ECIC Staff Shares Expertise with Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Joan Blough, Senior Director of ECIC’s Child Care Innovation Fund, spoke as a panelist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in July. Joan’s presence at this notable event was a testament to the groundbreaking work she and her team has been doing to re-imagine child care systems in Michigan. 

Learn more about the conference and what she shared.

State Policy

Governor Whitmer Signs Historic FY25 Education Budget  

With a significant investment into early care and learning, the FY25 state School Aid budget assures funding for many important initiatives. Review key budget items and reactions here. 

“We are grateful for Governor Whitmer’s leadership and are excited to see much needed investment and commitment to young children and their families to ensure access to high-quality early care and learning opportunities from birth through PreK,” said Alicia Guevara Warren, CEO of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC). 

“ECIC is looking forward to continuing our ongoing collaboration with partners, including the new state department, MiLEAP, to ensure that every family in Michigan can send their 4-year-old to a program that meets their needs.” 

Federal Policy

Take Action: Urge Congress to Invest in Child Care this Appropriation Cycle  

As the House and Senate begin their August recess, federal budget negotiations will be a top priority when lawmakers return to meet the September 30 deadline to pass federal funding. 

The House Appropriations Committee released details of their proposed funding plan for FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS). The proposed funding bill includes significant decreases in funding critical to Maternal Health and Child health programs. First Five Years released a statement with more information about the House Appropriations Committee’s proposed plan.  

Prior to their recess the Senate LHHS Committee approved their FY25 appropriations totals which include an $1.6B increase to the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a $700 million increase to Head Start, and $5 million increase to Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS).

With both chambers releasing the proposed levels for fiscal year 2025 it is critical we continue to urge federal lawmakers to prioritize early care and education in the FY25 Appropriations. 

Early Childhood Advocates' Corner

LEO Releases Paid Family Medical Leave Actuarial Study, Projected Savings Not Quantified 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for paid family and medical leave (PFML) nearly a year ago and recent polling data indicates that the majority of Michigan voters support this policy. However, legislation to create a state PFML program has stalled largely due to vocal opposition from business groups who object to the proposed funding mechanism for the program - a payroll tax partially funded by employer contributions, and uncertainty about just how much a state PFML program would cost Michigan to implement. 

On August 7th the MI Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) released an actuarial analysis, with cost projections for the PFML program outlined in proposed legislation. The study estimates the cost as $3.2 billion by 2035, depending on the level of benefits provided.

Notably, this actuarial study only quantifies program cost, while remaining silent regarding potential benefits, which could be considerable. For instance, a recent cost-benefit analysis of paid family leave in Pennsylvania concluded that the state stood to gain $18 in benefits for every $1 spent on the program. 

Now is a good time to reach out to your legislators and let them know what a state paid family and medical leave program would mean for you. For more information about Michigan’s PFML proposal, see ECIC’s Early Childhood Bill Tracker, which includes links to advocacy tools developed by Think Babies Michigan and other partner organizations. 

Governor Whitmer declares August as Breastfeeding Month 

As a public health recommendation and a lifestyle choice, the State of Michigan recognized the importance of breastfeeding for Michigan families by declaring August as Breastfeeding month. To learn more about the celebrations for each week and resources in Michigan for breastfeeding, visit the Michigan Breastfeeding Network.

Think Babies Michigan Parent Leader Spotlight

Meet Christina Kuhn

Christina advocates strongly for quality care, stressing that while education in child development is essential, it is not the sole factor. For her, the best educators are driven by a passion to provide the highest level of care and education.

Get Involved: In the Community

TBMI Member Media Advocacy Training  

Join Think Babies Michigan (TBMI) on Thursday, August 29, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. 

Think Babies Michigan, in partnership with ZERO TO THREE, presents: Media Advocacy Training. This training, open to members of TBMI, is designed for Parent/Family Advocates and Early Childhood Professionals and will offer resources and guidance about how to prepare for various media opportunities and how to send a powerful message through media. 

Not a TBMI member yet? Join Today 

Calling Parents and Organizations Looking to Inform Systems Change

Organizations: Do you have an opportunity for parents to get involved in your organization?  

Parents: Do you want to get involved in supporting early childhood systems and your community?  

Visit the Seat at the Table and create an opportunity for parent leaders or sign up as a parent leader to get involved in an organization. When you create an account, the National Center for Parent Leadership matches opportunities with volunteers.

Provider's Corner

Health Insurance Information from OppEx 

This Issue Brief highlights both the Individual Marketplace as well Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) as viable alternatives to the private health insurance route. It offers examples of innovative health care models, ancillary medical benefits, public sector strategies, resources on finding a benefits broker, and more. 

You can Join Opportunities Exchange in Orlando at the OppEx National Shared Services Conference where there will be several presentations and vendors of relevance to this important topic.