Recent national attention has focused on fraud and improper payments in childcare assistance programs. Taxpayers expect accountability, and families depend on these programs working as intended.
After more than two decades working in childcare — as a center director, a state Child Care Development Fund Operations Manager, and now helping states modernize their systems – I’ve learned that many program integrity challenges are not primarily the result of bad actors. More often, they stem from fragmented systems and outdated business processes that were never designed for today’s programs.
If we want stronger accountability, we need better systems, not simply more paperwork.
Many of today’s program integrity challenges begin with systems that were never designed to work together. Eligibility might be managed in one system, provider licensing in another, attendance on paper, and payments somewhere else entirely. Staff spend hours reconciling records that should already match. Providers navigate multiple reporting requirements. Families wait longer for decisions.
In that environment, mistakes become inevitable. Opportunities for improper payments increase. This is not because safeguards are absent but because information is disconnected. Program integrity becomes a manual process instead of something built into daily operations.
Wyoming offers an example of what is possible.
Working alongside the Wyoming Department of Family Services, Vimo helped develop the Early Childhood Access Resources and Eligibility System (ECARES), powered by our Child Care Exchange (CCX). Rather than simply digitizing old processes, Wyoming took the opportunity to rethink how families, providers, and state staff interact across the entire childcare ecosystem.
Families can search for licensed providers, check who may have enrollment opening , determine potential eligibility, apply for assistance, upload documentation, and track their applications through one streamlined experience. Providers benefit from integrated licensing, onboarding, attendance, and payment processes that reduce paperwork while improving timeliness. State staff gain a unified view of eligibility, authorizations, attendance, and payments, enabling more informed decisions and stronger oversight.
Just as important, accountability is built into the system itself.
When eligibility, authorization, attendance, and payment are connected through a single workflow, validation happens throughout the process instead of after the fact. Information is verified at multiple points. Data is reconciled automatically. Potential discrepancies can be identified early, reducing improper payments before they occur while minimizing the need for manual reviews.
But the real innovation isn’t that Wyoming built a new technology platform. Wyoming has simplified access to services for families, streamlined participation for providers, and provided agency staff with greater visibility into program operations and performance
Since the launch of CCX, Wyoming has processed more than 1,100 applications and enrollments and supported nearly 600 regulated providers and currently serves approximately 3,000 children receiving subsidies. The platform has also helped reduce average payment processing times from approximately 15 days to 6 days, improving both operational efficiency and the provider experience. During a recent webinar with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), we discussed how program integrity improves when business processes and technology are designed together rather than separately. Strong oversight does not have to mean more paperwork, more delays, or more burden for families and providers. In fact, the opposite is often true. Well-designed systems improve compliance while making programs easier to use.
Calls for greater accountability in childcare are entirely appropriate. Public funds should be used responsibly, and families, providers, and taxpayers all deserve confidence that childcare assistance programs operate with integrity. But accountability isn’t achieved by layering on more forms, more reviews, or more manual checks. It comes from designing systems that connect people, policy, and information from the start.
Wyoming has shown that access and accountability are not competing goals. When programs are designed thoughtfully, they reinforce one another. As more states look to strengthen childcare systems, they should remember that better accountability begins with better systems — not more paperwork.
Carrie Gray, a former state Child Care Development Fund Operations Manager, currently works as a childcare modernization expert and advocate.
