Child care providers across the state of Montana are suffering from workforce shortages. To identify potential solutions, the state created a provider learning community.

As a result of its work with the provider learning community, Montana developed a substitute pool for early childhood care workers. This strategy helps child care programs maintain continuity of care when staff are out. Child care programs can also hire from the substitute pool. By helping substitutes complete background checks and initial certifications, Montana is also facilitating entry into the workforce and speeding the hiring process for programs.

• Montana needed to identify the appropriate entity to lead the substitute pool. Raise Montana provides resources and coordination support to regional Child Care Resource and Referral agencies. Raise Montana was a natural fit to lead this work as it leads shared services efforts for the state.

• Child care licensing was identified as a key partner. Raise Montana’s’ partnership with state licensing was key. Communication with licensing about the approval of new subs happens quickly and efficiently.

Providers have struggled to manage the time it takes to process background checks for incoming substitutes. Now, Raise Montana is managing the background check process. Timing has improved due to a staggered approach, where substitutes complete background checks while others await approval.

Raise Montana uses a text platform that allows substitutes to be matched based on their distance from programs, increasing the convenience for substitutes.

As of June 2023, the state hired has onboarded 32 substitutes.

To learn more about Montana’s substitute pool, please visit their website: https://www.raisemt.org/substituteservice