San Mateo County leaders are weighing a $10 million shot at easing the region's child care crunch, with a new online navigation hub and a Tri-Share payment pilot headed to the Board of Supervisors for a vote. The idea is simple but ambitious: help families actually find licensed care and trim how much they pay out of pocket by splitting costs among employers, the county and qualifying workers.
Supervisors are set to consider a resolution to launch the SMC Childcare Central Initiative, which would authorize a $10,000,000 allocation for the effort. According to the San Mateo County Board agenda, the plan includes a contract with Tootris, LLC to build and operate an SMC Childcare Hub under an initial three year agreement, along with a separate allocation to launch a Tri-Share multi source provider payment pilot.
The Hub is billed as a countywide, public facing navigation tool for families with children ages 0 to 12. It is designed to line up both subsidized and private pay options and show families a mix of center based programs, family child care homes, nanny care and before and after school offerings. The portal would also bundle in state licensing records, eligibility screening, intake processes and subsidy routing and document management for families who qualify for financial assistance, as reported by the Daily Journal.
How the Hub and Tri-Share Would Work
The Tri-Share model on the table would split the cost of care three ways, between a government agency, a participating employer and an eligible employee. In that setup, the county would also act as an employer on behalf of its own staff. The San Mateo County Board agenda spells out an allocation not to exceed $8,865,000 to launch an SMC Tri-Share pilot and authorizes the County Executive to negotiate and execute the agreements needed to get the pilot off the ground.
Shortages Drive the Push
County officials say the proposal is a response to a stubborn supply and demand problem. A recent update from the county Child Care Partnership Council flagged ongoing gaps in both infant and school age care and found that affordability, immediate enrollment availability and workable schedules remain the biggest barriers for families trying to secure a spot. Local coverage of county staff's analysis summarized the shortfalls at roughly 1,402 infant spaces and about 7,501 spaces for children ages 5 and up, and highlighted a staff warning that without appropriate childcare, residents, mostly women, miss out on employment and educational opportunities. The updated supply and demand work is posted by the Child Care Partnership Council as the county's most recent needs assessment.
The Board is scheduled to take up the resolution at 9 AM next Tuesday, June 9, in the Board chambers in Redwood City. If supervisors sign off, the county would move ahead with contract execution and begin outreach to employers and child care providers to recruit participants for the Tri-Share pilot, according to San Mateo County. County staff and community groups say they plan to watch closely how the rollout goes if the funding gets the green light.
