Family, friend and neighbor (FFN) child care providers are an essential part of the child care system throughout the United States. Many families select FFN providers based on a child’s need for individualized disability care, language and cultural needs, or availability during non-traditional working hours. It is estimated that just over 50% of Arizona’s children are in FFN child care settings. These providers proved especially important during the pandemic as they offered small group settings and remained open for business while many center-based child care programs were forced to close. Despite their value in the child care space, FFN providers have historically largely missed out on equitable supports that are available to providers in other settings.

This month the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) released a report on a recent survey that demonstrates the inequitable and inadequate supports that were available to FFN providers as the pandemic unfolded. For example, a large percentage of FFN providers did not receive outside financial support to provide care or purchase food. Many FFN providers also did not receive training or home visits from supporting organizations or networks. Additionally, 76% of these providers reported being in need of cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment to continue to providing care during the pandemic. Most importantly the report also developed guiding principles for policymakers to consider as they aim to design effective, equitable child care policy. Some of these guidelines include increasing federal, state and local funding for child care overall and for FFN care specifically; proactively engage FFN providers and families who use this care with multiple channels of communication and appropriate languages to keep them informed of supports and resources; and provide dedicated funding for community-based organizations that work with FFN providers, especially those of color.

The NWLC report describes how the guiding principles were applied by states to support specifically FFN child care during the pandemic. Michigan, Oregon, and Nebraska each prioritized FFN providers in their own unique way. Michigan created a Child Care Relief Fund grant program which allotted a one-time payment to FFN providers. Oregon used Coronavirus Relief Funds for grants awarded to FFN providers. Nebraska made it easier for families receiving child care assistance to select in-home FFN care by waiving certain criteria and allowed subsidized FFN providers to apply for funds to use for purchasing personal protective equipment. Other states also became more inclusive of FFN providers by allowing families receiving child care assistance to use FFN care and eliminating certain limitations. Georgia approved COVID-19-related reasons as an acceptable justification for families receiving child care assistance to use informal or FFN providers. Colorado temporarily waived the in-person inspection requirements making it easier for nonrelative FFN providers to continue participating in the child care assistance program.

Many of these changes were initiated by the pandemic and have served to elevate FFN care in the child care space. These reports demonstrate the key role FFN providers play and make the case that all child care providers deserve equitable supports and opportunities to ensure a strong, stable child care system. Arizona policy makers should take notice and consider following other states lead in prioritizing these vital programs and redirecting some of the Covid relief funds to help keep them up and running lost past the end of the pandemic.

It’s no surprise that school-aged children in the United States have been headed toward a mental health crisis for several years. In Arizona, increased testing demands and class sizes, school violence, and the pressures of social media were worsening all while the state continued cutting education funding, forcing schools to reduce school counselors and other supports that are vital for children. Schools across the state faced teacher and other education workforce shortages. Shortages are far worse in rural and underserved parts of the state. The Covid pandemic has only made these problems worse. The youth mental health crisis is so severe that it is finally being recognized and recommendations on how to address it at the local and national level are becoming available to help.

Prior to the pandemic, it was clear that symptoms of mental illness in youth were on the rise. A 2019 national study found that “one in three high school students and half of female students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40 percent from 2009. Emergency department visits for attempted suicide have risen 51 percent among adolescent girls. Additionally, the grief, trauma, and social isolation that students have sustained over the course of the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly increased symptoms of mental illness. More than half of parents in a recent American Psychiatric Association study expressed concerns about the mental well-being of their children.

But help may soon be on the way. A new Child Trends brief suggests state legislatures can and should increase access to telemental health services in schools. Among the ways states can do this is by considering Medicaid to fund services and continuing the flexibilities that were adopted under the Covid public health emergency. Learn more about the recommendations.

President Biden has included strategies to address youth mental health in his Unity Agenda announced earlier this month. In the agenda, “President Biden is laying out a vision to transform how mental health is understood, perceived, accessed, treated, and integrated – in and out of health care settings”. The agenda includes a wide range of strategies including expanding access to mental health support in schools, colleges, and universities by doubling the number of badly needed school-based mental health professionals and creating protections for children online. More details on the Unity Agenda mental health plan.

The Arizona legislative session is well underway, and we are looking forward to moving the needle on important early childhood issues this year. We are especially excited for the new opportunities surrounding the Healthy Families Arizona Home Visiting program (HFAz). This program serves as a critical resource for expectant and new parents to help get their children off to a healthy start. HFAz is designed to strengthen and support families during the first years of a child’s life. These first years are notably significant as they establish the foundation for success throughout a child’s life and into adulthood.

Back in 2009, monies supporting HFAz were cut from the state general fund and have not been replaced since. This year the Governor’s budget proposal includes long-awaited supports for this program. The budget proposal provides $10 million, of which $7.5 million in new funding and $2.5 million replaces funds that will no longer be available in 2022. The Legislature intended for the program to serve up to 6,000 families but due to the previous funding cuts, it currently only serves 4,000 families. The Governor’s budget would allow an additional 1,500 families to be served finally approaching the pre-recession plans for the program.

The Arizona legislature has echoed similar support for the program. Representative Blackman sponsored HB2111 which appropriates $10 million for Healthy Families. The bill passed the House Health and Human Services Committee (HHS) and is currently waiting to be taken up by Appropriations. Representative Powers Hannley also signaled support for the program by sponsoring HB2441, appropriating $10.75 million.

Children’s Action Alliance along with the Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA) remains actively engaged in advocating for legislative initiatives that support all Arizona children and their families, in every corner of the state. As these Healthy Families bills progress through the legislative and budget process, we ask early childhood advocates to keep an eye out for action alerts letting you know when to reach out to policymakers in support of these vital issues. We are also eagerly looking forward to our virtual Early Childhood Day at the Capitol 2022, happening on February 24th, 2022. Please join us during our panel discussions where we will be examining how quality childcare supports a strong workforce, community, and economy. Click HERE to register now!

President Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) plan comprises exciting historical investments in children and families. These investments are critical to the well-being of our nation as we continue to endure the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic going into the year 2022. The Early Childhood funding packages provided in the BBB framework highlight the essential role quality early childhood systems play in restoring a robust workforce and vibrant economy in the United States.

The legislation provides for Child Care Assistance as well as Universal Pre-K. The Child Care Assistance aims to address child care deserts, scarcity of resources, family affordability, and workforce compensation and development challenges. The program is inclusive of all family-based programs, center-based programs, family-friend-neighbor (FFN) providers, as well as faith-based and local schools. Typical families are expected to save $100 a week or more on child care expenses. Additionally, states are required to use payment rates that cover the entire cost of high-quality child care in their communities, market rates will no longer be a factor. Universal Pre-K will be administered on the federal level by the Department of Health and Human Services. At the state level, each Governor will have the option to opt into the program and then determine which state agency the funding will funnel through. Universal Pre-K will be available to a string of eligible providers including but not limited to Head Start agencies, family providers, FFN programs, faith-based programs, and licensed programs. It is intended that this program will be inclusive of all of the programs families rely on at the local level. Children who are 3 and 4 years old become eligible for the Universal Pre-K program based on the school-age enrollment date determined by the Local Education Agency (LEA). Additionally, this bill requires that states create data systems, administer statewide needs assessment, and provide a livable wage for providers.

The new investments the BBB plan provides for Early Childhood pave the path for Arizona children to thrive in the upcoming years. It provides funding that fills significant gaps in our early childhood systems that will translate to stronger Arizona communities. We urge Governor Doug Ducey to support Arizona’s children, families, workforce, and economy by opting into these vital programs.

As the COVID-19 crisis approaches its 18th month, we are just now beginning to get a full picture of the damage the pandemic has done to our children and families, our schools, institutions, and our communities.  Initial data gave us a frightening look into how the pandemic might permanently damage the early childhood infrastructure and threaten the ability for parents to return to work as we emerged from the pandemic and as time has worn on, we are now able to see that many of our fears are coming true.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) surveyed child care providers early in the pandemic and recently released a follow-up survey in late July Progress and Peril: Child Care at a Crossroads of 2021.  The Arizona state-level data became available last week.  Not surprisingly it showed that federal and state relief funds have “helped stabilize child care programs and prevented more program closures. However, staffing shortages, low wages, and a broken market mean that substantial, sustainable public investments are needed for this essential sector to recover and rebuild”.

The key takeaway here is that while the federal COVID relief packages were essential for immediate relief, it is vital that Arizonans, and our policymakers, support additional federal assistance like the $3.5T reconciliation proposal (also called the Biden Build Back Better plan) currently making its way through Congress. In addition, it is vital for the Arizona Legislature to support state investments to sustain the progress and assure that this essential service remains available to all of Arizona’s families and children.

Contact your congressional delegates