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Gov. Kasich has agreed to postpone his administration's planned policy shift to no longer allow early care and education programs in Ohio to combine state and federal funding by one year following complaints that services would be lost or diminished for Ohio's poorest children Learn more about the delay>> #Kasich #funding #earlycare #policy

Beginning September 6, Governor John Kasich’s administration plans to forbid Ohio’s early learning and childcare programs from layering state funding and federal dollars to purchase and provide comprehensive enrichment services for low-income children and families. Despite the administration’s claims, these funds are not paying for the same services at the same time but are used to increase the quality of the schools and centers serving the youngest – and most disadvantaged - Ohio children. That’s why federal Head Start encourages layering funds and why it’s been done in Ohio for over a decade. Kasich’s decision to prohibit layering will make it hard for Ohio to get future federal grants to expand access and improve the quality of early learning and childcare programs. Thousands of children in Ohio will be hurt by this policy shift. The funds are currently used to increase school quality for children living in poverty, allowing programs to be better than what state funding alone can provide. For example, federal funds are often layered with state funding to provide health and nutritional services, curriculum supports, teacher education, and smaller class sizes. Some programs also use the funds to hire and retain degreed teachers by providing more competitive wages – Ohio has early childhood wages so low that professionals must rely on public assistance. As a result of this policy shift, many programs that have previously partnered with Head Start will be forced to scale back or eliminate services that benefit not only economically disadvantaged children, but all children in the program who win when programs can leverage every state and federal dollar available to increase quality. The shift is so outrageous that the Cleveland Plain Dealer , the Akron Beacon Journal , the Toledo Blade , the regional president of PNC Bank , and scores of other Ohio leaders have spoken out against the self-destructive move. The state argues that state funds shifted from Head Start to other programs will increase enrollment. But increasing class sizes will not benefit our children. The lowering of educational qualifications and reductions in professionals’ already dismal wages will not help children who desperately need early support and intervention to be prepared for kindergarten, third grade reading, and a successful academic career. Limiting the ability to make the best use of all available funds will not help communities, like Cleveland and Dayton, that are investing substantial local resources into early learning to meet goals and achieve the outcomes that high-quality early learning provides. This policy shift is a mistake that will hurt Ohio kids, reduce federal resources coming into Ohio, and allow our future workforce to fall further behind. Our children need our help. You can make a difference by contacting your state legislators and Governor Kasich to voice your concerns. Find your state legislator’s contact information here and call Governor John Kasich’s office at (614) 466-3555. Your kids – our kids – will thank you. #families #highqualitychildcare #preschool

By: Lynanne Gutierrez, Chief Policy & Operating Officer Follow Lynanne on Twitter and LinkedIn We are grateful to the Prental-to-3 Policy Impact Center who has done the difficult work of undertaking a rigorous review of research to identify what state policies effectively support babies and their families. The Center has identified which state policies best support and strengthen the earliest years of the developing brain and body, and have the largest impact on improving the health and well-being of infants and toddlers, and their parents. Recently, the Center released its third annual Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap outlining five policies and six strategies proven to create optimal health and development for children. When combined, the policies and strategies create a system of care that provides broad-based economic and family supports, as well as targeted interventions to address identified needs. The five Roadmap policies include: Expanded income eligibility for health insurance, Reduced administrative burden for SNAP, Paid family leave of at least 6 weeks, A state minimum wage of at least $10, and A refundable state EITC. The six Roadmap strategies include: Comprehensive screening and connection programs, Child care subsidies, Group prenatal care, Evidence-based home visiting programs, Early Head Start, and Early Intervention services. Additionally, a new feature of the Roadmap is the 2022 Roadmap Simulation: Same Family, Different Resources to investigate what level of resources a single parent with an infant and a toddler in Ohio has to provide for their children based on the state policy decisions that have been made. The 2022 Roadmap shows that few states are doing all they can, but laudable progress was made by many. But what can we learn from Ohio’s roadmap ? I encourage you to explore all of these data, but want to share one of the learnings I had in exploring the roadmap about comprehensive screening and connection programs – a newer evidence-based strategy for our state. These programs use screening tools to identify the needs of children and families and connect them to targeted programs and services – the “connective tissue” between all the critical programs and services children and families need and the families themselves. Ohio has experimented some with one of these evidence-based models called Healthy Steps, which embeds a child developmental specialist into the pediatric care setting to support parents’ knowledge and behaviors to advance the growth of their children. DULCE (Developmental Understanding and Legal Collaboration for Everyone) is another evidence-based program that is based in the pediatric care setting other states have engaged. Given our strong network of hospitals in Ohio, however, I am getting curious about the Family Connects model as a potential new strategy. It is a community-wide nurse home visiting program that offers nurse home visits to every new parent. The nurse assesses and responds to the family’s specific needs and connects them with resources. While each experience is different, giving birth and becoming a parent is a universal challenge for every new parent. This model holds the possibility of supporting every new parent with the support that they identify they need and want. If you share my curiosity about this program, please connect with me at lgutierrez@groundworkohio.org .

Each month, Groundwork Ohio reads the latest and greatest resources on early education and health from a wide variety of sources. Below is a compilation of the most important articles we have read throughout August 2022. OH IO NEWS Increasing, diversifying the perinatal workforce will save lives of Black mothers and babies Ohio infant mortality crisis: Why can't we fix this? Opinion: Families, providers still struggling with child care crisis Ohio Schools Seek to Adapt to Mental Health Crisis Apply to join Ohio’s Whole Child Network First Five Years Fund: Early Childhood Education in Ohio As School Year Starts in Ohio, Districts Struggle with Thousands of Open Teaching Positions Parents: Education should include mental health, trust in teachers Early signs of classroom performance show improvement after COVID's negative impact Federal government OKs Ohio's request to extend postpartum Medicaid for 12 months How much does breakfast and lunch cost in your Greater Columbus school district? Mental health, teen birth rates: 5 takeaways from new data on Ohio's children Child educational, health issues persist in Ohio Women are returning to the workforce. Here's what it takes for them to stay NATIONAL NEWS Georgetown University Health Policy Institute CMS Reminds States EPSDT Requirement Includes Behavioral Health, Offers Specific Strategies AMERICAN PROGRESS Increasing America's Child Care Supply 2020 Mom The World Health Organization's Maternal Mental Health Actions in the " World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All” CLASP Child care assistance spending and participation in 2019 NASP Home visiting and support for pregnant women issue brief Children’s Funding Project Guest blog: early childhood education starts at birth - three lessons from Preschool Promise ChildCare Aware of America State session round-up, Summer 2022 The White House Fact Sheet: President Biden's and Vice President Harris's Maternal Health Blueprint Delivers for Women, Mothers, and Families The New York Times Vast New Study Shows a Key to Reducing Poverty: More Friendships Between Rich and Poor #ECE #WhatWeRead #August2022 #InTheNews

By: Amy Meade, Director, Center for Early Learning at Groundwork Ohio Follow Amy on Twitter and LinkedIn ** Update: Since publishing this blog, the General Assembly sent a large COVID relief package to the Governor, including appropriations for $499 million in federal child care spending. In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) into law, issuing three streams of federal funding to states through the Child Care and Development Fund. This legislation was developed and created in response to the devastating consequences the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the health and well-being of young children and their families. Despite the nearly $1.3 billion allocated for child care in the Child Care Stabilization Sub-Grants created by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), only 61 percent of ARPA funds have been utilized; leaving over half a billion dollars left to be spent.* These funds have been critical to the child care industry, providing a lifeline to many programs, while also not being enough to stop the permanent closure of 798 Ohio child care programs in the past two years.** It is not a surprise that Ohio has a severe child care workforce shortage, areas where safe, stable child care is not available or accessible for families who need it, and that child care costs have soared over the last several years. To address the child care crisis, and implement innovative and expansive changes to support the child care workforce, Ohio must use the remaining ARPA child care discretionary funds to: Increase access to quality child care for working Ohioans earning low wages to support the healthy development of children and improve parental workforce participation. Pay for the actual cost of quality care that provides fair compensation to early childhood professionals. Build quality capacity to support the unique needs of infants and toddlers. The Foundation Needed to Ensure our Youngest Children are Healthy and Ready to Learn is Cracked While 39 percent of Ohioans live in child care deserts, areas with more than three young children for every child care slot, 60 percent of non-working or part-time moms with children under the age of five say they would go back to work or work more hours if their child had access to quality child care at a reasonable cost.*** Families that do have access to child care are continuously asked to pay more for these services. An Ohio family with an infant and a toddler spends more than $18,000 a year on center-based child care. We need our systems, policies, programs, and communities structured to support health and readiness to learn for Ohio’s youngest children. Not only does this lay a foundation for children to thrive, but it also puts Ohio on the path to becoming a healthier, more productive, and economically vibrant state. A recent report released by Action for Children highlights the devasting impact COVID-19 has had on the child care system in Central Ohio. Although this report’s survey was initiated in May 2020, it has exposed more broadly the fundamental weaknesses in our child care system that many families, early educators, and employers have experienced over the past few decades. Here’s what we know based on the most recent survey (September 2022): One in 10 Central Ohio providers are not confident that they will still be open within three months. For half of providers in these communities, monthly revenue does not cover expenses. Staffing shortages are paralyzing. In Central Ohio, 81 percent of centers based in the region reported needing staff (approximately 1,985 positions) compared to 50 percent in 2021. The average wage for Ohio early educators in child care settings based on a study in 2020 was $10.67/hour, and most workers received no employer supports such as paid leave or planning time. More than half of providers have had to raise tuition since September 2021 and over 40 percent of providers who have already raised tuition plan on raising it again within the next six months. These numbers have very real, and sometimes very harsh, implications for children’s lives. Safe, stable, and nurturing environments and early learning experiences are essential for children’s healthy growth and development. Children’s early experiences lay the groundwork for physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth later in life. High-quality early childhood education, such as Head Start, public preschool, and early intervention services, can improve school readiness and build the foundation for future educational achievement. Quality early childhood education and early learning supports can also counteract the harms and stressors to which children living in poverty or other difficult circumstances may be exposed. States Agree That Investing in Child Care is Non-Negotiable Ohio has spent nearly $800 million of rescue funds on assisting child care providers throughout the state. This money has provided stabilization grants to child care providers to assist in costs related to operations, workforce recruitment and retention, expanding access, mental health support, and technology. In addition, the state used federal rescue funds to provide two phases of Hero Pay to child care professionals. Eligible child care professionals received up to $1,200 in phase one (October 2020-September 2021) and up to $3,000 in phase two (September 2022-February 2023). It is critical that Ohio continues to provide this needed support to child care programs and professionals. A brief written by the National Women’s Law Center indicates many states have chosen to utilize ARPA funds to support child care programs and professionals in ways that are both similar to and distinct from Ohio. Kansas and Montana are providing bonuses and incentive payouts to child care workers to increase attraction to the field as well as reward workers for their continued service. Alabama is using allotted ARPA child care discretionary funds to create a grant opportunity for eligible, licensed child care providers. Grant recipients will pay their eligible staff a bonus of up to $3,000 per quarter for two years. Arizona has continued the suspension of the waiting list for child care assistance so that eligible families who apply for assistance receive it, increased payment rates for child care providers including non-certified relative providers, and provided child care assistance to returning workers. Other states have chosen to direct ARPA funds to support families and ease the financial burden of accessing child care, while ensuring that child care is safe and available. Indiana waived copayments for child care from March 28, 2021 to April 30, 2022. Georgia increased the income limit to qualify for assistance from 50 percent to 85 percent of state median income, and raised the cutoff to be in the “very low-income” priority group from 50 percent to 150 percent of poverty. The state is also expanding families’ access to child care assistance by extending Awarding Child Care Education Scholarship Supplements (ACCESS) through September 2023; with ACCESS, the child care assistance program pays a child care provider’s full published rate, including the parent copayment and any remaining difference between the state’s standard payment rate and the amount the provider charges to private-paying parents. The state is also planning to expand formal education pathways for infant and toddler teachers. Mississippi plans to provide enhanced payment rates to child care providers and to cover copayments for families receiving child care assistance. Policymakers Must Act Now Child care has been left out of conversations and bills that would provide the resources necessary to fully support parents, providers, and the economy, despite significant need and interest in addressing it. Close examination of the data makes it clear that Ohio has room for improvement in supporting our youngest children and their families. The recent federal COVID-19 relief funding dedicated to child care must be spent on assisting with stabilizing and sustaining the child care system, improving child care workforce recruitment, and increasing access to child care for families. This funding is only a start to the large-scale, sustained investments in the system that is needed. We cannot lose sight of what should be included in the spending, building on the considerable progress made this year. TO LEARN MORE : Groundwork Ohio Early Childhood Dashboard Preview (2022) Groundwork Ohio 2021 State Budget Impact Report Fact Sheet: What if We Expanded Child Care Eligibility in Ohio? Fact Sheet: Increasing Quality for Ohio’s Publicly Funded Child Care Report: The Workforce Behind the Workforce—Advancing the Early Childhood Education Professional in Ohio’s Child Care System Report: Building the Way to a Healthier Future Child Care Centers in Ohio – County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Child Care in Ohio – Ohio Department of Job and Family Services *: Ohio Poverty Law Center’s Ohio ARPA Tracker , accessed November 9, 2022. **: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2022 ***: Ohio Poll: Investing in Quality Child Care is Key to Getting Ohioans Back to Work

Keynote address, sponsored by PNC Bank, will bring together hundreds to support children and families Sonia Manzano , an award-winning author and actress known for her role as “Maria” on Sesame Street, will be the keynote speaker of Groundwork Ohio’s 2023 Advocacy Day. PNC Bank , a longtime supporter of early childhood education initiatives, will sponsor Ms. Manzano’s address. Advocacy Day will be held on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at the Ohio Statehouse and features hundreds of statewide early childhood advocates and supporters, coming together for a day of meaningful learning and advocacy to strengthen relationships with state policymakers. Issues relevant to Ohio’s children and families will be at the forefront of our work leading up to the 2023 Biennial Budget and Advocacy Day will be a moment for collaboration, connection, and camaraderie throughout the state. Attendees will advocate for state policy and investment that lay the foundation to ensure all children in Ohio are healthy and ready to learn. “We’re thrilled to welcome Sonia Manzano to Columbus and think she’s perfectly positioned to share her decades of expertise working with and writing for children and families with current and future advocates in our state,” said Shannon Jones, President & CEO of Groundwork Ohio. “Through PNC’s generous sponsorship, Sonia’s work can influence the stories we hope to share with the leaders of our state working on the critical policies that will affect the future workforce of our state.” Sonia is a first-generation American of Latino descent and has positively impacted the lives of millions of parents and children since the early 1970s when she began her role as Maria on Sesame Street. She has since authored several books for children, young adults, and adult audiences. PNC’s sponsorship includes the purchase of Sonia’s books for all 400 Advocacy Day attendees, as well as books for early learning centers supported through PNC Grow Up Great®, a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. “PNC recognizes that birth to age 5 is a critical time in a child’s development,” said David Melin, PNC Regional President for Dayton. “Groundwork Ohio’s Advocacy Day provides an opportunity to meet with policymakers and advocate for advancing systemic changes that improve outcomes for Ohio’s youngest children and their families, and we are excited to be able to support and participate in these efforts.” Melin serves on Groundwork Ohio’s Board of Directors and is one of PNC’s seven regional presidents across the state. After hearing from Sonia and other statewide experts in birth to age three development, Advocacy Day attendees are scheduled to hold meetings with state legislators, advocating for Groundwork Ohio’s budget priorities utilizing data, research, and personal stories, illustrating the unquestionable need for all children to thrive. More information about Advocacy Day will be available in the coming weeks. Press inquiries in the meantime can be sent to Director of Communications Becca Thomas . Sponsorship questions can be sent to Director of Advancement Carol Argiro. ### About Groundwork Ohio Groundwork Ohio is a committed, nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization formed in 2004 that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age five, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families, and communities. Learn more about Groundwork Ohio at www.groundworkohio.org and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . About PNC PNC Bank PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com .

By: Erin Ryan, Director, Center for Maternal & Young Child Health at Groundwork Ohio Follow Erin on Twitter and LinkedIn This week, on behalf of Groundwork Ohio, I submitted written testimony on behalf of House Bill 428 that would have created supports around identifying Adverse Childhood Experiences. U nfortunately, this bill stalled out in committee and did not get enacted before the end of the legislative session. We look forward to the opportunity to support it next session. My full testimony as presented to the committee is as follows. Ohio State Senate Health Committee House Bill 428 (Pavliga, Edwards): Establish Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Commission Erin Ryan | Director, Center for Maternal & Young Child Health Groundwork Ohio December 14, 2022 Chair Huffman, Vice Chair Antani, Ranking Member Antonio, and distinguished members of the Senate Health Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of House Bill 428, regarding establishing an Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Commission. My name is Erin Ryan, and I serve as the Director of the Center for Maternal & Young Child Health at Groundwork Ohio. Groundwork is a statewide, nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age five, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families, and communities. Our vision is to make Ohio the best place to be a young child so that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Groundwork is led by President & CEO, Shannon Jones. We are grateful to the sponsors and the committee for the opportunity to support HB 428, which holds the opportunity of building awareness and expertise among this body about the diverse and critical needs of young children and families, and most importantly, the opportunity to apply data-driven research to polices that will prevent trauma, mitigate its impact, and build resilience in children, families, and communities. The work of this potential study commission is absolutely aligned with the mission of Groundwork and so we look forward to being an ongoing resource given the expertise of our staff, the broad and diverse table of professionals and leaders that guide our work, our statewide coalitions that unify statewide and community-based organization behind an evidence-based agenda to improve the lives of young children and the national technical assistance that informs our own research and policy development to bring the best solutions to action here in Ohio. In this spirit of collaboration, we share with you The State of Babies , a data resource supported by data from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio that tells a data story of why investing early in consideration of Adverse Child hood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma is so critical for lifelong outcomes for children, families, and the state. Additional resources can be accessed at www.GroundworkOhio.org and our prenatal-to-three coalition-drive initiative, www.ReadySetSoarOhio.org . As you deliberate on this bill, study committee membership and committee objectives, we ask you to consider the following foundational principles to fulfill our shared objectives and the unique needs of Ohio’s youngest children: The Science of Early Childhood Development : Brains are built on a foundation of early experiences. In the first few years of life, more than one million neural connections are formed every second and 80 percent of brain development happens in the first three years of life. These neural connections, the brain’s architecture, are formed through the interaction of baby and their environment through early enriching experiences. All children are born with the ability to reach their highest potential, but connections that form early form either a strong or weak foundation for the connections that form later. These critical interactions with adults lay the foundation for all later learning, behavior, and health. Babies who engage with responsive, consistent, nurturing caregivers and who are living in safe and economically secure environments are more likely to have strong mental and emotional health. As children mature, early childhood mental health supports growth in other essential areas of healthy development including physical health, cognitive skills, language and literacy, social skills, and readiness for school. When children experience trauma and their emotional health deteriorates, they are subject to poor outcomes in these areas because their ability to form close and secure relationships, manage a full range of emotions and explore their environment is compromised. As the frequency and length of ACEs increase, so do the impacts on physical and mental health, academic achievement, and self-sufficiency. Adverse childhood experiences have the potential to impact long-term mental health, physical health, and behaviors, including smoking, alcoholism, drug use, missed work, depression, suicide attempts, heart disease, diabetes, severe obesity, cancer, and stroke. Prevention: In young children, prevention services delivered in diverse settings seek to identify risk factors, mitigate the impact of trauma and adverse experiences, and intervene in child/caregiver dynamics that threaten healthy development. Research demonstrates that early prevention and treatment are more beneficial and cost-effective than attempting to treat emotional difficulties and their effects on learning and healthy after they have become more serious. The return on investment is derived from the impact on healthy development, educational attainment, and employment when young children have a strong foundation for social and emotional health. For example, kids who exhibit strong social and emotional skills are 54% more likely to earn a high school diploma. Further, kids who share or are helpful in kindergarten are 46% more likely to have a full-time job at the age of 25. Caring Relationships: Of all that brain science has taught us over the last 30 years, one of the clearest findings is that early brain development is directly influenced by babies’ day-to-day interactions with their caregivers. Even before birth, babies have a built-in expectation that adults will be available and care for their needs. Their very survival depends on this availability. If babies’ expectations for protection and nurturance are less than adequately met, their confidence in getting their needs met through relationships may be challenged. When this occurs, emotional and social development suffer, and, because babies’ emotional base is the foundation for all other learning, so do intellectual and language development. A baby’s early experiences in relationships, whether at home or in an early education environment, set the stage for future brain functioning. Trauma: Because infants' and young children's reactions to traumatic experiences may be different from older children's responses, and because they may not be able to verbalize their reactions to threatening or dangerous events, many people assume that young age protects children from the impact of traumatic experiences. A growing body of research, however, has established young children are affected by experiences that threaten their safety or the safety of their parents or caregivers, and their symptoms have been well documented. These traumas can be the result of intentional violence such as child physical or sexual abuse, or domestic violence. Young children also may experience traumatic or toxic stress when constant, unrelenting negative experiences take a toll on a child’s growth and development. Strategies utilized to impact early childhood mental health must be “trauma-informed” recognizing and responding to the role that histories of trauma play in the lives of children, families, caregivers, providers, and communities. Equity: All children deserve the chance to learn, grow, and reach their full potential, but not all children have access to the same quality environments and interventions. Race, ethnicity, geography, age, gender, and physical and intellectual ability play a determinative role in the gaps that emerge early and persist throughout the lifespan. They also play a determinative role in the pervasiveness of trauma that impacts mental health and whether a child has access to care or quality treatment. Strategies utilized to advance early childhood mental health must reflect an understanding of and combat these longstanding disparities. Medicaid : Medicaid is essential to supporting the mental health of Ohio’s youngest children. Health coverage is foundational to health care access. As the largest insurance provider in Ohio, Medicaid and Healthy Start cover 49% of infants and toddlers. Further, the Medicaid program covers half of Ohio births and provides coverage to 365,354 0–5-year-olds in Ohio as of November 2022. Given its large footprint, it has the ability to not only influence quality standards and outcomes for Ohio’s most vulnerable young children, but also the entire health infrastructure. Focusing on the services that Medicaid provides to young Ohioans is a strategic way to improve behavioral health outcomes for a significant portion of the young child population. Thank you for your time and consideration. Groundwork Ohio looks forward to being a partner to the ACEs Study Commission and I am happy to answer any questions by email at eryan@groundworkohio.org . Thanks, Erin Ryan Director, Center for Maternal & Young Child Health Groundwork Ohio

By: Erin Ryan, Director, Center for Maternal & Young Child Health at Groundwork Ohio Follow Erin on Twitter and LinkedIn With the new year, there comes a sense of renewal, recommitment, and opportunity. Groundwork Ohio has remained steadfast in our vision of making Ohio the best place to be a young child, and as we transition to a new year, we are in a time of reflection to determine how we can continue to uphold this mission. One policy area that has continued to remain a priority has been developing healthy beginnings for children, specifically addressing the abysmal rates of maternal and infant mortality in our state. Over recent years, there has been progress in reducing the overall infant mortality rate. Unfortunately, when you dig deeper into the data, there remain troubling racial disparities in outcomes. In fact, the infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black infants is still three times higher than that of non-Hispanic white infants. Despite the increased attention and focus on the issue of inequity within infant health outcomes, the racial disparity ratio in infant mortality rates has worsened over the last decade in Ohio. We cannot fully address the racial disparities in infant mortality without acknowledging and tackling racism, particularly systemic racism within the health care system, as a root cause of poor health outcomes. By having an intentional focus on engaging and centering Black women, families, and communities in this work, we can build solutions that reflect their lived experiences, address unique barriers they face, and provide a distinct response to their needs. In recognition of the alarming disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes facing Black mothers and infants, Governor DeWine established in late 2020 the Ohio Eliminating Racial Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force, a group comprised of local, state, and national leaders who would come together to establish a path forward to addressing the crisis. It was formed to provide Governor DeWine with actionable recommendations on how to eliminate the racial disparity in the infant mortality rate with an intentional commitment to listen to Black women, families, and communities throughout the process to ensure that recommendations were grounded in reality. In addition to the thoughtful leadership engaged to support the aims of the Task Force, the Ohio Department of Health engaged Groundwork Ohio’s Center for Family Voice to support and facilitate listening sessions across the state of Ohio. Groundwork supported more than 30 family listening sessions held in 11 counties across the state through partnerships with local community-based organizations and commission members to understand the experiences of Black families and their infants. There were 174 family participants, the majority of whom were Black women, engaged through these sessions and compensated for their time and expertise. With Groundwork serving as the organizing and operational backbone, the listening sessions were hosted by local partners that applied to recruit families and to support the participation of families before, during, and after the sessions. In addition to Groundwork Ohio being represented on the Commission itself with its President & CEO, Shannon Jones, serving as an appointed member, every member of our staff had the privilege of supporting and listening to Black Ohioans sharing their insight, individual and community expertise, and deeply personal experiences. Perhaps most importantly, as listeners and supporters of these facilitated sessions, we can now validate that the words, experiences, feedback, hopes, and hurdles of these experts were foundational in shaping the final report and recommendations of the Task Force. As we kick off 2023, the culmination of this Task Force’s years of work has resulted in a newly released report of final recommendations for the governor with actionable steps to eliminate disparities that exist in the infant mortality rate. The Task Force outlined that, for these recommendations to be most effective, the following three key factors must be acknowledged and considered by the agencies and individuals responsible for overseeing implementation: Address Structural Barriers Focus on Systemic Change Listen to Black Voices The report stresses that while there are individual risk factors that determine health outcomes for pregnancies, the disparities persist when accounting for these factors as a result of the underlying drivers of inequities: poverty, racism, discrimination, trauma, violence, and toxic stress. This understanding prompted the Task Force to establish a holistic framework for their recommendations to eliminate racial disparities in infant mortality, rather than just focusing on changes that individuals should make before, during, and after pregnancy. The group’s recommendations were created to focus specifically on the Black population within 11 key counties in the state, falling under the following categories, modeled after the Healthy People 2030 Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Framework: Healthcare Access and Quality Education Access and Quality Economic Stability Neighborhood Built Environment Social and Community Context The full report goes in-depth on the specific recommendations and concepts for action that state and local stakeholders in this work should implement. The Task Force highlights that these action-oriented recommendations are intended to build state and local capacity to address the issue, test small-scale innovative strategies that take on a new approach to drive forward solutions, and build public and professional awareness of the issues related to improving maternal health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancies, especially for Black women. While the final step of the Governor’s Eliminating Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force is complete with the release of this final report, the work is far from over. This report provides a pathway to advance concrete change in the lives of Ohio’s babies, pregnant women, and families. Now is the time for a recommitment to the hard work ahead that will not only recognize the inequities that exist in birth outcomes, but move towards truly eliminating the racial disparities in infant mortality rates and building an Ohio that ensures that every child can thrive. Learn more about the Governor’s Eliminating Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force and read the Final Recommendations report online, here .

After an 8-month process of constant feedback and revision from diverse stakeholders across Ohio, we are proud to share our Budget Policy Agenda FY24-25 . We have had numerous in-person and virtual stakeholder meetings during this time engaging early childhood professionals, community leaders, and families with young children. We then engaged a broader network of stakeholders and families in a policy survey as we honed in on our priorities. And we have consistently been comparing our budget priorities against the data learnings from our Early Childhood Dashboard during its development to ensure that our priorities were at pace with the needs of young children and their families. In anticipation of Governor DeWine’s State of the State address on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, we are excited to hear the Governor’s vision for Ohio’s youngest children. We are prepared to utilize the voices of the experts - professionals and families alike - alongside the Dashboard data and our policy agenda as a guide for action. Stay tuned as we share out what we learn over the coming weeks and engage with your policymakers by joining us on March 8, 2023 for Groundwork Ohio Advocacy Day at the Ohio Statehouse!

Groundwork Ohio applauds Governor DeWine’s investment in moms, babies, and families through the Comprehensive Maternal Care (CMC) program. "We are thrilled with this intentional investment in moms and babies designed to improve their care and their health outcomes by engaging both providers and community-based partnerships. Moms know best and their input is essential to eliminating the state’s abysmal infant mortality and maternal morbidity rates,” said Shannon Jones, Groundwork Ohio’s President & CEO. "We enthusiastically support CMC’s requirement that provider’s utilize strategies that incorporate patient feedback to improve their experience and reduce disparities.” More information about how we're amplifying Ohio family voices to ensure policymakers are prioritizing their needs is available here. Read the full release from Gov. DeWine here .

By Jona Ison, Business Development and Communications Coordinator, Goodwill of South Central Ohio As the 2023-24 school year approached, Chelsea Seymour began thinking of re-entering the workforce. The Chillicothe resident knew she’d have some time during the day for the first time in a while – four of her five children would be in school. When she learned Goodwill of South Central Ohio was having a hiring event for an up-and-coming child care center, it seemed like the perfect opportunity, and Seymour was hired as an assistant teacher in the toddler room. “It’s really flexible being able to bring him while I work, and he leaves when I do,” Seymour said. Helping people re-enter the workforce was a key aspect of why Goodwill’s board and leadership team decided to pursue opening a child care center. CEO Marvin Jones and Board Chair Jim Hill attended an event in the Fall of 2022 put on by the Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce and Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center, where they heard from the state chamber about the huge need for child care across the state and its impact on the workforce. “We also knew some of our employees who recently had a baby had a difficult time finding child care so they could return to work,” Jones said. “Even when child care is available, it’s also often unaffordable. Our goal with opening a child care center is to address both of these barriers to employment.” A January report from the Department of Labor revealed Ross County families with a median household income of $60,417 spend 12 percent of their income to send an infant or toddler to a child care center each year. This means the nearly 13 percent of Ross County families living in poverty may be spending an even larger share of income on child care. Opening a center was a dream come true for Goodwill Missions Coordinator Cana Horner who had long dreamed of adding child care to Goodwill’s list of mission services. The center received its state license in September and began providing services the following week. As the first Goodwill organization in the state to open a child care center, other Goodwills are eying the venture with great interest. “It’s just amazing. We’re going to be looking at doing this in other counties,” Jones said. “It’s been a great initiative. I’m really, really proud we were able to do this.” A huge help during the process was the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD) which consulted on every step of the process and assisted with paying for some things like background checks, cribs, and cots. COAD will continue to be an important partner, providing training and continued assistance as Goodwill explores opening additional centers. Child care Administrative Assistant Denise Murphy and Lead Preschool Teacher Stacey Caressi both commented on the resources available to staff and children at the new center. Murphy has worked for 13 years in child care at three different child care centers and Caressi has worked at four different centers and has two children attending the center. “The staff and management have been great from the top all the way. I can’t express how much that means,” Caressi said, noting it’s been a great work environment. “Everyone is down to help. It’s like we became instant best friends.” Currently, the center, located on Western Avenue in Chillicothe, is licensed to service 44 children at one time and accepts both private and subsidized pay. Jones anticipates expanding the center into the rest of the building in 2024, which would increase that number to about 100. “Everything has been going great since opening Sept. 18. It is a new adventure each day, and we are learning right along with the kids,” said child care Administrator Mary Anne Queen. “I love that the building has the sound of little ones all day long. One thing I have seen from day one is that each child brings a learning opportunity for my staff and me.”

By Elijah Smith, Policy Assistant, Groundwork Ohio Follow Elijah on LinkedIn Following President Biden’s State of the Union Address on February 7, 2023, the United States Congress received the administration’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2024, jumpstarting the federal budget process. The President’s FY 2024 budget request included: An additional $980 million for Child Care and Development Block Grants An additional $1.1 billion for Head Start and Early Head Start An additional $45 million for the Preschool Development Grant A full breakdown of the President’s early learning funding proposals can be found here . After receiving the budget and determining the total level of discretionary funding, Congress divides the work of allocating funding across 12 appropriations subcommittees. House of Representatives On July 14, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education held a mark-up on the proposed funding levels. The committee's marked-up budget includes: A 29% cut in overall social spending A $20 million cut to Child Care and Development Block Grants A $750 million cut to Head Start and Early Head Start A complete elimination of the Preschool Development Grant Senate Last week, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a bipartisan mark-up on the proposed funding levels. The committee's marked-up budget includes: An additional $700 million for Child Care and Development Block Grants An additional $275 million for Head Start and Early Head Start A $5 million cut to the Preschool Development Grant The federal budget process is still ongoing. As the Appropriations bill moves through the Senate and the House of Representatives, it is important that the voices of children and families are heard. As part of their budget advocacy, First Five Years Fund has released the “First Five Years Fund Child Care Champion Toolkit: 2023.” This toolkit includes state-specific fact sheets, social media graphics, sample op-eds, outreach tools and more. Please visit their Action Center and email , call , or Tweet at your lawmakers.