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County Funding Expands Access to High-Quality Care and Early Learning for Infants and Toddlers
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has partnered with 10 community-based, licensed child care programs to bring Early Head Start (EHS) to infants and toddlers, adding 75 seats across these programs. The partnerships help address a long-standing need for high-quality early care and education for the County’s youngest children.
The County provided $677,656 in Fiscal Year 2027 funding through the Early Childhood Education Initiative to help cover the cost of care for participating families.
“Early childhood education gives children a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Adding 75 Early Head Start seats helps more families access the early learning opportunities and support needed during a critical stage of their children’s development. This investment strengthens our community by giving more of our youngest residents the opportunity to thrive and helping parents work toward their own goals, knowing their children are receiving quality care and early education.”
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Every child, regardless of zip code, income, or background, should have a nurturing start. High-quality care during the first three years of life helps build a foundation for learning and healthy development, particularly when paired with health services and strong family supports.
Families enrolled in EHS will receive:
• High-quality infant and toddler care based on evidence-based practices.
• Regular health and developmental screenings.
• Health, mental health, and nutrition support.
• Family engagement services designed to promote stability and resilience.
“By partnering with community-based child care programs, we’re ensuring that infants and toddlers have access to high-quality early learning environments where families already are,” said Dr. James Bridgers, director of DHHS.
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DHHS will continue its collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools, which provides the preschool classroom component of the program.
Participating programs:
For more information about Early Head Start services, contact Charlene.Muhammad@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov.
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Read the original article at mcdhhs
