“For those families who are suddenly paying very high copayments, that’s a real burden,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state childcare policy at the National Women’s Law Center. “Those are the trade-offs the state is left with when they’re trying to balance these competing needs with a limited amount of resources.”

Maryland is among 23 states and Washington, D.C., with waitlists for childcare assistance, according to the Associated Press. In 2023, only eight states had waitlists. They’ve ballooned since federal pandemic aid expired in fall 2024 and often reflect a fraction of real need, as parents may be intimidated by applying for help — if they even know it exists, Schulman said.