Scientific discoveries indicated the importance of brain growth during the first 5 years of child life. To support early childhood development, California voter passed Proposition 10 in 1998 to collect a 50 cent per pack tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Kern County Children and Families Commission (First 5 Kern) receives funding from…

This guide aims to help states look beyond the major sources of child care and early education funding and consider alternative federal financing sources to bring comprehensive services into early childhood settings. Why? Because the sources of child care funding historically available to states have limited supply and allowable uses, and…

Strong mental and behavioral health supports on campus can improve the academic performance of students and increase their resilience and ability to handle stress, with reduced suicide rates, substance abuse, and eating disorders, but this study reveals that students with mental health disabilities continue to face barriers to accessing counseling…

In 1993, the Connecticut State Department of Education received federal support for the activities of nine existing Family Resource Centers (FRC) and for funding new FRCs. The FRCs were based on the premise that many childhood and adolescent problems can be prevented by strengthening effective family management practices and establishing a…

Even Start is a comprehensive program of family support intended to help parents provide children who are at-risk with the tools necessary to start formal schooling. This report provides an overview of the conference agendas of three U.S. Department of Education Even Start Technical Assistance conferences, as well as information gathered from the…

The state of Washington implemented the Readiness to Learn program as part of the state's Family Policy Initiative. The primary goal of the program is to serve as a formal link between education and human services by authorizing grants to local school-linked, community-based consortia to develop and implement strategies that ensure children arrive…

In order to provide specialists and families with regular feedback on client change, to enhance the clinical decision-making skills of family specialists, and to provide target groups with information related to program effectiveness, a 12-week plan to improve outcome measures and evaluation protocol in a preservation and reunification program was…

This final report describes a one-year qualitative research study that explores service coordination to children with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) and their families. First, the project's conceptual framework, an ecological approach, is briefly explained. Next, the concept of service coordination is discussed, noting the role of the…

The Comprehensive Services Program of Palm Beach County, Florida, was an ambitious and innovative effort to improve the school readiness of low-income children in Palm Beach County by identifying needs early and providing early intervention services to support physical, cognitive, and emotional health and development. Services were delivered to…

Increasing numbers of children begin formal schooling without the requisite skills or abilities to succeed, most often due to deficiencies in language and emotional maturity. This study sought to identify potential precursors to later kindergarten difficulties that would suggest specific areas needing further study and support. Study participants…

The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect was established under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). In its annual reports, the Board is charged with evaluating the nation's efforts to accomplish the purpose of CAPTA and to propose recommendations about ways those efforts can be improved. Noting that every day, five young…

The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect was established under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). In its annual reports, the Board is charged with evaluating the nation's efforts to accomplish the purpose of CAPTA and to propose recommendations about ways those efforts can be improved. Noting that every day, five young…

This report summarizes findings of a study that assessed current levels of support for family friendly programs at colleges and universities in the United States. Analysis of the survey data text and tables is presented in four sections that define purpose and methodology, historical context, provide profiles of various work-family initiatives,…