Colorado joined Think Babies as a state partner in 2018. Since that time, Raise Colorado, convened by Colorado Children’s Campaign and Clayton Early Learning, has helped make better policies and investments a reality for Colorado babies and families including:  

• Improved infant and maternal health policies, including strengthening the maternal mortality review board, extending and improving the state’s direct entry for midwives program, establishing protections for pregnant people in the prenatal period, making improvements to requirements for maternal health providers, and expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months.  
• Policies and investments that support expanded access to affordable, high-quality infant-toddler child care including reducing barriers for family child care providers, expanding IECMH consultation, investments in the child care workforce and facilities, and creation of a new Department of Early Childhood that will streamline services for families.  
• Creation of a new state paid family medical leave program that is among the most robust in the nation, providing between 12-16 weeks of leave.  

CENTERING THE VOICES OF FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN COLORADO

Focus Areas

Georgia 

Georgia joined Think Babies as a state partner in 2018. Since that time, the Georgia Infant-Toddler Coalition, convened by GEEARS, has helped to advance the policies and investments that babies and families need to thrive including: 

• Growth of the IECMH system in Georgia including legislation establishing an Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Health Study Committee, state investment to create a new IECMH Director  within the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, creation of the Georgia Association for Infant Mental Health, clarification of Medicaid coverage for mental health supports for children under 4, training in Child Parent Psychotherapy for practitioners, and legislation requiring that insurers cover mental health issues in the same way that they cover physical conditions (for young children as well as adults).    
• Policies and investments that support expanded access to affordable, high-quality infant-toddler child care, including child care subsidy expansion and investments in the workforce.  

• Established 3 weeks of paid family medical leave for Georgia state employees, including teachers in local school systems.  
• Improved infant and maternal health policies including extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months and establishing express lane eligibility to allow the use of SNAP data to identify and enroll eligible children in Medicaid.    

THE GROWTH OF IECMH SUPPORTS IN GEORGIA

Focus Areas

New Jersey 

New Jersey joined Think Babies as a start partner in 2018. Since that time, Think Babies New Jersey, convened by Advocates for Children of New Jersey, has helped to win policies and investments that are improving the lives of babies and families including: 

• Policies and investments that support expanded access to affordable, high-quality infant-toddler child care including increased child care subsidy rates, investments in the child care workforce and early childhood facilities, reduction of family co-payments for subsidized child care, and targeted investments to develop more high-quality care for infants and toddlers with priority for low-income communities and/or child care deserts. 
• Expanded the continuum of home visiting services including establishing universal home visiting with a nurse visit at 2 weeks for all families as well as expansion of access to more intensive evidence-based home visiting programs. 
• Expansion of the state paid family medical leave program, increasing the length of leave from 6 to 12 weeks as well as increasing the rate of wage replacement.  
• Improved infant and maternal health policies including increasing rates for maternity care providers, securing Medicaid reimbursement of doulas, and expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months.  

Reimagining Parent Leadership in Early Childhood Advocacy in New Jersey

Focus Areas

The Growth of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Supports in Georgia – ZERO TO THREE 

North Carolina 

North Carolina joined Think Babies as a state partner in 2018. Since that time, Think Babies NC, convened by the North Carolina Early Education Coalition, has advanced the policies and investments that support babies and families to reach their full potential including: 

• Policies and investments that support improved access to affordable, high-quality infant-toddler child care including increased child care subsidy rates and investments in the child care workforce including a wage supplement program for infant-toddler child care providers. 
• Established paid parental leave for North Carolina state employees including 8 weeks for employees who give birth and 4 weeks for other employees to bond with a new baby.  

• Improved infant and maternal health through expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months.  

Focus Areas

Rhode Island 

Rhode Island joined Think Babies as a state partner in 2018, and launched the RIght from the Start campaign, convened by Rhode Island Kids Count, in 2019. Since that time, they have helped move the needle on policies and investments that babies and families need including: 

• Policies and investments that support improved access to affordable, high-quality infant-toddler child care including increased child care subsidy rates, investments in the child care workforce, expanded family eligibility for child care subsidies, capping family copayments at no more than 7% of family income, and making investments in early childhood facilities.  
• Expanded the state paid family medical leave program from 4 to 6 weeks.  
• Improved infant and maternal health policies including requiring Medicaid and commercial insurance coverage for perinatal doula services and expansion of Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months.  
• Advancing the IECMH system through legislation initiating development of a state plan to improve IECMH practices and services for children under 6 who are on Medicaid.  
• Secured a permanent 45% Medicaid and commercial insurance rate increase for Rhode Island Part C Early Intervention services, the first rate increase in 20 years. 

RIght From the Start

Focus Areas