Tell Governor DeWine: Thank You for Standing with Ohio Families & Providers
ICYMI: Last month, Governor Mike DeWine signed Ohio House Bill 169, which allocates more than $650 million in federal relief funds to Ohio child care programs to help stabilize the state’s child care industry. These funds will provide much-needed relief to Ohio’s child care providers, who have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Importantly, Governor DeWine also line-item vetoed a harmful last-minute provision in the bill that threatened Ohio’s quality child care system. Ohio’s quality child care system gives parents the tools they need to make decisions about the quality care they want, need, and deserve.
Send a thank you message to Governor DeWine for standing with Ohio’s children, parents, and child care professionals!
CMS Issues Guidance to States on Postpartum Medicaid Coverage
Last month, the White House hosted its first-ever Maternal Health Day of Action, during which the Biden Administration announced new commitments to support safe pregnancies and childbirth, as well as reduce complications and infant and maternal mortality in the year following birth. As part of the White House Maternal Health Day of Action, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to states implementing 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage. Check out this resource from Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families to learn more about the guidance.
As a March of Dimes report shows, Ohio continues to face a maternal and infant health crisis. Fortunately, last year, Ohio policymakers extended postpartum coverage for Medicaid-eligible women from 60 days to 12 months. This progress will help ensure that roughly 10,000 additional Ohio women will maintain access to the critical health services they need after pregnancy.
Blog Post: How Brigid's Path is Bridging the Gaps for Babies and Families
This week, Ready, Set, Soar Ohio published a new blog post by Jill Kingston, Founder and Executive Director of Brigid’s Path. As Ohio’s first newborn recovery center, Brigid's Path improves the health of newborn babies and mothers impacted by addiction, offering grace for the past, support for the present, and hope for the future.
As Jill writes in the blog post, "While there are a lot of resources and systems in place to help families, our experience over the last four years has shown us that families need support to bridge the gaps between existing resources and programs...We are building stronger communities and a stronger Ohio through family preservation."
Learn More About Groundwork Ohio's Family Action Network
Every family deserves to be respected, valued, and heard. That’s why Groundwork Ohio is building a statewide Family Action Network, a powerful and diverse coalition of Ohio families from across the state who will be provided accessible trainings and opportunities to engage with policymakers!
Yesterday, Groundwork Ohio hosted a webinar to share their plans to develop and engage the Family Action Network, including a launch event on May 18, 2022 at the Ohio Statehouse. Watch a recording of the webinar here.
To meet their ambitious goal of recruiting 99 families from across the state to join the Family Action Network and attend the launch event, Groundwork Ohio is asking early childhood stakeholders, child- and family-serving organizations, and community leaders like you to help identify and recruit families to participate.
Interested in becoming a partner in Groundwork Ohio's efforts? Watch the recording of Groundwork Ohio's informational webinar then complete this partner interest form!
Statewide Poll Finds Ohio Parents with Young Kids Under Significant Pressure
Last month, Groundwork Ohio released a statewide poll of Ohio voters and parents with children under the age of 5. The poll finds that the child care crisis has kept many parents—especially mothers with young children—out of the workforce, slowing Ohio’s business and economic recovery.
In addition to illustrating the child care challenges many Ohio parents face, the poll also underscores the urgent need for policymakers to address the mental health needs of Ohio's infants, toddlers, and preschool age children.
According to the poll, the vast majority of Ohio parents with children under the age of 5 – 86% – said they have undergone stress from the pandemic, including more than one-third who said it has caused them and their families "a lot" of stress. Meanwhile, nearly 7 in 10 parents with children under the age of 5 said they are worried about the mental or emotional health of their child/children.
Report Illuminates Health Experiences of Ohio's Black Families and Infants
A new report from the Ohio Eliminating Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force shares key themes and findings from listening sessions for Black families that took place in 2021.
The Ohio Eliminating Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force was formed to provide Governor Mike DeWine with actionable recommendations on how to eliminate racial disparities in the infant mortality rate and to create a road map that guides Ohio to meet the Healthy People 2030 goals for all babies.
To engage Black women, families, and communities throughout the process to ensure that recommendations are grounded in reality, numerous Family Listening Sessions were held across the state to understand the health and well-being experiences of Black families and their infants.
Job Opportunity: The Black Child Development Institute – Cleveland
The Black Child Development Institute – Cleveland, an affiliate of the National Black Child Development Institute, seeks a seasoned professional to serve as its Policy Advisor to lead the organization's policy portfolio to improve the education, health, and economic wellbeing of children and families in Cleveland and throughout Ohio.
The Policy Advisor will be responsible for the development of short and long-term policy goals, research, data analysis, crafting of policy recommendations, educational meetings with policymakers and staff, writing policy materials, making oral presentations at advocacy coalitions and with policy stakeholders, and conducting other advocacy strategies that improve the well-being of Black children and families in Ohio.
To learn more about this opportunity, including how to apply, click here.
National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers | Diaper Need in the US: A Public Health Issue We Can Solve
Friday, January 7 at 1:00 PM ET
The National Head Start Association | Assessing Child Assessments Webinar Series: Child Assessment in Early Head Start (Webinar 1)
Tuesday, January 11 at 2:00 PM ET
The National Head Start Association | Assessing Child Assessments Webinar Series: Child Assessment in Early Head Start (Webinar 2)
Thursday, January 13 at 2:00 PM ET
Children's Funding Project | The American Rescue Plan: Part of A Balanced Children’s Funding Strategy
Tuesday, January 18 at 3:00 PM ET
Alliance for Early Success | The Power of Louisiana’s Shared Voice Webinar
Wednesday, January 19 at 3:00 PM ET
Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies | Using Cost Estimation to Inform Child Care Policy
Tuesday, January 25 at 3:00 PM ET
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