The Healey-Driscoll administration is pushing forward with its plans to revamp child care financial assistance through a bold technology update. The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) has issued a request for vendors to develop a new family portal and case management system. Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, instrumental in this initiative through the implementation of the FutureTech Act signed earlier this year, the goal is to modernize and simplify the process for both parents and providers. According to Mass.gov, the project aims to create a more accessible, multilingual, and user-friendly platform to assist families in need.
"It is exciting to see our FutureTech Act at work, designing a more modern and easy-to-use child care financial assistance system so parents can get help paying for care while reducing administrative burdens for our hardworking child care providers," Governor Healey stated in the press release. The streamlined system is poised to reduce complexities currently faced by families, allowing them to apply for and manage child care assistance at their convenience. Lieutenant Governor Driscoll remarked on the prioritization of accessibility and affordability in child care.
This modernization effort will culminate in a system that offers a unified case management experience, promising features like managing a waitlist, streamlining application and eligibility, and handling payments efficiently for providers. Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler and Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder have both lauded this forward leap in technology advancement, emphasizing the value of IT as policy creation and enactment tool. "We are proud to be able to advance the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s priorities through IT modernization," Snyder expressed in the press release by Mass.gov.
Prior efforts to improve the child care financial assistance experience have included comprehensive revisions of the programs' policies and regulations and the launching of direct communication campaigns via email and texting. Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw has highlighted the project’s aim to break down barriers for families, exemplifying the administration's commitment to practicality and respect. The new technological advancements will enable EEC to increase their capacity for data-sharing with other agencies, creating a more cohesive government service environment where no resident feels lost or overlooked.
Interested vendors, specifically catered to under the ITS81 Category 3, can find the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on COMMBUYS, the state's online procurement platform.
