By identifying many more potential organ donors, the program greatly increases the chances of survival of those who need an organ transplant. At-Home Infant Child Care Program As a family physician who had practiced for 35 years, Minnesota Rep. Richard Mulder knew it was crucial to help parents. Brain development depends on an infant receiving needed nurturing and bonding with a parent. So in 1997, Mulder, a Republican, sponsored a bill, HF 1362, that led to the formation of the At-Home Infant Child Care Program. A family may receive benefits for a lifetime total of 12 months and use the subsidy for one child or divide it between children.
Parents qualify for the program based on income using a sliding-fee schedule.
Minnesota also provides subsidies for child care to low-income parents who choose not to stay home with an infant. The program gives low-income families the opportunity to stay at home with their children during infancy, a critical time of development, nurturing and bonding. In this way, money already earmarked for working families was redirected, with a savings to the state of 25 percent. The only additional cost was for promotional brochures. The At-Home Infant Child Care Program is supervised by the state and administered by the counties.