Agency: Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) – Child Care Licensure Division
Website: https://msdh.ms.gov
Description: The Mississippi State Department of Health licenses and regulates child care centers and family child care homes throughout Mississippi. The department provides licensing regulations, inspections, provider resources, forms, and compliance guidance.
Program: Mississippi Early Learning Collaborative Quality Support System
Website: https://mdek12.org/Early-Childhood
Description: Mississippi supports continuous quality improvement through coaching, technical assistance, professional development, and quality initiatives designed to strengthen early childhood programs.
Registry: Mississippi Early Childhood Professional Development Registry (MECPDR)
Website: https://www.msregistry.org
Description: Mississippi's professional development registry allows early childhood professionals to document education, credentials, training, and career advancement while accessing approved professional development opportunities.
Organization: Mississippi Child Care Resource & Referral Network
Website: https://msccrr.org
Description: Mississippi's Child Care Resource & Referral network provides child care referrals, coaching, technical assistance, professional development, and business support for providers and families.
Organization: Mississippi Association for the Education of Young Children (MSAEYC)
Website: https://www.msaeyc.org
Description: Supports early childhood professionals through advocacy, conferences, networking, leadership development, and professional learning opportunities.
Organization: Mississippi Department of Education – Office of Child Nutrition
Website: https://www.mdek12.org
Description: Administers Mississippi's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), providing reimbursement, nutrition guidance, training, and technical assistance.
Agency: Mississippi State Department of Health
Website: https://msdh.ms.gov
Description: Child care providers and employees must complete criminal background checks and required child abuse clearances before working in licensed child care settings.
Program: Early Learning Collaborative Act (ELC)
Website: https://mdek12.org/Early-Childhood
Description: Mississippi's Early Learning Collaborative Program provides high-quality, state-funded prekindergarten opportunities for eligible children through partnerships with school districts and community providers.
Program: Mississippi First Steps Early Intervention Program
Website: https://msdh.ms.gov
Description: First Steps provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities while supporting families through coordinated services.
Organization: Mississippi Department of Human Services & Mississippi Department of Education
Website: https://www.mdhs.ms.gov
Description: Provides workforce initiatives, scholarships, quality improvement supports, grants, and professional development opportunities for Mississippi's early childhood professionals.
Training requirements include pediatric CPR and First Aid, health and safety, child abuse and neglect reporting, emergency preparedness, safe sleep practices, and ongoing professional development.
Website: https://msdh.ms.gov
Description: Access licensing applications, provider forms, inspection reports, regulations, background check information, and additional child care resources.
Website: https://msdh.ms.gov
Description: Stay informed about licensing updates, policy changes, grant opportunities, quality initiatives, professional development, and early childhood news throughout Mississippi.
Agency: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) – Office of Childhood
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education licenses and regulates child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes throughout Missouri. The department provides licensing regulations, inspections, provider resources, forms, and compliance guidance.
Program: Missouri Accreditation and Quality Assurance (MOA-QA)
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: Missouri's quality improvement system supports early childhood programs through coaching, technical assistance, accreditation support, professional development, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Registry: Missouri Workshop Calendar
Website: https://mo.workshopcalendar.org
Description: Missouri's professional development registry allows early childhood professionals to locate approved training, maintain professional learning records, and support career advancement.
Organization: Child Care Aware® of Missouri
Website: https://mo.childcareaware.org
Description: Missouri's statewide Child Care Resource & Referral network provides referrals, coaching, technical assistance, professional development, and business support for child care providers and families.
Organization: Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children (Missouri AEYC)
Website: https://www.moaeyc.org
Description: Supports early childhood professionals through advocacy, conferences, networking, leadership development, and professional learning opportunities.
Organization: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Website: https://health.mo.gov
Description: Administers Missouri's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), providing reimbursement, nutrition guidance, training, and technical assistance.
Agency: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: Child care providers and employees must complete fingerprint-based criminal background checks and required child abuse and neglect screenings before working in licensed child care settings.
Program: Missouri Preschool Program (MPP)
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: Missouri's Preschool Program supports high-quality early learning opportunities for eligible preschool-aged children through school districts and community partnerships.
Program: First Steps Missouri
Website: https://dese.mo.gov/first-steps
Description: First Steps provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities while supporting families through coordinated services.
Organization: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: Provides workforce initiatives, scholarships, quality improvement supports, grants, and professional development opportunities for Missouri's early childhood professionals.
Training requirements include pediatric CPR and First Aid, health and safety, child abuse and neglect reporting, safe sleep practices, emergency preparedness, and ongoing professional development.
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: Access licensing applications, provider forms, inspection reports, regulations, background check information, and additional child care resources.
Website: https://dese.mo.gov
Description: Stay informed about licensing updates, policy changes, grant opportunities, quality initiatives, professional development, and early childhood news throughout Missouri.
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