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Systems Transformation Initiative

If you are looking for information regarding key indicators for abbreviated inspections, the weighted risk system, or revised licensing standards, please visit the Child Care Regulation Modernization Projects website. 

The Systems Transformation initiative is revolutionizing the way licensed and certified human services providers in Minnesota interact with information technology systems and processes to create a more efficient, user-friendly, and equitable experience. 

A commitment to human-centered design and continuous improvement is the heart of this initiative. We actively seek and incorporate feedback from providers and agency workers to design solutions that meet their unique needs and experiences. By engaging with our users throughout the design process, we aim to create solutions that are intuitive, responsive, and truly reflective of the diverse communities we serve. 

Through the Systems Transformation initiative, we have established the Provider Hub and Agency Hub – innovative systems built on the Salesforce software platform – designed to streamline interactions between providers and agency workers at both the state and county levels. 

In 2023, the Provider Hub and Agency Hub were successfully launched for certified and licensed child care centers. Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we are excited to expand these platforms to encompass a wider range of processes and license types. Our vision is to create a holistic, unified, and cohesive experience that empowers providers and agency workers alike. 

By simplifying and enhancing the user experience, the Provider Hub and Agency Hub aim to reduce administrative burden, allowing providers and licensors to focus their time and energy on what matters most – delivering high-quality services to the people who need them. 

With the Provider Hub, manual paperwork and printing forms are no longer needed. Providers can now submit new applications and update existing licenses or certifications electronically, at any time. The system dynamically prompts users for only the relevant information needed, streamlining the submission process. 

The Provider Hub also stores historical information, eliminating the need for providers to resubmit unchanged data year after year. Instead, they can simply make updates whenever changes occur in their business. 

Providers will also benefit from a more guided and personalized experience. The Hub keeps users informed about the status of their applications and notifies them when changes or updates are required. This increased visibility and clarity helps to demystify the process, reducing confusion and uncertainty. 

In the Provider Hub, users can: 

  • Request changes to their license information at any time 
  • Submit variances 
  • View outcomes of licensing visits 
  • Submit applications for new programs 
  • Receive and respond to requests from their licensor 
  • Add additional users 

The Provider Hub and Agency Hub are designed to be fully compatible with mobile devices, tablets, and computers. This means that providers and agency workers can access these platforms anytime, anywhere, using the device that best suits their needs.

Guiding principles

Our vision: Create a seamless, tailored, and intuitive experience that inspires confidence and boosts satisfaction through enhanced transparency, efficiency, and consistency. 

  • Increasing equity: We are dedicated to providing a consistent, accessible, and equitable experience for all users across the State of Minnesota and its 87 counties. By offering the Provider Hub in English, Somali, Hmong, and Spanish, we aim to break down language barriers and ensure that everyone has equal access to the platform and its resources. 
  • Streamlining processes: Our goal is to streamline and simplify processes by reducing administrative burden and repetitive paperwork. By standardizing procedures into a holistic, unified digital experience, we aim to make our products intuitive and efficient for all users, saving them time and effort. 
  • Building trust through transparency: Our team deeply values the input and experiences of the people using our products. We actively seek and incorporate feedback throughout the development process. Through transparent communication about our decisions and processes, we strive to foster a sense of trust and collaboration in creating a tool that empowers its users. 
  • Guiding toward compliance: We understand that navigating processes can be complex. We've designed the Provider Hub to provide contextually relevant messages as information is entered. These prompts will guide users towards meeting necessary requirements and completing steps accurately, making the entire experience clearer, more efficient, and better aligned with compliance standards.

Timeline

April 2023:  Licensing Phase 1: Certified Child Care & Wayfinder

November 2023:  Licensing Phase 2: Licensed Child Care Centers & Product experience support 

January 2024:  Early Learning Scholarships pilot

Summer 2024

  • Great Start Compensation Application
  • Enrollment & Attendance Feature
    • Manual Enrollment & Attendance Entry 
    • Parent / Guardian Kiosk 
  • Early Learning Scholarships - full launch

April 2025: Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provider registration

Spring 2025 (at earliest):  Great Start Compensation Use of Funds Report

Summer 2025

  • Family child care providers and county licensing regional rollout
  • Redesigned Licensing Information Lookup website for child care

Future (Dates TBD)

  • Legal Appeals & Program Integrity Case Management
  • Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder, and Children's Residential Facilities license types
  • Home and Community Based Services license types
  • Foster Care licensing
  • Enrollment & Attendance Feature enhancements
    • Enrollment & Attendance Bulk Upload 
    • Child Care Management Systems (CCMS) Integrations  
Ongoing: Continuous improvement based on feedback

Child care licensing and certification

Expansion to all Human Services license types

In the future, the Provider Hub will expand to encompass all human services license types, creating a unified and streamlined platform for providers and agency workers across all spectrums of care. This expansion will bring the benefits of increased efficiency, transparency, and convenience to a wider range of providers, including those in the fields of adult foster care, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and more. Simultaneously, agency workers responsible for regulating and supporting these diverse provider types will gain access to the enhanced functionality and centralized resources of the Agency Hub.

By centralizing the licensing, certification, and regulatory processes for all human services providers and agencies, the Provider Hub and Agency Hub will foster a more cohesive and integrated system of care. This will enable providers to focus on delivering high-quality services to the individuals and communities they serve, while empowering agency workers to more effectively support and collaborate with providers. The expansion will also promote greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among providers and agency workers, as they navigate a shared platform and common processes. As the Provider Hub and Agency Hub continue to evolve and grow in tandem, they will play a vital role in shaping the future of human services delivery in Minnesota, driving positive outcomes for providers, agency workers, and the diverse populations they serve.

Licensing Information Lookup website

Licensing Information Lookup is being redesigned to provide families, providers, and the public enhanced accessibility and usability when searching for licensed and certified child care providers across Minnesota.

In addition to displaying compliance monitoring results, the redesigned website will offer an improved experience including:

  • Program description and photo/logo
  • Enrollment availability
  • Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) registration status 
  • Parent Aware rating 

The redesigned website will launch with Phase 3 for child care providers. Additional license types will transition to the new website in the future.

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provider maintenance activities, including registration, reporting changes, and renewals are being streamlined and simplified through the Provider Hub. Providers will no longer need to provide licensing information or other information that is already in the Provider Hub.

Minnesota licensed and certified providers, Tribally licensed providers, and providers licensed by another state will use the Provider Hub to register and maintain registration with the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program. Legal nonlicensed providers will have the option to use the Provider Hub or continue to use the current paper processes.

CCAP registration and renewal activities will be available in the Provider Hub in April 2025.

Visit the CCAP Provider Support Team Engagement HQ site for up-to-date information and resources about centralized provider registration in the Provider Hub.

Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program: Application and Use of Funds Report

The Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program is a nation-leading program designed to support the child care industry through increases in compensation and benefits for early childhood educators.

Application: In 2024, the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program application transitioned to the Provider Hub for licensed and certified license-exempt child care centers. This created a centralized, consistent location for providers to manage payments and applications, as well as increased the Department’s ability to effectively, equitably, and efficiently distribute funding to stabilize and grow Minnesota’s child care industry. Licensed family child care providers and providers licensed by a Tribal Nation will continue to apply via the legacy email-based process until they are transitioned into the Provider Hub.

This short video provides an overview of the Great Start Compensation application in the Provider Hub: Great Start Compensation Application Overview video

Use of Funds Report: When programs accept Great Start Compensation payments, they are required to submit a report each year on how they used their funds. All reporting requirements associated with acceptance of payments are described in MN Statute 119.B27.

A Use of Funds Report is currently being developed in the Provider Hub and will become required no earlier than Spring 2025. Through this work, DYCF aims to report the impact of the Great Start Compensation payments, improve support for early childhood educators and the child care industry, and to ensure responsible use of funds in Minnesota. Providers can prepare today using free, optional tools to gather information required for the report shared on the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Great Start Compensation website.

For more information about Great Start Compensation program, visit the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program website.

Enrollment & Attendance feature

A key component of the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program application is the submission of enrollment and attendance records with the monthly application as required by Minnesota Statute, chapter 119B.27

In July 2024 an optional Enrollment & Attendance feature became available in the Provider Hub that providers can use as an enrollment and attendance management tool. The Enrollment & Attendance feature allows for direct, manual entry of enrollment and attendance information by providers and offers an option for parents/trusted adults to check in and check out their children through use of a kiosk. At this time, the enrollment and attendance functionalities will be available for centers certified or licensed by the State. Licensed family child care providers will gain access to these tools when they are added to the Provider Hub.

In the future, all providers will be required to submit detailed enrollment and attendance data as part of their monthly Great Start Compensation application. Updates will be shared regarding the timing of this transition, that allows ample time for providers to prepare. 

This short video provides an overview of the Enrollment & Attendance feature in the Provider Hub: Enrollment & Attendance Feature Overview video

Related Hub experiences

Provider Hub support

Stay connected | Get involved | Contact us

Communications

The Product Team sends regular communications through GovDelivery email bulletins. Bulletins are sent to all current Authorized Agents of licensed and certified child care programs, and anyone who has subscribed to the Provider Hub listserv. GovDelivery bulletins are also sent to county agencies with information and updates about the Agency Hub. To receive emails about the Provider Hub, subscribe through the listserv link. Postcards are also periodically mailed to family child care providers.

Recent Provider Hub GovDelivery bulletins

Date Sent Audience Related Functionality Title and Link
October 24, 2024 Family child care providers Provider Hub licensing transformation Family Child Care Provider Hub Information Phone Line
October 23, 2024 Family child care providers Provider Hub Enrollment & Attendance Feature Upcoming Enhancements to the Provider Hub’s Enrollment & Attendance Feature
October 23, 2024 Licensed center and certified providers Provider Hub Enrollment & Attendance Feature Upcoming Enhancements to the Provider Hub’s Enrollment & Attendance Feature
September 22, 2024 Family child care providers Provider Hub licensing transformation NEW! Provider Hub: Getting Started Webpage
September 22, 2024 Licensed center and certified providers Provider Hub licensing transformation NEW! Provider Hub: Getting Started Webpage
September 5, 2024 Family child care providers Provider Hub licensing transformation Important Update to Provider Hub Rollout Plan
September 5, 2024 Licensed center and certified providers Provider Hub licensing transformation Important Update to Provider Hub Rollout Plan
July 10, 2024 Licensed center and certified providers Great Start Compensation application Great Start Compensation Application: Feature Goes Live this Wednesday, July 10
May 16, 2024 Licensed center and certified providers Great Start Compensation application Update: Great Start Compensation Application transitioning to the Provider Hub
April 22, 2024 Family child care, licensed center, and certified providers Provider Hub transformation Provider Hub Updates: Phase 3, Great Start, Enrollment & Attendance
January 30, 2024 Family child care providers Provider Hub licensing transformation Family Child Care Launch Timeline and Strategy
January 29, 2024 Licensed and certified providers Provider Hub licensing transformation Provider Hub Updates and Fixes
January 4, 2024 Family child care providers Provider Hub licensing transformation Updates in the New Year: Questions and Answers

Questions and feedback

For questions or more information, email the product team at ccproviderhub.dhs@state.mn.us.

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