via text) to provide banking information to for payment processing.
A mobile timesheet will be sent (via text) every Friday at 5pm to the caretaker where they can input the previous (7) days worked.
Essential workers will be asked to approve time sheet by Sunday night at 11:59 PM CST.
Payment will be processed two weeks from the following Monday.
We’ve compiled a list of at-home childcare & educational resources for both parents and caretakers.
View Resources ListAn essential worker can appoint a grandparent, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, uncle, aunt, or cousin over the age of 18 and lives outside of the home as a caretaker. The caretaker must provide proof of CPR certification and pass a background check. At-home childcare and education resources for both parents and caretakers are available here.
If you do not have a current CPR certification, you can get one in about three hours online by going to the Red Cross online. Caretakers will be required to upload either a photo, screenshot, or PDF of their certification during the application process.
$25 per day per child
5 days per week
Caretakers are paid by DHS via a direct transfer to a bank account. Caretakers must provide an account and routing number or debit card number to be paid.
Caretakers are considered independent contractors and therefore are responsible for withholding and paying their own taxes. Please consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
A caretaker can provide care for multiple children from the same family. However, a caretaker can only be reimbursed for providing care for one family per day
This program will end on December 31st, 2020.
Four hours or more of childcare in a single day.
Yes, however, reimbursement is calculated based on a daily rate. When logging time, only one caretaker can receive payment for each day.
No, per state law child care must be provided in the child’s own home.
Our goal is within one business day.
Yes, but a Kith.care caretaker cannot receive payment on the same days as daycare.
The maximum age for children to still qualify for DHS Funded Childcare is 12 years old.
An essential worker can appoint a grandparent, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, uncle, aunt, or cousin over the age of 18 and lives outside of the home as a caretaker. The caretaker must provide proof of CPR certification and pass a background check. At-home childcare and education resources for both parents and caretakers are available here.
If you do not have a current CPR certification, you can get one in about three hours online by going to the Red Cross online. Caretakers will be required to upload either a photo, screenshot, or PDF of their certification during the application process.
$25 per day per child
5 days per week
Caretakers are paid by DHS via a direct transfer to a bank account. Caretakers must provide an account and routing number or debit card number to be paid.
Caretakers are considered independent contractors and therefore are responsible for withholding and paying their own taxes. Please consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
A caretaker can provide care for multiple children from the same family. However, a caretaker can only be reimbursed for providing care for one family per day.
This program will end on August 31st, 2021.
Four hours or more of childcare in a single day.
Yes, however, reimbursement is calculated based on a daily rate. When logging time, only one caretaker can receive payment for each day.
No, per state law child care must be provided in the child’s own home.
Our goal is within one business day.
Yes, but a Kith.care caretaker cannot receive payment on the same days as daycare.
The maximum age for children to still qualify for DHS Funded Childcare is 12 years old.
If you are a parent who is either a healthcare worker or first responder and is in need of childcare, enter your mobile phone number to receive an application link via SMS.
