Recent Updates
May Revise Impacts Medi-Cal Coverage for Families
Alexandra Parma • May 20, 2025
The Governor’s 2025 May revision of the state budget proposes freezing new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrant adults, and adding $100 Medi-Cal premiums for undocumented adults already enrolled in Medi-Cal.
Medicaid Work Requirements Threaten to Place Additional Financial Strain on California Families with Infants and Toddlers
Jaren Gaither • May 8, 2025
Congress is exploring introducing work requirements for Medicaid. Work requirements would not only threaten the healthcare coverage of millions of Californians but also significantly impact families' ability to access essential healthcare services, further exacerbating existing material and economic hardships experienced by Medicaid families with infants and toddlers.
Threatened Changes to Medicaid and IDEA Could Impact Developmental Supports for Young Children in California
Alexandra Parma • Apr 22, 2025
In addition to looming cuts to Medicaid, the federal government has recently shared plans to relocate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program into Health and Human Services as it moves to close the Department of Education.
Home and Community-Based Perinatal Supports for California Families
Mar 17, 2025
California has made significant strides to increase access to multigenerational, whole-family supports during the prenatal and postpartum period. However, significant gaps remain in access.
The Impact of California's Mental Health Service Provider Shortage: Inequitable Access to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services
Aug 4, 2024
The first five years of life mark a critical time for early childhood development. Early experiences and relationships with caregivers shape the architecture of a developing brain and lay the foundation for mental health across an individual’s life.
Community Health Workers Advancing Child Health Equity: Part II
May 23, 2024
A community health workforce can improve the health of children, particularly children of color, by connecting families to information, care, and services. They are trusted members of the communities they serve, creating a link between the community and health/social services, which are not always easy to navigate nor culturally responsive, to improve service access and quality.
Diaper Need: The Impacts of the Inability to Afford Diapers for Families in California
Jaren Gaither • Oct 12, 2023
As pandemic-era relief programs end, more and more families report an inability to afford basic needs such as food, housing, utilities, childcare, and healthcare according to Stanford’s RAPID survey.
Home Visiting Landscape in California
Jaren Gaither • Aug 30, 2023
Pregnancy and the birth of a baby are significant occasions that also bring many challenges. Providing support to new parents and caregivers during this time, and through early childhood, is essential to give all children and families a strong start in life.
FDA approval of the first postpartum depression pill and what it means for infant and toddler health and development
Jaren Gaither • Aug 30, 2023
On August 4, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first pill for postpartum depression (PPD), marking a significant milestone in treating a condition that affects one in five California women.
First 5 Association’s Home Visiting Policy Framework
Dec 1, 2022
This policy framework captures First 5s’ fundamental beliefs and goals for home visiting. It is intended to inform the First 5 Association’s home visiting advocacy and systems building efforts over the next several years.
First 5 Center Releases Report on Family Engagement Strategies
May 10, 2023
The First 5 Center for Children’s Policy is proud to release "First 5 Efforts to Engage Families and Shift Power: A Review of Current Practices" today, which provides important examples of how First 5s bring family voice into their decision making, how they are thinking about sharing power, increasing transparency, and improving program design through engagement with family members in the communities they serve.
Improving Racial Equity in Kindergarten Readiness Inventory Efforts
Oct 6, 2022
This brief summarizes a literature review and key informant interviews with KRI developers, early childhood advocates, educators, and researchers, and highlights four key considerations that may help local early childhood and education leaders, state policy makers and others create more equity-focused systems for California’s families.
New Reports Describe State’s Early Intervention System for Infants and Toddlers
Alexandra Parma • Jan 5, 2023
To date, advocates, policymakers, families, and other stakeholders have had few resources to understand how early intervention services work in California. To support filling this gap, California Budget and Policy Center released two new reports.
The Role of First 5s in Home Visiting: Innovations, Challenges, and Opportunities in California
Jul 6, 2022
The First 5 Center for Children’s Policy initiated a qualitative research project involving a series of interviews with 54 First 5s across the state. This paper presents the findings of these interviews and their implications for home visiting in California.
First 5s Offer a Wealth of Knowledge and Experience to Support the Implementation of the Birthing Care Pathway
Jaren Gaither • May 19, 2025
As California focuses on improving the quality of maternal care delivery and reducing disparities for our Medi-Cal birthing population, many First 5s are already engaged in work to support families during the prenatal and postpartum periods.
First 5 Center Proposes Early Childhood Home and Community-Based Services Medi-Cal Benefit: A Crucial Step in Supporting California Families Across the Care Continuum
Alexandra Parma • Apr 22, 2025
Babies bring big change to families and all parents can benefit from emotional, physical, and educational supports to help them with the transition. Over the past few years California has made important strides to improve the continuum of maternal and child health services, from prenatal care to postpartum and beyond.
Proposal for New Medi-Cal Benefit: Early Childhood Home and Community Based Services
Mar 17, 2025
This brief is the second in a series about home and community-based perinatal supports for California families.
More Than Half of California’s Children from Birth to Five Rely on Medi-Cal
Jaren Gaither • Mar 4, 2025
On February 25th, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass a budget resolution that directs the Energy and Commerce Committee to find $880 billion in spending cuts over the next decade.
California Must Do More to Support Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and Its Workforce
Jaren Gaither • Aug 22, 2024
Infants, toddlers, and young children have unique mental health needs compared to their older counterparts.
As Childhood Poverty Rises, the Child Tax Credit Remains a Crucial Benefit for California’s Youngest Children
Jaren Gaither • Mar 11, 2024
With tax season approaching, it is important to highlight the programs that help lower income families with young children receive much needed financial assistance.
Community Health Worker Medi-Cal Benefit: Implementation and the Role of Community Partners Like First 5
Alexandra Parma • Oct 3, 2023
Community health workers (CHWs), promotores, and other non-licensed health professionals are frontline public health workers and trusted members of the communities they serve.
Support for Native American Infants, Toddlers and their Families in California
Aug 23, 2023
This brief is the result of a research project on issues facing the Native American community in California, and ways for community-based organizations to partner with Indigenous communities to best support them.
First 5 Efforts to Engage Families and Shift Power: A Review of Current Practices
May 10, 2023
To better understand First 5s’ family engagement efforts, First 5 Center for Children’s Policy conducted a two-part qualitative research project involving interviews with local First 5s. This brief includes a description of the project’s methodology and findings, as well as lessons learned to support authentic, equity-centered engagement with families.
Proposal for an Early Childhood Health Services Initiative in California: An Opportunity to Expand Preventive Supports for Young Children
Sep 8, 2022
This concept paper explores California’s opportunity to improve the health and development of young children by leveraging the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Health Services Initiatives (HSIs).
Exploring Workforce Needs: Lessons Learned to Support Home Visitors
Sep 1, 2022
To understand home visitors’ workforce development needs, the First 5 Center for Children’s Policy commissioned ZERO TO THREE to conduct focus groups and surveys with home visitors who had participated in professional development opportunities. This brief explores the three key lessons that emerged from that research.
New Children’s Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Benefits 101: Family Therapy and Dyadic Services
Kathryn Margolis • Nov 10, 2022
California has created a dyadic services Medi-Cal benefit effective January 2023. The dyadic services benefit allows Medi-Cal to cover behavioral health wellness visits that focus on the individual child and their surrounding environment, including caregiver wellness, all within the context of the child’s medical appointment.
Navigating the Early Identification and Intervention Maze: A Flowchart
Aug 24, 2020
California’s early identification and intervention (EII) system is complicated. This interactive flowchart shows the various pathways families with low-income may follow when seeking services for a developmental or mental health concern.
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