Roane General Hospital Joins West Virginia Tri-Share Initiative to Make Child Care More Affordable by Sharing Costs with Employees and State

Roane General Hospital to participate in "Tri-Share" program, powered by Wonderschool, which splits child care costs among parents, employers, and the state.

SPENCER, W.Va., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Roane General Hospital is the first hospital system in West Virginia to join the state's unique Tri-Share Child Care program, marking a major step toward improving access to affordable, reliable child care for working families in Roane and surrounding counties. The announcement was made at an August 14 event attended by hospital leadership, elected officials, business leaders, child care providers, and community members.

"Retention of our staff is without a doubt our top priority," said Doug Bentz, CEO of Roane General Hospital. "You can't have a conversation about keeping great people without talking about child care. This program allows us to cost-share with our employees, helping them balance their professional and personal lives while strengthening our community."

Run by West Virginia Small Business Development Center and Wonderschool, a comprehensive technology and business support platform designed for child care providers, the West Virginia Tri-Share program divides the cost of child care among the employer, the employee, and the state. This shared-cost approach reduces the financial burden on families while helping employers attract and retain skilled staff.

"West Virginia is a daycare desert, and options in Roane County are limited. This initiative helps keep our children safe, supports our hard-working parents, and shows them their employer cares enough to invest in them. That's rare—and it's already making a difference," said David McCutcheon, director of PATCH 21, a Roane County child care program.

Other speakers, including Delegates Erica Moore and Kathie Hess Crouse, stressed the program's role in breaking down barriers for working parents and building momentum for statewide adoption.

"West Virginia is among a handful of states tackling the child care crisis in a really innovative way. The Tri-Share program is a win-win-win: for employers, who can retain talent; for providers, who gain financial stability; and for employees, who can see their child care costs reduced by 50, 65, even 70%," said Jason Moss, head of new government initiatives for Wonderschool. "Roane General Hospital's participation not only reflects their investment in their workforce—and ultimately the community they serve—but also sets a powerful example for how employers can be part of the solution to the state's child care challenges."

Employees whose employers are participating in the Tri-Share initiative can identify and enroll in licensed or registered child care programs using the Wonderschool platform. For child care providers, Wonderschool provides back-office technology, business coaching, and operational support—so they can focus on delivering high-quality care to the children and families they serve.

Roane General Hospital joins a grown number of employers across the state participating in the Tri-Share program, including:

• Ellis Insurance
• Scott Depot Christ Fellowship Inc
• Fort Hill Child Development Center
• Mountaineer Montessori School
• Auge+Gray+Drake
• Milestones Physical Therapy
• Early Education Station
• HospiceCare
• Imagination Station

Amy Downey, CFO of Roane General Hospital, shared that the program is already off to a strong start. "We've approved our first two employee families and have many more in the pipeline. The Wonderschool platform is simple, user-friendly, and flexible—employees can choose any provider, not just one specific center. The savings can mean hundreds, even thousands, of dollars back in our employees' pockets."

For more information about the West Virginia Tri-Share program or how employers can participate, visit: West Virginia Tri-Share.

About Wonderschool

Wonderschool's comprehensive technology and business support platform is designed to address every aspect of the childcare and early learning ecosystem. Wonderschool's vision is to ensure that quality early care and education are conveniently accessible to every child within a 5-minute radius of their home. As leaders in collaborating with governments and employers, Wonderschool spearheads initiatives to scale and enhance childcare access for every community across the country. Learn more at www.wonderschool.com.

About The West Virginia Small Business Development Center

WV SBDC is an accredited partner program with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and a division of the West Virginia Division of Economic Development, which helps small businesses at all stages of development by providing no cost one-on-one coaching and connecting clients with additional resources and programs.

For more information about WV SBDC services and coaches, visit wvsbdc.com.

SOURCE Wonderschool