Baby Matters: A Gateway to State Policies and Initiatives

To advance a state policy agenda for very young children and their families, policymakers and advocates need accurate information about other infant and toddler initiatives to inform their efforts and build public support. That's why ZERO TO THREE has developed Baby Matters: A Gateway to State Policies and Initiatives, an easy-to-use searchable database containing information on state policies and initiatives that impact infants, toddlers and their families.

The policies and initiatives in Baby Matters are searchable by state, keyword, and the elements of the Policy Center's Infant & Toddler Policy Framework. Each entry contains key information on the policy or initiative, as well links to additional related resources. Click here to use this new tool!

Download the February Advocacy Developmental Milestone Calendar!

This month's Advocacy Developmental Milestone Calendar is all about getting involved in your state’s advocacy efforts. During the month of February, find out which advocacy organizations and coalitions are advocating on early childhood issues in your state. We encourage you to pick one or two that you would like to get involved with, and sign up for their e-newsletters and/or meetings. Download February's calendar now!

State Policy Update

As our country's economic problems persist, states across the map are facing difficult budget crises and are being forced to make hard decisions about where to invest limited funds. Many states have proposed or enacted cuts to services for vulnerable families with very young children. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:

• At least 26 states have proposed or enacted budget cuts that impact eligibility for health insurance or access to health care services for children living in low-income families;
• At least 25 states have proposed or enacted cuts to education programs, including those that serve young children;
• At least 6 states have proposed or enacted cuts to cash assistance to low-income families;
• At least 4 states have proposed or enacted cut cuts to child abuse and neglect prevention or child welfare services; and
• At least 2 states have enacted cuts to child care subsidies.¹

States are developing budgets for Fiscal Year 2010 and there will be opportunities for you to take action on behalf of infants, toddlers, and their families. It is crucial that you remind your policymakers that the health of our economy is directly tied to the health and well-being of its citizens, especially the very youngest. Doing so will not only help vulnerable families through these harsh times, but will also create sustained growth for our economy by providing children with the services they need to grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school and the workforce. To learn more about the state budget process, click here.

¹Nicholas Johnson, Phil Oliff, and Jeremy Koulish, "Facing Deficits, At Least 39 States are Imposing or Planning Cuts that Hurt Vulnerable Residents." Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2009, http://capwiz.com/zerotothree/utr/0/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbpp.org.

Federal Policy Update

Last week, the Senate debated its version of the economic recovery plan, reaching agreement on a revised $780 billion package over the weekend. Once amendments agreed to on the floor are added in, the total cost of the Senate package is expected to top $800 billion. The amended bill, which is expected to pass the Senate on February 10th, includes a 50% reduction in the original funding approved for Head Start/Early Head Start, from $2.1 billion to $1.05 billion. The compromise also reduces Title I education funds from $13 billion to $12.4 billion while the state fiscal stabilization fund for education will be reduced from $79 billion to $39 billion. In addition, school modernization and neighborhood stabilization funds will be eliminated altogether. After the amended bill is approved, it will be up to House and Senate conferees to negotiate differences between the two bills with the hope of sending a final bill to the President before the Presidents Day recess next week. Stay tuned for an alert to take action during the House and Senate conference, along with an updated side-by-side comparison of the early care and education provisions of the House and Senate bills.

In other news, on February 4, the House passed the Children's Health Insurance Program Act of 2009 by a vote of 290-135, sending the bill to the President for enactment the same day. The legislation expands the State Children's Health Insurance Program to an additional 4 million children and includes provisions for dental and mental health benefits, increased outreach and enrollment and optional removal of the 5-year ban on legal immigrant children.

Publications & Resources

Tax Credits Outreach Campaign
Each year, many low-income families do not claim the tax credits to which they are entitled. To make sure that families don't miss out, the National Women's Law Center has launched a Tax Credit Outreach Campaign to supply parents, service providers and advocates with the tools and information to help eligible families receive their tax benefits.

National Training Institute Call for Proposals
ZERO TO THREE's National Training Institute (NTI) is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary conference that focuses on cutting-edge child development research, best practices, and policy issues for infants, toddlers, and families. Our 24th NTI will be held in Dallas, Texas, December 4-6, 2009, with a pre-institute on December 3. We are currently seeking proposals. To find out more, click here.