Senate Committee Offers Fresh Take on Early Childhood Health

by Jillian Daley | Jan 17, 2025 | Preschool, Health and Development, Health and Kindergarten Readiness, News

Sen. Lisa Reynolds will hold an informational hearing on a new Senate Committee on Jan. 21. Sen. Reynolds, who will Chair the Committee, is an advocate for early childhood, leading the Momnibus package that focuses on early childhood health and education for young children.

Children’s Institute (CI) is elated with the Oregon Legislature’s creation of a new Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health. The Committee not only aligns with CI’s support of early childhood education, it does so in an original way.

“We would have been thrilled simply to have a new panel of experts prioritizing early childhood because that is related to our mission and policy goals,” said Andi Walsh, Senior Health Policy Advisor for the Children’s Institute.

“However, seeing this new Committee established at the state level signals a shifting in priorities at the top level of our government. Our leaders are not only aware of the critical nature of high-quality health and education programs for young children, but they also realize that we need more policies to support and foster these programs.”

Plus, while many states, including California and Washington, have early childhood committees at the state level, this one is unusual because it encompasses a prevention lens for later-life issues, such as mental health.

“It is rare to see a focus on early years of life and behavioral health,” Walsh noted.

To explain the committee’s purpose and how behavioral health and early childhood are connected, Oregon State Senator Lisa Reynolds, MD (D-Portland), the Committee Chair, will be holding an informational hearing at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28 in Hearing Room E of the State Capitol (a livestreaming link will be posted soon on the Committee page). In fact, CI’s Director of Policy & Advocacy, Dana Hepper, will be presenting in support of the Committee.

“People’s stories and decades of research show that a child’s early experiences set the foundation for the rest of their lives,” Hepper said. “We are glad the Oregon Senate recognizes this connection and created a committee to take action.”

Meanwhile, the Committee will offer the perfect place for Sen. Reynolds’s Momnibus policies to thrive during the 2025 Legislative Session, which begins on Jan. 21. (The Momnibus is a policy package that focuses on health and housing support for mothers and children.)

The Committee came to life in a comparable way to the Momnibus. Sen. Reynolds, a pediatrician, applied her expert knowledge and a fresh perspective to early childhood issues. She believes in preventive measures for young children through early action and investment, especially surrounding issues of behavioral health. She saw an opportunity.

“There was a feeling that young kids are often overlooked in favor of other populations in the policymakers’ process when they’re lumped into a general ‘education’ or ‘human services’ or ‘healthcare’ committee,” Reynolds said. “There was a desire to pull them out and give them their own spotlight to ensure their needs were getting the attention they deserved.”

How to Attend the Hearing

When: Tuesday, January 28 at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Hearing Room E of the State Capitol, 900 Court St. NE, Salem, OR 97301
Livestream Link Available Soon: See the Committee webpage
Public Engagement: Welcome! Sen. Reynolds encourages the public to stop in, listen online, or submit written testimony.

Early Childhood and Behavioral Health Committee Schedule

When: Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Hearing Room E of the State Capitol

About Sen. Reynolds

Excerpt from State Legislature webpage: I am a pediatrician, a mom, and an activist. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with memories of metal roller skates that clamp onto your sneakers and midwestern weather (snow storms and tornadoes!).

We weren’t a family of means, but from a young age, my parents instilled in us the drive to give back to our communities.

My mom started college funds for me and my three siblings in the belief that our future held higher education. She herself returned to college and earned a degree at 45.

Connect with her on the Oregon State Legislature website.

Key Findings from the Oregon Early Childhood Health Summit, Report

by CI Communications | Jun 26, 2024 | News, CI in the News

This year, Children’s Institute and Trauma Informed Oregon (TIO) co-hosted the Oregon Early Childhood Summit. This event brought together cross-sector partners from early childhood, health and behavioral health, education and special education, advocacy, and philanthropy to build a shared vision and plan for early childhood social-emotional health, and to ensure all children are included in education and care.

We know that early childhood experiences set a foundation for a lifetime of well-being and success. That’s why it is critically important to prioritize social-emotional health during the earliest years of a child’s life. With this in mind, the summit focused on exploring strategies for enhancing social-emotional support for children and families.

The summit also aimed to unearth effective practices, innovative ideas, and systemic changes needed to ensure that all children have the opportunity to thrive.

Following this event, Children’s Institute and TIO produced a social-emotional health report, informed by focused sessions and conversations from participants who attended the gathering.

Oregon Early Childhood Summit Report

SEH Report_CI+TIO_2024 by Children's Institute

Download the report (PDF)

Reporte en Español (PDF)

Key Findings

Vision for Children’s Social and Emotional Health

Attendees shared a comprehensive vision for promoting children’s social-emotional health, rooted in child-centered care, community support, social-emotional learning, equity, inclusion, and trauma-informed care.
This holistic vision emphasizes the importance of creating environments where children feel safe, supported, and empowered to express themselves authentically.
By prioritizing the well-being of children and families, stakeholders envision a future where every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

What is Working for Children and Families?

Transparent communication, cultural responsiveness, community collaboration, equity initiatives, trauma-informed care, and family-centered approaches emerged as effective strategies for supporting children and families.
Participants highlighted successful programs and initiatives that foster trust, partnership, and family empowerment.
By leveraging community strengths and centering families’ voices and experiences, stakeholders identified promising practices for promoting social-emotional health and resilience.

Untried Ideas, Changes in Policy or Practices

Proposed solutions included advocating for equity and access, enhancing community engagement, investing in professional development, driving systemic change, implementing trauma-informed care, and empowering families.
Stakeholders explored innovative approaches to address systemic barriers and promote the well-being of children and families.
By challenging the status quo and embracing new ideas, attendees identified opportunities for transformative change in early childhood systems and practices.

Actions to Move Forward

Participants called for increased funding, collaboration, equity initiatives, professional development opportunities, policy reform, family engagement efforts, and systemic change.
These actions reflect a shared commitment to building more inclusive, supportive early childhood systems that prioritize the needs of children and families.
By advocating for bold action and mobilizing resources, stakeholders aim to create lasting impact and positive change in early childhood care and education.

See all findings here

Prioritizing Children is Oregon’s Path to a Brighter Future

by Dana Hepper | Jun 3, 2024 | News, CI in the News

Oregon’s children and families face immediate challenges in housing and behavioral health that require urgent attention. Underlying these visible crises are hidden traumas often rooted in early childhood experiences.

To create more equitable opportunities now and prevent challenges in the future, Oregon must invest in strategies that support children from prenatal through age five, and their families. Some of this work is underway, including investing in early literacy, Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE), and supporting the CHIPS Act child care fund.

But Oregon urgently needs to prioritize children prenatal to age five in housing and behavioral health initiatives. Children’s Institute and other childhood advocates urge Oregon leaders to double-down on these efforts so that every child receives the love, care, and education they need.

Early Childhood: A Foundation for Success

We know that early childhood is a critical period for brain development. Investing in children from birth to age five has profound implications for their future success, and the overall wellbeing of our state. Oregon has an opportunity to make sure that young children have what they need to thrive. Focused efforts in several key areas can move Oregon forward:

Education and early literacy: Invest in early literacy from birth and address funding issues for EI/ECSE services to help bridge achievement gaps and support children with developmental disabilities and delays.

Cross-agency coordination: Ensure that support for young children is accessible, coordinated, and family-centered across various state agencies, which promotes better governance and more effective outcomes.

Strategic budget investments: Allocate funds specifically for early childhood initiatives — this can yield high returns on investment, benefiting society and the economy, overall.

Education Initiative Opportunities

Early learning investments are the most cost-effective way to close opportunity and achievement gaps, support families, and strengthen child care availability. The case is strong for early childhood programs, with research showing that for every dollar invested there are double-digit returns. Priorities include:

Inclusion in preschool and child care: Ensure effective implementation of programs that prevent suspension and expulsion, prioritizing childhood mental health, and resources for children with disabilities.
Full enrollment in preschool programs: Address under-enrollment in state and federally funded preschool programs to ensure that all eligible children have access to early education opportunities.
Quality across preschool settings: Enhance support and monitoring for preschool programs and ensure they meet high standards.
Pathways into the early childhood workforce: Create accessible and equitable pathways for individuals to enter the early childhood workforce.
Maximize the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP): Maximizing how Oregon uses CACFP funding will help with child care quality, financing, and address food insecurity for children and families.

Behavioral Health Initiative Opportunities

Early relational health—the emotional bond between a baby and their caregiver—is a major factor in a child’s development. Addressing the root causes of childhood trauma and making sure young children receive services at the right time, prevents challenges later in life. Priorities include:

Expand access to birth and postnatal doula services: Making sure that more moms and babies have access to culturally specific doula services improves health outcomes, especially in reducing health disparities.
Adopt and implement the social emotional health metric: The birth to five social emotional health metric holds coordinated care organizations accountable to ensure young children have access to proven social-emotional health programs.
Substance use disorder treatment: Stabilizing and scaling successful programs that integrate prenatal care, behavioral health, and peer support can significantly reduce the need for foster care and improve outcomes for high-risk moms and their babies.
Create a cross-agency system of home visiting services: Developing a coordinated system of home visiting services supports parent-child relationships and family stability, providing crucial early intervention.

Housing Initiative Opportunities

The effects of homelessness on young children are acute and have lifelong impacts. Safe, predictable housing provides foundational stability. Priorities include:

Multi-bedroom units in housing developments: Building affordable housing units with multiple bedrooms can accommodate the diverse needs of Oregon families.
Family-centered housing support: Prioritizing families in housing support strategies, including rent subsidies and shelters designed for family units, can provide the stability needed for healthy child development.
Co-location of child care and housing: Building child care facilities into affordable and workforce housing can support working families and improve access to early childhood education.

Investing in young children and families is the most important equity and anti-poverty decision we can make. Oregon has an opportunity to prioritize young children, as a cornerstone of its future success. These priorities not only address the immediate crises but focus on building a stronger, more equitable foundation for generations to come.

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Five Ways we can Harness Love to Help Children Thrive

by Kali Thorne Ladd | May 29, 2024 | News, CI in the News

When children experience hard things, the one thing that can help them overcome trauma and develop resiliency is love. Loving, caring relationships are the most important factor in building sturdy brain architecture and turning stress into resiliency. This is game-changing. It’s something we can all understand. Each one of us is wired for love. We all need it, and children have the greatest opportunity to thrive when immersed in it.

Five Ways we can Harness Love to Help Children Thrive

Five Ways we can Harness the Game-Changing Power of Love to Help Children Thrive Visualize an ecosystem of love, care, and learning for children that begins before they are born and is designed to (2)

It can be overwhelming to think about changing these complex systems. But there is a way to simplify things and for each of us to commit to doing what’s right for children in our world today, right now. Reach into your soul and heart and imagine your power to give the gift of love and resiliency to a child. Maybe it’s a child you know, a classroom you’re familiar with, a community or church that is part of your life. When you look inside, know that you can be an ambassador for love, an ambassador for helping children thrive in a community of love.

It takes a lot of love to heal the world, but only takes a little to help a child know they belong, that they are cared for and safe, that they are loved and that they can heal. When we do that, we can change the world with one act of love followed by another, and another.

This article was adapted from “The Game-Changing Power of Love,” written by Kali Thorne Ladd, CEO, Children’s Institute; and published by BlackPress of America on May 27, 2024. Find the original article here.