WHITE PLAINS – The Westchester County Department of Social Services took emergency steps Thursday in an effort to keep the county’s non-mandated child care subsidy programs solvent until the end of the year.

The programs, which serve families whose incomes are low but above the federal poverty level, are expected to run out of money by the end of July if nothing is done to shore up their finances, DSS said.

The emergency steps include capping the number of child care slots available through the non-mandated Title XX program at its current number of 206, and contacting the State Office of Children and Family Services to raise the amount of family contributions, where applicable, from 20 percent to 35 percent.

“Action is needed now of the programs will run out of money,” said DSS Commissioner Kevin McGuire. “The process to change the family contribution level will take about 60 to 90 days; the sooner we get the higher contribution levels, the better chance we have to maintain the program for the full year, because when the money runs out, the program has to stop.”