Early Childhood
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Basic pageCounties not only play a pivotal role in building thriving communities for an estimated 16 million children ages birth to three across the United States, but also invest in core policies and services that help to shape early childhood systems.Early Childhood
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Early Childhood
The Importance of Prenatal-to-Three (PN-3)
The first three years of a child’s life are the “bricks and mortar” of brain development - building the foundation for future learning, behavior, and health. Evidence shows that when we invest the early years, infants and toddlers become healthy children who are confident, empathetic, and ready for school and life. Communities and governments can provide parents with the support they need to succeed and thrive. Programs and policies impacting these early years should ensure healthy beginnings at birth, support families with young children and make high-quality child care and learning environments more accessible and affordable to all parents who want them.
Counties Matter
Counties play a major role in shaping early childhood systems and investing in core services for infants and toddlers that help to support a thriving community and positively impacting outcomes into adulthood. Every county in the United States administers and funds part of the cost of strengthening communities and families with young children. Counties routinely provide an array of programs and services to an estimated 16 million children ages zero to three in the United States and are responsible for addressing the needs of young children, and their families, by administering and coordinating PN-3 services including child care, health and prenatal care, early intervention, home visiting, maternal health screenings, parent classes and early literacy programs.
PN-3 Resources for Counties
The National Association of Counties Research Foundation (NACoRF) is a non-profit organization recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service as a 501c3 public charity providing education, technical assistance and research to counties. NACoRF’s mission is to ascertain, develop and distribute knowledge about county governments and training of public officials, prospective public officials, and other interested parties. NACoRF assists America’s 3,069 counties -- including nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees-- in pursuing excellence to produce healthy, vibrant, safe and resilient counties. NACoRF has taken the lead in four major areas: best practice research, peer learning, education and training, and convening among government and private-sector leaders. Through its efforts, NACoRF helps counties find innovative solutions to local challenges and provides high-quality, evidence-based information to guide policies, decision-making and programming. Click here to find more information and resources for counties in launching and supporting a local PN-3 initiative in your community.
Counties not only play a pivotal role in building thriving communities for an estimated 16 million children ages birth to three across the United States, but also invest in core policies and services that help to shape early childhood systems.2018-10-19Basic page2022-08-30
Counties For Kids
Find tools and resources for counties to support the well-being of young children
The Importance of Prenatal-to-Three (PN-3)
The first three years of a child’s life are the “bricks and mortar” of brain development - building the foundation for future learning, behavior, and health. Evidence shows that when we invest the early years, infants and toddlers become healthy children who are confident, empathetic, and ready for school and life. Communities and governments can provide parents with the support they need to succeed and thrive. Programs and policies impacting these early years should ensure healthy beginnings at birth, support families with young children and make high-quality child care and learning environments more accessible and affordable to all parents who want them.
Counties Matter
Counties play a major role in shaping early childhood systems and investing in core services for infants and toddlers that help to support a thriving community and positively impacting outcomes into adulthood. Every county in the United States administers and funds part of the cost of strengthening communities and families with young children. Counties routinely provide an array of programs and services to an estimated 16 million children ages zero to three in the United States and are responsible for addressing the needs of young children, and their families, by administering and coordinating PN-3 services including child care, health and prenatal care, early intervention, home visiting, maternal health screenings, parent classes and early literacy programs.
PN-3 Resources for Counties
The National Association of Counties Research Foundation (NACoRF) is a non-profit organization recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service as a 501c3 public charity providing education, technical assistance and research to counties. NACoRF’s mission is to ascertain, develop and distribute knowledge about county governments and training of public officials, prospective public officials, and other interested parties. NACoRF assists America’s 3,069 counties -- including nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees-- in pursuing excellence to produce healthy, vibrant, safe and resilient counties. NACoRF has taken the lead in four major areas: best practice research, peer learning, education and training, and convening among government and private-sector leaders. Through its efforts, NACoRF helps counties find innovative solutions to local challenges and provides high-quality, evidence-based information to guide policies, decision-making and programming. Click here to find more information and resources for counties in launching and supporting a local PN-3 initiative in your community.
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Webinar
Leveraging County Systems to Support Infant and Toddler Mental Health and Well-Being
Mar. 28, 2022 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmChildren’s earliest experiences impact their brain development and social and emotional skills, setting the foundation for all future development. -
Reports & Toolkits
Counties and the American Rescue Plan Act Recovery Fund: Children and Families
This report highlights investments that expand affordable childcare, support educational opportunities and provide financial services for low-income families. -
Webinar
Prenatal to Three Rural Peer Learning Network: Leveraging County ARPA Funds for Infants, Toddlers and Families
Jul. 29, 2021 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmThroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, young children and the systems and programs that serve them have faced serious disruptions and challenges. -
Webinar
Prenatal to Three Urban Peer Learning Network: Leveraging County ARPA Funds for Infants, Toddlers and Families
Jul. 28, 2021 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmThroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, young children and the systems and programs that serve them have faced serious disruptions and challenges. -
Video
Counties for Kids: Strategies for Supporting Young Children and Families
This workshop will focus on how investments in the first three years can benefit a county for years to come and the role local leaders can play in building supports and systems for young children and their families, especially as counties move forward with COVID-19 recovery. -
Reports & Toolkits
County Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Child Welfare and Victim Services
In nine states, county governments have responsibility and authority for administering the child welfare system while others share that responsibility with the state government. County governments are often involved in providing domestic and family violence services.
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Blog
Senate HELP Committee seeks comments on pandemic and all-hazards preparedness
On March 15, Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-La.) of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) released a request for information seeking input from public health officials, health care providers and other stakeholders on policies the Committee should consider during the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. -
Blog
NACo submits comments to Senate HELP Committee on health care workforce shortages
On March 2, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released a request for information from health care stakeholders on the causes of and solutions for current health care workforce shortages. -
Blog
County officials discuss harm reduction as a path forward through the overdose epidemic
Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, director of the Baltimore County, Md. Department of Health and Human Services, speaks at NACo’s 2023 Legislative Conference. Photo by Leon Lawrence III. -
Blog
Addressing social determinants of health with GIS technology
Discover the transformative power of GIS technology in addressing social determinants of health and building healthier communities. -
Blog
HHS proposes new rule to improve availability of kinship foster care homes
On February 14, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced a new proposed regulation that would allow child welfare agencies to adopt less burdensome licensing standards for all relative and kinship foster family homes. -
Blog
Pandemic-era SNAP benefits expire
On March 1, the temporary boost to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits known as emergency allotments came to an end. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, these increased monthly benefits were authorized in 2020 by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA, P.L. 116-127) and provided vulnerable households with additional grocery benefits to help mitigate the negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic.
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Webinar
County Strategies to Provide Supportive Housing for Familiar Faces
March 29, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmWhat does it take to house and support familiar faces?03292:00 pm<p> What does it take to house and support familiar faces?
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Webinar
County Leaders Championing Justice Efforts in Local Communities
April 5, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmCounties are directing resources to programs, practices and policies to reduce the overuse and misuse of the criminal legal system, improve public safety, better serve residents with behavioral health conditions and improve community stability and health.04052:00 pm<p>Counties are directing resources to programs, practices and policies to reduce the overuse and misuse of the criminal legal system, improve public safety, better serve residents with behavioral health conditions and improve communit
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Webinar
Strategies for Leveraging County Health Rankings Data to Improve Community Health
April 19, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmCounties play a key role in public health at the local level, as the conveners of multi-sector stakeholders, administrators of federal health-funding programs, like Medicaid, and providers of many crucial health services for residents.04192:00 pm<p>Counties play a key role in public health at the local level, as the conveners of multi-sector stakeholders, administrators of federal health-funding programs, like Medicaid, and providers of many crucial health services for residen
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The Stepping Up Initiative
In May 2015, NACo and partners at the CSG Justice Center and APA Foundation launched Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out">
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Reports & Toolkits
COVID-19 Recovery Clearinghouse
The COVID-19 Recovery Clearinghouse features timely resources for counties, including allocation estimations, examples of county programs using federal coronavirus relief funds, the latest news and more.Reports & Toolkitsdocument03127:15 pmReports & Toolkits<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="ad-block no-top-margin no-bullets">
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Transforming County Human Services Network
Counties Matter in Human Services There are over 257,000 county human services employees across the country delivering vital services to our nation’s most vulnerable populations.pagepagepage<h3><strong>Counties Matter in Human Services</strong></h3>
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Live Healthy U.S. Counties
The National Association of Counties (NACo) Live Healthy Prescription, Health & Dental Discount Program is a NO-COST program available to all member counties.pagepagepage<h1>With <a id="naco" name="naco">NACo</a>, Saving Feels Better</h1>
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Human Services & Education Steering Committee
All matters pertaining to children’s issues, foster care, public assistance and income support, services to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, immigration policy, social services, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education. Policy Platform & Resolutions 2022-2023 2022 NACo Legislative Prioritiespagepagepage<p>All matters pertaining to children’s issues, foster care, public assistance and income support, services to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, immigration policy, social services, and elementary,
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Reports & Toolkits
Opioid Solutions Center
NACo’s Opioid Solutions Center empowers local leaders to invest resources in effective treatment, recovery, prevention and harm reduction practices that save lives and address the underlying causes of substance use disorder.Reports & Toolkitsdocument10123:30 pmReports & Toolkits<p>NACo's Opioid Solutions Center empowers local leaders to invest resources in effective treatment, recovery, prevention and harm reduction practices that save lives and address the underlying causes of substance use disorder.
Contact
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Program Director – Health & Human Services(202) 942-4251
Related Events
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29Mar2023Webinar
County Strategies to Provide Supportive Housing for Familiar Faces
Mar. 29, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm -
5Apr2023Webinar
County Leaders Championing Justice Efforts in Local Communities
Apr. 5, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm -
19Apr2023Webinar
Strategies for Leveraging County Health Rankings Data to Improve Community Health
Apr. 19, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Upcoming Events
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29Mar2023Webinar
County Strategies to Provide Supportive Housing for Familiar Faces
Mar. 29, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm -
5Apr2023Webinar
County Leaders Championing Justice Efforts in Local Communities
Apr. 5, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm -
6Apr2023Webinar
Reducing Jail Populations: Lowering Recidivism through Jail- and Community-Based Treatment and Services
Apr. 6, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
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