News

Health department seeks input by May 17 (Now extended to May 20) on 3-year plan to improve child care quality and access

May 16, 2024/

Montana will receive nearly $32 million in federal funds next year to make child care more accessible for low-income families. How it will use that money — and the similar amount it will receive each year through 2027 — is currently being discussed by state officials.

Members of the public can provide public comment here through May 17. DPHHS will submit the plan to the Office of Child Care at the end of June. Assuming approval, it will go into effect on Oct. 1.

Carly Graf

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D.C. Has an Excellent Model for Strengthening Child Care.

Supplementing early childhood educators’ wages has gone a long way toward addressing a longtime crisis. Even if the program doesn’t survive the city’s budget process, it should remain an example for local, state and federal efforts.

Republican Montana lawmakers halt implementation of child care reform rules

Against the recommendation of many day care providers, the Children, Family, Health and Human Services Interim Committee voted on Thursday to prevent the suite of rules from going into effect before the end of the next legislative session in 2025. The vote was on partisan lines with the two committee’s Democrats offering the dissents.

The child care system is broken. Here are 5 striking statistics that show why.

As more than 1,000 providers shut their doors for a Day Without Child Care, we examine a few numbers that reveal why the landscape is in crisis.

Parents say lack of childcare is hampering Big Timber, Montana’s growth – Why no Universal Pre-K in Montana?

Big Timber Daycare is the only daycare in all of Sweet Grass County, and community members agree that’s not enough childcare service for the growing rural community.

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