On States Respond to the Need for Early Childhood System Collaboration: Washington and Colorado

• We license and monitor Washington's 7,400-plus licensed child care settings in family homes and centers that serve about 174,000 children. Our licensors support child care business owners and their staff in offering safe, healthy care, and take action if settings are found to be unsafe for Washington's children.
• We oversee the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), the state-funded preschool program that helps prepare low-income 3- and 4-year-olds for success in school and life. Since 1985, ECEAP has focused on the well-being of the whole child by providing in-depth nutrition, health, education and family support services.
• We set policy for child care subsidy programs, which let parents know their children are well cared for while they are working, in school or looking for work. We partner with the Department of Social and Health Services, the state agency that decides who is able to receive subsidy benefits and makes the payments to child care providers.
• We coordinate early intervention services for children birth to age 3 who have disabilities and/or developmental delays through the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program . These services may include specialized instruction, speech therapy, occupational therapy, or physical therapy that can help young children. The program also supports parents as the most critical influence on their child’s early learning and development.
• We partner with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to oversee the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS), which helps ensure smooth transitions into kindergarten.
• We lead the statewide effort to deliver home visiting services to vulnerable children and families.
• We oversee the state professional development system to help ensure that for those who care for and teach young children continue to increase their skills and education levels.
• We work to boost the quality of early learning programs around the state and share information with families about quality through our state.

http://www.del.wa.gov/about/what.aspx

Washington State has it's Department of Early Learning. The state of Colorado has its new Office of Early Childhood. -gw
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DENVER — Thursday, June 7, 2012 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced the creation of an Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to consolidate and better administer early childhood programs in Colorado. This consolidation of programs and services in the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) will support parents by strengthening collaboration and coordination between the state-level early childhood system and local delivery systems.

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“Colorado families and children deserve the opportunity for a fair start,” Hickenlooper said. “This change will create a high-quality early childhood system that streamlines early childhood services to help ensure all children are healthy, valued and thriving.”

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The new office will bring together seven programs that currently exist in four divisions within CDHS:

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• Child Care Licensing

• Child Care Quality Initiatives

• Colorado Child Care Assistance Program

• Early Childhood Councils

• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

• Early Intervention Colorado Program (Part C/Early Intervention)

• Promoting Safe and Stable Families

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The move will maximize available resources without incurring additional expenses. Additionally, the OEC will continue to work with many partners, including parents, schools, child care, early intervention, businesses, community organizations and other stakeholders to provide high-quality early childhood programs and effective prevention strategies.

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Gov. Hickenlooper announces Office of Early Childhood