Great news! Additional grants will be awarded to licensed and registered child care programs. See below from ECSB: Good afternoon, I would like to provide an update on guidance, and information on the CARES Act funding for CCDF. Child care is a foundation for parent’s participation in the workforce, and yet a parent’s work schedule can be unpredictable...
The ECSB held two town hall meetings with child care providers in June. If you missed these sessions, recordings are now available: June 2 recording June 4 recording. The content presented in both town halls are the same but the Q&A at the end of the sessions vary. ...
Click here to see the Early Childhood Services Bureau recently updated Child Care Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about COVID-19, Best Beginnings scholarships, licensing, guidance, and additional resources. ...
Family Connections is offering the Montana Preschool Teacher Education Hybrid Course! Applications are due on Friday, July 24th, 2020 by 5 pm. Please mail or drop off the application at Family Connections, 202 2nd Avenue South Suite 201, Great Falls, MT 59405; or fax to: (406) 453-8976. Classes start on Saturday, Friday, August 21st at 7-8:30 pm...
To avoid delays in payments, submit the new Provider Rights and Responsibilities form within 15 days! The Early Childhood Services Bureau (ECSB) mailed a Provider Rights and Responsibilities revision notification on July 1, 2020. Providers have 15 days to sign off on the new Provider Rights and Responsibilities. Providers will still be paid in the...
Parents are finding themselves with increased levels of responsibility as the result of closed schools and child cares, stay-at-home orders, and new social distancing measures. Children are facing higher levels of isolation—unprecedented in our time—resulting in a mental toll on many. The Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) Child Care Task Force is conducting a comprehensive statewide needs assessment of Montana’s early childhood and...
On June 1st, Phase II of the Governor’s phased reopening was enacted. Many providers have begun offering services again. ECSB is offering providers Best Beginnings Scholarship backpay for the months of March, April and May. In keeping in line with our payment policy, providers have until July 31st to submit those invoices for payment, sixty...
On March 27th, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted. The CARES Act provides $3.5 billion and various flexibilities for state, territory, and tribal lead agencies to operate their Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) programs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency...
Out of an abundance of caution and best practices in minimizing the spread of COVID-19, the 8th Annual Great Beginnings, Great Families Conference has moved online. Join maternal, child and adolescent professionals, advocates, support staff and providers in coming together for this innovative virtual conference to improve the health and well-being of Montanans by increasing the efficacy of...
The Early Childhood and Family Support Division with DPHHS is extending an opportunity for a town hall discussion with child care providers. The agenda includes updates from the Early Childhood Services Bureau regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as information on new Best Beginnings Scholarship policies. In addition, there will be an opportunity to ask questions....
Dear Early Childhood Provider, Your participation in a Yale School of Medicine survey regarding child care during the COVID-19 crisis is requested. Please help us by participating in a brief (12-20 minute long) surveybeing sent to child care providers like you across the nation. Your answers will be completely confidential. We need as many voices and experiences...
Providers who are currently closed will not be paid for Best Beginnings Scholarship child care cases until they reopen. Please contact your child care licenser to reopen. March, April, and May invoices will be paid at 100% regardless of child’s attendance. This policy ends May 31,2010. June invoices will be paid at 100% of...
