Katie Plax, MD Medical Director of the SPOT (Supporting Positive Opportunities with Teens) For the last 7 years I have listened to the stories of teens in foster care and our kids are hurting. Like most things for children and youth in foster care their experiences often go under the radar. …
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From the Pulpit Back into Policy- Focused on Kids Craig Stevenson, Kids Win Missouri During the last several weeks, I have felt my professional and personal lives have collided into new and exciting ways. It is my pleasure to begin serving as the new director of policy and advocacy for Kids Win Missouri. Three years…
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The Annie E. Casey Foundation 2018 KIDS COUNT Data Book release focuses on the risk of an undercount of young children in the 2020 Decennial Census Tracy Greever-Rice, Family and Community Trust & Missouri KIDS COUNT The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released the 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, its annual look at child…
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The Net Benefit Brian Schmidt, Kids Win Missouri Our communities are only as strong as our people. And our people—our families, friends, and neighbors—are strong when they have access to the food, shelter, health care, and economic support they need to lead healthy lives. This is true no matter who you are or where…
Read More Extending Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Ensuring Healthy Moms and Babies Brian Schmidt, Kids Win Missouri Pregnant women in Missouri are eligible for Medicaid or health coverage through the Show-Me Healthy Babies program if they earn less than 305% of federal poverty level ($62,281 for a family of three). Unless the new mothers have incomes below 23% of…
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Protecting Missouri’s Youngest Children Comprehensive Background Checks for Child Care Providers Jessica Seitz, Missouri KidsFirst In Missouri there are over 300,000 children under six with working parents. During the day, these children stay with family and neighbors or in one of the almost 8,000 home and center-based child care facilities across the state. Children…
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The Need for Pre-K Collaboration Jerry Kitzi, Retired Director of Early Learning at Kansas City Public Schools High quality early education programs have a positive impact on child development. In fact, an analysis of the body of research on early childhood education was best summarized in the report, From Neurons to Neighborhoods, authored by…
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Helping Children and Families Thrive Home visiting helps families meet children’s needs during the most critical first years of life. And the results pay off. Alison Gee, Parents as Teachers The premise of home visiting is simple–pair families who are looking for parenting support with trained professionals, often early childhood specialists, mental health professionals, social…
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Early Childhood Education Important for National Security General (Ret.) Frank J. Grass, U.S. Army On January 17, I had the opportunity to speak with Missouri legislators in Jefferson City about the importance of early childhood education to national security. I spoke in my capacity as a member of Mission: Readiness, an organization of over 700…
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An Earned Income Tax Credit for Missouri Policy to Help Missouri’s Working Families Hart Nelson, St. Louis Regional Chamber The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a forward-thinking economic policy designed to assist our most economically disadvantaged working families by helping them break the cycle of poverty. It benefits low-income families and…
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