In Iowa, mental health was listed as the third most important area of support needed by 41% of families, behind only “jobs that cover my expenses” and “awareness of available services". Learn more about the needs and preconceptions of mental health service adequacy among Iowa families using data from the 2022 ECI Statewide Family Survey.

40% of early childhood education workers rely on at least one public benefit such as Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, CCA, Hawk-I, and others. 30% of respondents use Medicaid. Learn more about why compensation is key to address the childcare crisis with our preliminary brief. Stay tuned for our full report of findings coming this Spring of 2023!

Exploring Remaining Needs and Opportunities for Improvement in Rural Communities: A Focus on Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Services - OPRE released a brief that found MIECHV Program provides significant support to families in rural areas who may otherwise be isolated. Additionally, the brief explores the importance of creating connections to other early childhood programs, such as Head Start, that may help address continuing needs of families once the child ages out of MIECHV.

Integrated Early Childhood Data Is an Essential Tool for Advancing Racial and Ethnic Equity - Integrated Early Childhood data is an essential tool to understand and strengthen in racial and ethnically diverse system. Read about the policy-maker recommendations and how integrated data can address issues such as which families have access to programs, where there are service and workforce gaps, how children fare later in their educational trajectory, and what programs best meet the needs of children and families.