Military families can receive help with child care costs of up to $1,800 per child under a new Department of Defense initiative touted by Gov. Tim Walz at a child care center Monday.

The program, which is available on a sliding fee scale, expands child care options through the fee assistance program, known as Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS for families. The assistance is offered to families without child care on the site of their military assignment. The assistance is also available to those who are deployed but have family in Minnesota.

Unlike some other states, Minnesota has no military bases, which generally have their own on-site care.

"This is just another piece of the puzzle to making life a little bit easier" for military families, Walz said as he announced the expansion at Tutor Time in Brooklyn Park.

Licensed child care programs can participate in the program if they have a rating of three or more stars on Parent Aware, the state's quality assessment system. The federal agency will pay benefits directly to the child care providers. Additional information is available on the Child Care Aware of America website for assistance.

Minnesota has nearly 1,600 active duty service members and more than 21,000 active National Guard and reserve members. Minnesota joins 14 other states and counties in this program.

Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan read the book "One Frozen Lake" to a classroom of children before their media event. She later repeated what has been a theme of their administration.

"Our goal is to make Minnesota the best place in the country to raise a family," she said.

Walz and Flanagan also encouraged remaining child care centers to participate in the quality rating systems so they're eligible for the federal program.