Cross-Sector Strategies to Address Child Care Crisis | | ECIC Welcomes New Vice President of Strategic Impact, Mina Hong | |
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) is pleased to announce Mina Hong as Vice President of Strategic Impact, enhancing its executive leadership team. Hong, a nationally recognized early childhood expert, brings extensive experience in policy, advocacy, and equitable systems building, aiming to strengthen ECIC's external engagement and strategic partnerships.
Her previous roles include Director at Start Early and Senior Policy Associate at Michigan’s Children, with a focus on inclusive early childhood systems and support for children with disabilities. Visit ECIC's blog to learn more about Mina's role at ECIC.
| | Michigan’s Critical Head Start Services At Risk | |
Head Start is a vital part of Michigan’s early childhood system, providing essential early care and education to young children and supporting families across the state. However, recent financial instability has raised serious concerns. U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters, among others, have urged the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure timely fund disbursement and clearer communication, as many programs have struggled to pay staff and maintain operations due to delayed funding.
According to Arizona State University’s report, Preserving the Federal Role in Advancing Educational Opportunity, more than 800,000 children and pregnant women were enrolled in Head Start nationwide in 2024. In Michigan alone, 24,656 children risk losing access if the program is eliminated. Already, local programs and families are feeling the effects of payment delays and funding reductions, as highlighted by Michigan Public Radio.
Get involved and make your voice heard with the National Head Start Association.
| | Acting for Young Kids & Families | | True Cost of Care Early On Addendum Provides Budget Recommendations | | |
The Michigan state budget and legislative bills are powerful expressions of decisions that shape the future of Michigan’s young children and their families. They determine how resources are allocated to critical programs like child care, early learning, health, and family support. ECIC monitors these developments and collaborates with partners to provide resources that help stakeholders understand and engage in budget and policy decisions.
Use this budget highlight resource from ECIC to track how early childhood priorities are being addressed as the current Michigan state budget takes shape.
Are you interested in Michigan legislation about early childhood? Stay up to date with current Michigan policy bills using our 2025/2026 ECIC Legislative Tracker.
| | Think Babies Michigan Supports Calls to Protect Medicaid & IDEA | | |
Recognizing the significance of the federal actions and the implications on services for families in Michigan, the Think Babies Michigan coalition, along with many other organizations, signed two advocacy letters.
- The first letter emphasizes to federal lawmakers the importance of protecting Medicaid funding and the program’s structure.
- The second letter advocates for the protection of IDEA Part B and Part C in the face of proposals to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
| Federal Advocacy Opportunity for Parents | |
The Protect MI Care Coalition, a multi-sector coalition dedicated to defending health care for the 2.6 million Michiganders who rely on Medicaid, is seeking families to tell their stories. Preferably, they’re seeking families in rural or northern areas, or in Congressional Districts 7 and 10.
The storytellers should fit within the following specifications:
- People with Medicaid who would be impacted by federal cuts to the program, and especially those with a compelling story about the health and financial implications of losing coverage or benefits, being faced with work reporting requirements, or facing service or access cuts at their health provider.
- People who would have their premiums spike if Congress doesn’t renew the enhanced tax credits by the end of the year.
- People whose health and access to health care is being adversely impacted by federal administrative actions.
Please contact Laura Ross at the Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) if you match this description and are interested in telling your story. lauramr@mlpp.org
Check out MLPP’s new tool to support your advocacy to protect Medicaid.
| | Early Childhood Advocates' Corner | | Lifting Our Voices Summit: Registration Open | | Michigan’s Children is proud to announce the 2025 Lifting Our Voices Summit will be held in Lansing on May 22. Honoring the advocacy legacy of Michele Corey, this will be a free event open to anyone in Michigan who cares about child and family issues. Register now to reserve your spot! | Maternal Infant Health Summit (MIHS) | | Join the 8th annual Maternal Infant Health Summit (MIHS) on June 17 and 18 in Kalamazoo to connect with experts, advocates, and community leaders working to improve health outcomes across the state. This event offers discussions, networking opportunities, and actionable strategies to drive positive change. Register for the MIHS today. | | Research Opportunity for Early Childhood Directors | | |
Faculty at Central Michigan University’s College of Education and Human Services are conducting a study about how higher education institutions can better meet the professional development, credentialing, and preparation needs of early childhood educators. This effort is unique in its aim to inform how Michigan’s public universities can directly support, strengthen, and retain the early childhood workforce—particularly those working in preschool and childcare settings.
Early childhood directors across Michigan have received information about the survey. For those who received the survey, we encourage you to complete it and make your voice heard. With any questions, please contact the survey distributors.
Sara Leggett, Ed.D Candidate, NCSP, Graduate Research Assistant & Doctoral Candidate
Central Michigan University
legge1sl@cmich.edu
248-880-4125
Gregg Dionne, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
Central Michigan University
dionn2g@cmich.edu
Noel Kelty, Ph.D, Grant Consultant
Office of Innovative Projects
nkelty@ccresa.org
| | 32p(4) Home Visitation Grant Re-Competition | | The Family Service Team at MiLEAP is currently preparing for the Section 32p(4) Home Visitation grant re-competition, open to Great Start Collaboratives (GSCs). Local Home Visiting providers who operate Parents as Teachers, Early Head Start, Healthy Families America, Nurse-Family Partnership or PALS-Infant home visitation models can contact their local GSC to learn more. | | Get Involved: In the Community | |
*Date Change* Success Spotlight: Parent Leadership Wins in Action - now June 3
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There's still time to register! Gain inspiration and practical insights from successful parent leadership initiatives across the country. Cap off the 2024/2025 webinar series with an inspiring showcase of impactful parent leadership initiatives from across the country. Hear directly from parent leaders and their professional partners about the challenges they've overcome, the impact they've made, and the lessons they've learned along the way. Discover hands-on strategies and fresh inspiration to enhance parent leadership in your community or organization.
| The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) shared new resources to help inform families about the Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) program. This program provides eligible families with extra grocery benefits during the summer months when school meals are not available. Families must complete a Summer EBT/SUN Bucks application through the MI Bridges portal to receive benefits. To support outreach efforts, MDE offers printable flyers, email templates, and social media posts, all available on the website. Questions? Please contact MDE-SEBT@Michigan.gov. | | Summer Symposium Hosted by MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center | | The 2025 Social, Emotional, Behavioral Health (SEBH) Summer Symposium, hosted by the MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center, will be held virtually on June 17, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Designed for educators and administrators in Early Childhood and K-12 settings, the $50 event focuses on strengthening support systems through evidence-based practices. Key early childhood sessions include Healing Through Connection: Pyramid Model & Trauma-Informed Care, led by Meghan von der Embse, NCPMI and You Got This: Individualize Universal Strategies to Reduce Challenging Behaviors with Johanna Wasser, offering strategies to reduce challenging behaviors through individualized approaches. | | Career Opportunities at ECIC | | Starting a career at ECIC means joining a mission-driven organization dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families. Visit our Careers page to discover current opportunities and become part of a team making a meaningful impact in early childhood systems. Current openings include Grants and Contract Manager, Financial Operations Coordinator, Program Manager - Regional Child Care Coalition, Policy & Outreach Associate, Innovation Associate, Assessors and Technical Assistance (TA) Consultant. | | | | |
