Children's Services
A tale of two states: Arizona and Florida diverge on how to expand kids’ health insurance
Both Florida and Arizona want to expand eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, but their approaches to charging low-income families premiums for the coverage showcase the nation’s ideological divide on helping the disadvantaged.
States shift toward kin-first foster care
Kinship caregivers and advocates have long expressed frustration at unequal support for raising their own.
Illinois' child welfare agency goes on a hiring spree
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has reduced hiring times for frontline workers from nine months to just a few weeks. Agency leaders hope a bigger staff will help improve the lives of kids it serves.
Mandatory reporting laws meant to protect children get another look
Some states are considering rolling back these laws, saying the result has been too many unfounded reports that disproportionately harm families who are poor, Black, or Indigenous or have members with disabilities.
One state takes on youth mental health by streamlining access to services
For some families, it can take more than a decade to connect children to appropriate mental health resources once they show symptoms. Amid a growing youth mental health crisis, one state is developing an online portal to shave that wait time down.
Child welfare staffing crisis can only be solved by addressing capacity issues first
COMMENTARY | We need creative solutions to provide enough capacity for caseworkers to complete their work in an effective, timely and efficient way.
States Should Improve Opportunities for Older Youth in Foster Care Systems
An Annie E. Casey Foundation report said more investments are needed toward job training, post-secondary education and stable housing for those in foster care between the ages of 14 and 21.
More Than 72,000 Lose Medicaid Coverage in Arkansas
Thousands of children lost coverage in the state's effort to update enrollment—a process taking place nationwide as states review the eligibility of millions of Medicaid enrollees following the public health emergency.
Millions of Kids Could Lose Health Coverage as States Purge Medicaid Rolls
Experts warn that states could sever as many as 15 million Americans, including 7 million children, from the health coverage they relied on through the pandemic.
How Much Federal Covid Aid are Cities Spending to Help Kids?
New research looks at how local governments are using the money to address the fallout the pandemic has had for children in areas like education and mental health.
Featured eBooks
A City Seeks to Undo a Legacy of Trauma
A Baltimore law requires agencies that interact with children and families to receive training in trauma-informed care. It's changing how the city engages with residents, with a greater emphasis on healing rather than hardline policies.
States Offer Supplemental Wages to Retain Child Care Workers
COMMENTARY | Ensuring eligible employees enroll to receive the pay benefit can be a challenge. New research offers three strategies that can help.
A Historic Child Care Investment Saved Centers From Collapse. What Happens When the Money Runs Out?
One year after the passage of the American Rescue Plan, child care centers said the money has stabilized the industry after near collapse. But advocates worry about what will happen once the money runs out.
About 1 in 3 Child Care Workers Are Going Hungry
Child care workers are at the center of the food insecurity crisis in America. In 2020, nearly one-third of them were food insecure.
How State and Local Leaders Can Bolster a Core American Ideal
COMMENTARY | Programs focused on preventing childhood trauma could go a long way towards delivering on the idea that the "pursuit of happiness" is an unalienable right.
The Federal Government Spent Record Amounts of Money on Children Last Year. It Probably Won’t Last.
Spending on children—including tax programs, education, nutrition and social services—by state and local governments also will likely fall back to pre-pandemic levels within several years as Covid-19 relief measures expire, according to an Urban Institute report.
The Cost for States to Expand Free Pre-K Under the Biden Plan
The Build Back Better proposal provides money for free preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. States are required to contribute a percentage and will likely incur costs for workforce development, pay increases and adjusting elementary school curriculum.
State Spending on Anti-poverty Programs Could Substantially Reduce Child Abuse and Neglect
Public investments in benefit programs could save tens of thousands of children from being victims of child abuse and have important later-life effects on child welfare and overall health.
Two States Now Offer Free In-home Nurse Visits for New Parents
The visits, offered in Oregon and now New Jersey, include a health and wellness check for both the baby and the parents, an effort to improve maternal mortality rates and boost family well-being.
How One State Plans to Use Federal Relief Money to Shore Up Child Care Options
Montana will leverage more than $31 million to establish grants for child care centers to increase pay, expand capacity and offset tuition rates.
