Montana

In 2022, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte announced $18 million for the Child Care Innovation and Infrastructure Grants program, funded by the American Rescue Plan. The 31 Recipients, with grants ranging from $142,000 to $1 million, included child care providers, health care organizations, community groups and local governments working to improve child care affordability, increase access, and provide high-quality, sustainable services. The funding was intended to target areas with significant observed shortages of child care capacity (“child care deserts”), defined as any geographic area where child care supply meets less than a third of the potential demand; care during nontraditional hours; or increasing access for infants, toddlers and vulnerable populations.

Source:

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Child care innovation and infrastructure grants.
Silvers, M. (2022). Montana Free Press. Montana child care providers to receive $18 million in federal grants.

Launched in 2020, Montana’s Early Childhood and Family Support Division in the Department of Public Health and Human Services brings together the states' Child Care and Development Fund, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Head Start Collaboration Office, and Early Learning Advisory Council. The Early Childhood Services Bureau’s mission is to improve the quality, affordability, and accessibility of early care and education in Montana, with a focus on creating coordinated systemsthat meet the needs of young children, their families, and the professionals who serve them.

Sources: Montana Early Childhood and Family Support Division (2023) 
Bipartisan Policy Center (2023). Integrated Efficient Early Care and Education Systems

Established in 2004, the Montana Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program (MECAP) provides on-the-job training, mentorship, and college coursework to support early childhood education providers. After completing the program, apprentices receive a Child Care Development Specialist Certificate and reach Level 4 of Montana's Practitioner Registry. MECAP is a Registered Apprenticeship Program, an on-the-job, paid training model that is validated through the U.S. Department of Labor or a state agency. MECAP started with temporary funds from Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). After the temporary funds were depleted, funding came from the federal Child Care Development Fund, administered by DPHHS. MECAP is a cross-organization partnership coordinated and organized by multiple state agencies, including Montana's Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), the Early Childhood Services Bureau, and Montana State University's Early Childhood Program.

Sources:

Child Trends. (2019). Spotlight on the Montana Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program.

Montana Early Childhood Project. (n.d.). Montana Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program Childcare Development Specialist.

Center for the Study of Child Care Employment. (2020). Apprenticeship Programs, by State/Territory, 2020.