Enhanced Rate Program (ERP)
The Department of Human Services helps eligible parents pay for child care. Childhood care and education professionals who care for their children can receive a higher rate of pay by meeting certain training standards. The Enhanced Rate Program certifies providers who meet these standards.
Apply online or with the Enhanced Rate Program Application.
For training or DHS Listing help, please contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral. To find a Child Care Resource and Referral near you, visit triwou.org/projects/ccrr or call 800-342-6712.
For help with rates and payments, please contact the DHS Direct Pay Unit at 800-699-9074.
Oregon’s Department of Human Services funds the Enhanced Rate Program.
Scholarships
Oregon’s Family Child Care Scholarship
Oregon’s Family Child Care Scholarship supports professional development for Oregon’s Registered Family and Certified Family Child Care Providers. If you are the Provider named on an Oregon Registered Family or Certified Family Child Care license, you may be eligible for scholarships to help pay for the following professional development opportunities.
College Coursework: For-credit coursework in the field of childhood care and education, through regionally or nationally accredited colleges.
Training: Training approved by the Oregon Registry Trainer Program as Set Two or Set Three and offered by an Oregon Registry Trainer Program registered Sponsoring Organization.
Conference: Conferences held in Oregon and sponsored by an Oregon Registry Trainer Program registered Sponsoring Organization, and out-of-state conferences sponsored by the NAEYC, a regional NAEYC Affiliate, or the NAFCC and their state affiliates.
Credential, Endorsement, Accreditation: CDA credential initial application fee (includes the exam), ORIMHA ECMH-E ® and IMH-E ® endorsement application and first year membership fees for Infant Family Associate and Infant Family Specialist, and NAFCC accreditation and membership fees.
Scholarships are available first come, first served. Completed professional development activities from December 7, 2021 onward may be eligible for reimbursement. Funds are limited and availability may change. Scholarship awards will be discontinued if funds are unavailable. Individual awards are not transferable and may expire.
Apply online or with the application:
Administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education. Funding provided for by the 2021-23 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Oregon and AFSCME/Oregon Child Care Providers Together.
Betty Gray Early Childhood Scholarship on Pause
Due to the rapidly growing participation in the Betty Gray Scholarship program, we have already awarded the maximum amount of funding available for the 2023-2024 program year. Therefore, we are temporarily pausing the Betty Gray Scholarship program until additional funding is available. The pause will affect new scholarship applications only. For additional details, please contact occdscholarship@pdx.edu.
The Oregon Community Foundation's Betty Gray Early Childhood Development Endowment Fund provides funding for the Betty Gray Early Childhood Scholarship.
Early Learning Degree Pathway Scholarship on Pause
Due to great interest, the Early Learning Degree Pathway Scholarship, administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development, has been placed on pause for new tuition and fee support applications. International degree translation and evaluation applications are still being accepted.
The requests that have already been received are more than the funds that are available for the 2023-2025 program year. Summer term applications submitted before the pause are being processed on a first come first serve basis. Applicants will be told of their selected status by Monday, June 24, 2024. Applications are still being accepted for other scholarship opportunities; visit the scholarships page at https://www.pdx.edu/education-career-development/enhanced-rate-scholarships for more information.
Please contact Slava Bakhanovich at occdsch@pdx.edu for more information or opportunities for other scholarship supports.
Oregon Child Care Workforce Recognition Payment Program
In an effort to recognize child care providers across the state of Oregon for their exceptional work, the Oregon Legislature has allocated an annual $500 payment to eligible child care providers in 2024 and 2025! The work that you do as early childhood educators keep this state afloat and we want to say thank you!
The application can be found when you log into your myORO account after May 31, 2024.
To be eligible, you must:
- Have a myORO account.
- Work for at least 90 days at 10 hours a week in the calendar year.
- Currently work in a licensed Oregon child care facility or in a license exempt or recorded program receiving ERDC or as a family, friend, neighbor care receiving ERDC.
Below is a table to illustrate the steps within the timeline of the application process.
For more information, please visit this link to access the Workforce Recognition Information Website (https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/workforce-recognition).
If you are unable to engage with the online application, please call Sam Morelli at (503) 725-6912 or email occdrecognition@pdx.edu for support.