Mississippi Today
Thousands affected by state’s hold on child care aid
Jackson mom Sequaya Coleman was applying for the first time for a voucher to help pay child care for her 2-year-old son when she heard the news.
She maynot be getting any help from the state’s Child Care Assistance Program — at least not for the foreseeable future. The Mississippi Department of Human Services has put a cost-cutting hold on which families could apply.
Without it, Coleman, who works as a housekeeper, continues to rely on her relatives and friends to watch her kids, a 2-year-old and a 12-year-old, instead. She doesn’t know if she’s been rejected, but she is in a grey area. She applied in March, the month before the hold took place.
Beginning April 1, MDHS began limiting who could apply for new applications, redetermination applications, and “add a child” applications for child care certificates.
Families who do not fit one of six priority categories (on or getting off Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, are homeless, have foster children, are teen parents, are deployed military or families with special needs) cannot apply for new certificates or have their certificates renewed. There were 36,186 children with child care certificates in late March, a week before the hold began. About 10,800 did not fit any of the six priority categories.
Coleman is concerned that the lack of child care puts an extra strain on relatives and older children, creates a greater safety risk for young children, and makes it harder for communities to thrive.
““Our kids need the help, we need the help, because if you take the help from the American people, how do you expect us to thrive as Americans? How do you expect us to thrive as a state?” she said.
MDHS is trying to reduce the number of children receiving certificates to fewer than 27,000 to fit what the department can afford since COVID-19 relief funding dried up, with a target program cost of less than $12 million a month, said Mark Jones, chief communications officer for MDHS.
“We cannot accurately estimate how long the hold will remain in place, but we will be monitoring the situation very closely and will lift the hold as soon as we can,” he said.
MDHS will notify parents 60 days before their annual redetermination deadline. Parents who want to be notified can enter their email address in the application portal.
The Child Care Payment Program provides assistance to working parents and guardians for child care. The parent or guardian still has to pay the difference between what the program provides and the actual cost of tuition. They may also have to make a co-payment every month.
According to Jones, Mississippi has dedicated approximately $379.9 million from various COVID-19 relief funding programs to child care since 2020. Mississippi currently spends 85% of its funds from the Child Care Development Fund on child care certificates, which was about $127 million in fiscal year 2024 and more than the federal minimum they’re required to spend.
Mississippi also transfers 30% of its annual state funds from the Temporary Assistance For Needy Families program to child care. In 2024, that amounted to $25.9 million.
Carol Burnett, executive director of the Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative, explained the financial impact for families: “The CCPP can reduce the cost of child care by as much as 80%. And so if a family is gonna have to pick up what the CCPP has offered, it’s gonna really increase the cost of child care for that family.”
MLICCI’s Employment Equity for Single Moms program helps single mothers in Mississippi access resources for child care and workforce development to help single moms find higher-paying work.
A key part of the program is helping these mothers get on the Child Care Payment Program. MLICCI usually covers child care costs for its mothers while they wait to get assistance. Without the assistance, MLICCI can’t afford to pay for long-term child care.
“The biggest chunk of families on CCPP are low-income, single-mom-headed families who are working in jobs with low wages, and they’re not one of the six priorities,” said Burnett.
In addition to the financial impact on families, the hold on applications would disrupt education for children during a crucial period. Research has shown that children who attend quality early childhood education have better academic performance in elementary school.
“Without the CCPP vouchers, many families will not be able to afford child care, and so it’s likely that families’ child care arrangements will become unpredictable and piecemeal…and this uncertainty can cause children stress, which can hinder their development and growth,” explained Biz Harris, executive director of Mississippi Early Learning Alliance.
Deloris Suel, who owns Prep Company Tutorial Schools in Jackson with her husband,said she thinks parents would be able to teach their children at home with the right training, but it would be a strain on top of their other responsibilities.
“Child care today is not a babysitting service. There’s benchmarks and goals that we have to meet,” she said.
Prep Company Tutorial Schools serves 260 children, 61 of whom have child care certificates. Only two of their students fit among the six exception categories MDHS listed.
Last week, a group of child care providers, parents and child care advocates held a press conference on the south steps of the Capitol, urging MDHS to lift the limits on new applications and redeterminations, communicate better with providers and families, and use the current and carry-over TANF funds to supplement the child care voucher program.
At the end of 2023, MDHS had over $156 million in unspent TANF funds, as other states do. Nationwide, states had unobligated TANF balances of nearly $8 billion in 2023. Spending this money on child care would be doable without legislative action, MLICCI said, and has already been done in other states.
Burnett said she does not know why the state hasn’t used this method of funding. “I mean you would think that they would want to do that when they have the money rather than create this harm for so many families,” she said.
When asked why she thinks MDHS has been hesitant to use the available TANF funds, she said “I have two words: ‘Republican state.’ Because if we have other states joining hands to say, ‘Hey, we can pull this down from here.’ Why can’t Mississippi?”
When asked about using unspent TANF funds in this way, Jones responded, “MDHS is committed to following official federal guidance regarding conversion of TANF funds to CCPP. MDHS is resolved to utilize all available recurring revenue streams to support the CCPP and ensure the long-term viability of the program.”
Jones would not comment on why the department will not use left-over TANF funds.
Jones also stated, “MDHS has discussed the potential for a pause in CCPP certificates with the child care industry each month during the information sessions. The members of SECAC (State Early Childhood Advisory Council) were well aware of this potential pause as far back as 2023.”
Families can call the Child Care Payment Program call center at 800-877-7882 for questions or reach out to their nearest Resource & Referral Center for help.
Anna Wolf contributed to this report.
Update 4/29/24: This story has been updated to clarify that the Department of Human Services has not responded to Sequaya Coleman’s application.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Thousands affected by state’s hold on child care aid appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This article highlights the financial challenges of Mississippi’s Child Care Assistance Program and critiques the state’s decision to limit access to child care aid. It emphasizes the negative impact on low-income families, particularly single mothers, and includes quotes from advocates and experts expressing concern about the state’s policies. The tone is sympathetic towards families affected by the cuts and advocates for the use of unspent TANF funds to support the program. While the article presents various perspectives, including the state’s justification for cost-cutting, it focuses on the consequences for vulnerable populations, reflecting a center-left viewpoint in its advocacy for increased government support for child care services.
by Margaret Baker, Sun Herald, Mississippi Today
April 29, 2025
LONG BEACH — A retired Long Beach police officer arrested Thursday is accused of assaulting a woman holding a protest sign and threatening a second victim, Long Beach Police Chief Billy Seal confirmed Friday.
Police arrested Craig DeRouche, 64, for allegedly assaulting a woman during an encounter on U.S. 90 at Jeff Davis Avenue. He is charged with a second misdemeanor charge of assault by threat for allegedly threatening a man who reported that he saw the alleged attack and tried to intervene, Seal said.
According to Seal, the protester, identified as a 74-year-old woman, was holding a protest sign supporting the right to due process under the U.S. Constitution for Americans before the assault occurred.
The woman, a Navy veteran, is now in stable condition in a local hospital.
READ THE FULL STORY at the Sun Herald.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Ex-MS Coast police officer accused of assaulting 74-year-old female protester appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a factual account of an incident involving a retired police officer accused of assaulting a protester. The tone is neutral, focusing on the details of the event without engaging in overt political rhetoric or bias. The source, Mississippi Today, is known for providing straightforward news coverage, and there is no clear indication of political framing or partisanship in the language used. The article simply reports the incident and includes basic details about the people involved, including the protester’s age, condition, and the charges against the officer. No ideological perspectives are offered, which supports a centrist assessment.
On April 28, 2022, the Ole Miss baseball Rebels had won 23 games and lost 17 overall. They were 6-12 in the Southeastern Conference. The various Internet message boards were filled with posts calling for head baseball coach Mike Bianco’s dismissal. Yes, and two months later, Bianco and his Rebels won the College World Series.
Contrast that with this: On April 28 of this year, Mississippi State’s Diamond Dogs had a 25-19 record overall, 7-14 in the SEC. The various Internets boards were filled with posts calling for head coach Chris Lemonis to be fired. He was.
In both those situations, the Mississippi teams were six games over the .500 mark overall. In both those situations, the teams had lost twice as many SEC games as they had won. Ole Miss stayed the course, and it paid off, remarkably so. In sharp contrast, Mississippi State pulled the trigger, and we shall see what happens next.
Another big difference in the two situations: Bianco had never won a national championship in his previous 20 years at Ole Miss. Lemonis won the first national championship in State history just four years ago.
You ask me, that national championship, not even four years ago, should have earned Lemonis, at the very least, the right to finish out this season. I don’t see anything to be gained with firing the man with three weeks remaining in the regular season. Most NCAA Tournament projections have Mississippi State listed as one of the first four teams out. The Bulldogs are ranked 45th in RPI against the nation’s 13th most difficult schedule. They are on the NCAA Tournament bubble, just as Ole Miss was three seasons ago.
This is not to say I believe that Lemonis, given the opportunity, would have done what Bianco did three years ago, But it is certainly within the realm of possibility. We’ve seen it happen. In baseball, more than any other sport, teams run hot and cold. State could have gotten hot, gotten on a roll in May and June and at least made it to the College World Series. It happens for someone nearly every year in college baseball. For that matter, it could still happen for State this year with interim head coach Justin Parker calling the shots.
And I know what many of those calling for the dismissal of Lemonis will say. They’ll say that in firing Lemonis now, State can get a head start on hiring a new coach to turn the program around. Not so. Any coach that the Bulldogs would hire is still coaching a team and will be coaching a team through at least May.
Traditionally, Mississippi State baseball is one of the nation’s top programs. State baseball facilities are second to none. Fan support is among the nation’s best.
But it is not, as athletic director Zac Selmon put it “the premier program in college baseball.” It is much more accurate to say State’s is a really good program in the premier conference in college baseball.
LSU, Texas, and Arkansas, all teams in the same conference, have similar fan support, terrific facilities and have enjoyed much more on-the-field success. Tennessee has improved dramatically. Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A & M have made huge strides in facilities, fan support and baseball emphasis.
And here’s the deal: Tradition, facilities and fan support, while still important, all have become secondary issues when it comes to ingredients for success in college athletics. You know what really matters most? NIL and the ability to attract players in the transfer portal, that’s what. This is no longer amateur sports. It’s pay-for-play. It’s professional sports in every respect.
The first question recruits ask: What can you pay me? The first question any prospective coach will ask Mississippi State: How much money will I get to pay players? In Monday’s press release announcing the dismissal of Lemonis, Selmon was quoted as saying State’s baseball “NIL offerings” are second to none. There’s no way of knowing for sure, but I have heard otherwise from numerous sources.
I hate that we have reached this point in college athletics, but we most assuredly have. I also hate that Lemonis, a good man and a good coach, doesn’t get the chance to finish the season. I thought he had earned that.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Chris Lemonis had at least earned the right to finish season appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents an opinion focused on the dismissal of Mississippi State baseball coach Chris Lemonis, highlighting the contrast between the treatment of Lemonis and Ole Miss’ coach Mike Bianco. The writer criticizes the decision to fire Lemonis prematurely, arguing that his past success, including a national championship, warranted the opportunity to finish the season. The piece does not lean heavily toward any political or ideological position, instead focusing on the dynamics within college athletics and coaching decisions. While the critique of the decision might appeal to readers who value stability and tradition, it does not show a clear partisan or ideological bias.
Mississippi officials are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court a federal court ruling that struck down Mississippi’s five-day grace period for mail-in absentee ballots to arrive after Election Day.
Attorneys for the state filed court documents stating their intention to petition the nation’s highest court to overturn a decision from an appellate court that found a state election law conflicted with federal election laws.
U.S. District Judge Louis Guirrola halted all lower court action until the proceedings with the Supreme Court are completed.
The Republican National Committee, the state Republican Party and the Libertarian Party of Mississippi sued Secretary of State Michael Watson and local elections officials over a state law that allows election workers to process absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day for up to five days after the election.
The political parties argue that Congress is the only entity that can set specific parameters for federal elections, while state officials contend that federal law defers to states on specific details for conducting elections.
Judge Guirrola initially ruled in favor of the state, but the plaintiffs appealed. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative appellate courts in the nation, overturned Guirrola’s ruling and struck down the state law.
Now Mississippi officials are asking the Supreme Court to uphold the state law, a decision that could have broad implications for more than a dozen states that have similar laws on the books.
The litigation does not impact state or local races, including Mississippi’s current municipal elections. Mississippi’s next federal election will be the 2026 midterm, where all four of Mississippi’s U.S. House members are up for reelection, as well as U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Mississippi appealing mail-in absentee ballot ruling to U.S. Supreme Court appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article provides an overview of a legal case involving Mississippi’s mail-in absentee ballot rules. It presents facts regarding the state’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the legal context, and the positions of both the state and the plaintiffs. The article does not exhibit clear partisan bias, maintaining a neutral tone while discussing the legal battle and its potential implications. The inclusion of various political perspectives, such as the Republican National Committee and state officials arguing for the law and the plaintiffs’ federalism argument, further supports its centrist presentation of the issue.
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