HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A small daycare center in southeast Houston is facing financial trouble after weeks of delayed reimbursements from the state, raising potential concerns about its ability to continue operations.
Brilliant Minds Learning Academy, owned and operated by Jamaica Thomas, has been serving children in the southeast Houston community for nearly 8 years.
The daycare provides essential services, including food and care, for children of working parents who rely on state-subsidized childcare through the Texas Workforce Commission. The commission is responsible for directly paying daycare centers on behalf of families.
“They need us, and they need us to be ready and able to accept their children when they come in,” Thomas said.
Located on Bellfort Street, the daycare depends on these state payments to cover operational expenses.
“That’s how we keep the lights on. That’s how we are able to open every day and feed the children,” she explained.
Thomas said that the state is currently four weeks behind on payments, amounting to approximately $4,000 for her center. “For a small center that doesn’t have outside funding, that’s a lot,” she said, expressing uncertainty about when the next payment will arrive.
ABC13 has learned that the payment delays are linked to a new case management system called Texas Child Care Connection (TX3C), which was introduced last month. The system was intended to improve efficiency by issuing payments two weeks in advance, but instead, many providers find themselves waiting longer than ever.
The Texas Workforce Commission did not directly respond to a request for comment. However, in an email sent to childcare providers, the agency acknowledged issues with data conversion and provided a tentative payment timeline. The message assured providers that “we are aware of these issues and working on fixes” and included an apology for the impact the transition has had on payments.
Thomas questioned why the state implemented a system that was not ready and hopes the issues will be resolved quickly.
“I’m worried. I’m worried not just for myself but for other centers. There are centers much larger than mine with a lot of staff and children to care for. I can’t imagine the financial ramifications they are facing, trying to meet payroll and cover all other expenses,” Thomas said.
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