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
The County Countdown – September 26, 2023
Every other week, NACo’s County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. Watch the video and explore NACo resources below on some of the top issues we're covering this week. -
Webinar
New Options to Combat Summer Hunger: What Counties Need to Know
Sep. 21, 2023 , 1:00 pmSummer hunger impacts too many children when they lose access to nutritious school meals. -
Reports & Toolkits
Legislative Toolkit for Counties: Priorities for Strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
This toolkit provides an overview of the county role in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), federal policy priorities for ensuring SNAP is effectively serving county residents and the current legislative and administrative outlook for program reforms. -
Webinar
Building and Supporting Comprehensive Behavioral Health Crisis Response Systems
Sep. 14, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmIn response to a growing need for behavioral health care services, counties are working to establish and bolster access to comprehensive continuums of care for their community members. -
Blog
CMS proposes new minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities
On September 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would impose minimum staffing standards for the approximately 758 county-owned or operated long-term care facilities that participate in Medicare or Medicaid. -
County News
‘Dr. Drew’ applauds progress in mental health care, but ‘still progress to be made’
“It’s not that hard to treat,” Pinsky said of the mental health crisis. “We just need the resources, we need the beds, we need the psychiatrists.”
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Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid, a skills-based training administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges in their peers, friends and colleaguepagepagepage<h3><strong>WHY MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID?</strong></h3>
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Healthy Counties Initiative
Healthy Counties focuses on enhancing: public-private partnerships in local health delivery, access to, and coordination of, care for vulnerable populations in the community and community public health and behavioral health programs.pagepagepage<p>NACo’s Healthy Counties Initiative creates and sustains healthy counties by supporting collaboration and sharing evidence-informed approaches to pressing health issues.
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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
Upcoming Events
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