Written By: Carrie Gray, Child Care Consultant, Change & Innovation Agency
With Wyoming’s launch of their child care exchange, the Early Childhood Access Resources and Eligibility System (ECARES), the state is pioneering a new path for child care access and support. In Wyoming’s innovative partnership with Vimo®, this fully integrated digital ecosystem brings families, providers, and agency staff together, streamlining every aspect of the child care journey.
This milestone is a testament to the innovative approach by the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS)—a vision that has become a reality by bringing together the specialized business process reengineering and technology strengths of Vimo’s subsidiaries, the Change & Innovation Agency (C!A®) and GetInsured. Wyoming and these organizations are not just building a new system, they’re reshaping how families, providers, and agencies connect throughout the early child care and education journey.
What is ECARES?
ECARES is a modern, all-in-one digital solution that makes finding, securing, and managing child care easier than ever for families, providers, and agency staff. Through the ECARES portal, families can search for licensed providers statewide, check real-time availability, and quickly pre-screen and apply for assistance. If families qualify for assistance, they can upload documents and track applications, all in one secure, user-friendly place.
And beginning in 2026, ECARES will simplify every step for child care providers, from onboarding and licensing to background checks and payment processing, which will cut paperwork and ensure faster reimbursements. In addition, Wyoming’s DFS staff will have integrated tools for case management, eligibility decisions, and compliance, allowing them to spend less time on manual tasks and more time supporting families.
Building the Capacity to Do More Good—Together
This seamless digital experience is no accident, it’s the result of thoughtful design and deep collaboration with Wyoming DFS, GetInsured, and C!A. To address Wyoming’s unique needs, C!A brought its extensive experience with business process reengineering not only in child care, but Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child support, and child welfare.
Instead of enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach, C!A worked side by side with DFS agency staff, consumers, and partners to develop practical, evidence-based processes tailored to the unique needs of Wyoming’s families and providers. The C!A team—made up of former frontline staff, administrators, and policy experts—started by engaging directly with stakeholders to design a new system that would truly reflect the realities of Wyoming communities and those who serve them.
GetInsured: Building a Flexible, Future-Proof Technology Foundation
Building on a strong foundation of Wyoming’s feedback and C!A’s process innovation, GetInsured then transformed the vision for ECARES into a fully integrated digital platform. With two decades of expertise in delivering secure, scalable, and configurable technology for state-based marketplaces and support systems, GetInsured brought a thorough understanding of business goals, operations, and the needs of all stakeholders. Every feature and workflow—such as real-time eligibility checks, automated document management, and prompt provider payments—is validated through rigorous testing and refined to be user-friendly and intuitive. The result is a technology foundation that not only meets Wyoming’s needs today but makes it easy to evolve well into the future.
Why This Model Matters for Other States
Wyoming’s journey is not unique. Across the country, agencies face the same pressures: rising demand, shrinking budgets, and an urgent need to modernize. By reimagining business processes first and then deploying modern, modular technology, states can break free from the cycle of inefficiency and frustration. Automated, integrated systems like ECARES enable agencies to do more with less, respond nimbly to policy changes, and ensure accurate, timely compliance and reporting. Most importantly, they deliver a better experience for the people who matter most: children, families, providers, and the people who serve them.
ECARES stands as proof that when agencies harness the collective power of business process innovation and leading-edge technology, they can set a new standard for public service, one that is accessible, accountable, and built for the future.
To learn more about ECARES and how it’s transforming early childhood services in Wyoming, visit the Child Care Exchange (CCX) website.
About the Author
Child Care Consultant at Change & Innovation Agency
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