Blog Series: What Ohioans Are Saying About the Need for Quality Child Care
This week, Groundwork Ohio published more stories as part of our ongoing blog series on the need to expand access to quality child care. Our blog series includes stories from child care professionals, families, business and nonprofit leaders, and community members each urging Ohio legislators to expand eligibility to publicly funded child care to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level as part of the state budget (House Bill 110).
Here are a few of the latest blogs in the series:
Be a Voice for Ohio's Youngest Kids
State legislators are just weeks away from finalizing Ohio's next state budget, which will determine how much Ohio invests in programs that serve infants, toddlers, and their families over the next two years. During this critical moment in the state budget process, we need early childhood advocates like you to use your voice to advocate on behalf of Ohio's youngest children and their families.
TAKE ACTION: Help us advocate for investments in high-quality child care, evidence-based home visiting, and health coverage for postpartum women. We've made an easy-to-use tool that enables you to send a pre-drafted message directly to your state senator in just a few clicks! Click here to get started.
You're Invited: Maternal and Infant Support Stakeholder Focus Groups
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) is inviting all interested parties to participate in stakeholder focus groups as part of ODM's Maternal and Infant Support Program. The Maternal and Infant Support Program focuses on providing services and strategies to reduce and eliminate racial disparities in maternal and infant outcomes and reduce infant mortality in Ohio.
Upcoming focus group topics include:
Lactation Consulting (Sunday, June 6th at 9:30 AM)
Doula Services (Wednesday, June 23rd at 10:00 AM)
Nurse Home Visiting Services (Coming soon, TBD)
No pre-registration is required for these meetings. To attend a focus group, visit this website on the date and time of the meeting and click on the link next to the topic name to join.
Upcoming Event: Pathways to Community Plans of Safe Care
On Monday, June 7th from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, the Governor's Children's Initiative is hosting a kick-off event – Pathways to Community Plans of Safe Care – focused on cross-agency collaboration aimed to elevate maternal and infant health and better serve Ohio families.
During the event, you'll hear from Governor Mike DeWine and others about how state agencies that provide services to Ohio’s children are building infrastructures that can efficiently provide families the services and supports they need to thrive.
State’s infant mortality rate task force addressing racial disparity in child deaths
Nearly 10 million children could get free or reduced-cost child care under new proposed legislation
Opinion: Having a child too often a life and death struggle in Ohio
50 years later, the culture wars debate over the child care crisis has barely budged
OPINION: America’s early education system is struggling. Head Start can help chart a path forward
There’s a massive child-care worker shortage and the market can’t fix it
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