Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center

09/04/2026

Whether you shape, implement, advocate for, or study policies affecting infants, toddlers, and their families, the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit is for you.

Hear how states have advanced policy change, what the latest evidence tells us about effective policies, and how states are approaching implementation.

Join others from across the prenatal-to-3 field to learn from a decade of state action and explore what the evidence and experiences of states can teach us about what comes next.

Registration is free. Join us online on September 29: https://bit.ly/4hqDcbg

09/02/2026

A raise does not always leave a family better off.

For families receiving public assistance, a modest increase in earnings can trigger a disproportionate loss of benefits, leaving them with fewer total household resources.

Our new brief examines how states are addressing this “benefits cliff” by coordinating public assistance programs, phasing out benefits more gradually, and supporting education, employment, and career advancement.

Explore strategies and examples from states across the country➡️ https://bit.ly/4zQPikv

09/01/2026

We are growing our team!

We’re hiring two Senior Data Analysts to transform complex survey and administrative data into rigorous, actionable research that informs evidence-based policymaking for children and families.

We’re looking for experienced data professionals who can manage and analyze data, support research design and analytic planning, help ensure the quality and integrity of our analyses, and collaborate closely with researchers.

If you’re interested in using data to support the Center’s research and evaluation projects, learn more and apply today ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Ybpija

08/31/2026

Families seeking licensed home-based child care in greater Nashville may have a difficult time finding it as it represents approximately 1% of all licensed child care slots, and the programs we surveyed in the Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study report being largely full.

Our Director of Research and Evaluation, Jennifer Huffman, walks us through findings from Brief 3 of our Landscape Study: An Analysis on Home-Based Child Care:
▪️29 licensed home-based programs offer a combined maximum capacity of 317 child care slots
▪️Among the 14 programs surveyed, 121 full-day-equivalent slots were occupied and just 27 were open
▪️10 of the 14 programs reported waitlisting or turning away at least one child because of capacity constraints in the past 6 months

Check out the full brief ➡️ https://bit.ly/4i47O2z

In the Nashville area? Join us September 22 for a free Early Childhood Luncheon exploring findings from the full Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study. Register here ➡️ https://bit.ly/4gLeP64

With thanks to United Way of Greater Nashville, Raising Readers Nashville, and the Nashville Early Education Coalition for their partnership on this study.

08/26/2026

What can the Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap tell you about your state?

It brings rigorous research and state-level data together in one practical guide for every state. Each annual Roadmap helps state leaders:

📋 Assess the wellbeing of infants and toddlers and prioritize prenatal-to-3 policy goals
🔎 Identify evidence-based policy solutions
📍Monitor states’ adoption and implementation of effective policies and strategies
📊 Track the impact of policy changes on children and families

On September 18, we will share the 2026 Roadmap at The Hunt Institute's Early Childhood Leadership Summit and make it available to the public on our website. Until then, explore the 2025 Roadmap: https://bit.ly/47ltZvi

08/25/2026

Why does access to child care assistance vary across states?

Thirty years ago, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act reshaped the federal child care subsidy system. The law consolidated existing subsidized child care programs into the Child Care and Development Fund and gave states greater authority over eligibility, copayments, and program implementation.

Those policy choices continue to shape which families can access child care assistance today.

Our Child Care Social Policy History examines how decisions made over more than a century continue to influence the accessibility and effectiveness of child care policies. 🔎Explore the history: https://bit.ly/4wJayG3

Chronological timelines illustrating patterns of inequity in social policy development from early America to today.

08/24/2026

Approximately 447,000 children under age 3 are experiencing homelessness across the US. Safe and stable housing is foundational for early child development, family stability, and long-term wellbeing.

Our new Evidence Summary connects state policy to housing security by examining policies on the Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap with evidence of promoting housing security. These include expanded income eligibility for Medicaid, refundable state earned income tax credits, higher state minimum wages, and cash transfers. Explore the evidence: https://bit.ly/4zxYXMR

Safe and stable housing is a foundational social predictor of health and critical for early child development and economic stability throughout life.

08/21/2026

In the United States, Black mothers and birthing people experience the highest maternal mortality rates across racial and ethnic groups, and Black infants experience the highest infant mortality rates. A new Child Policy Nexus report reviews high-quality studies on Medicaid and CHIP, home visiting, SNAP and WIC, and earned income tax credits. The report offers policy considerations for how these programs can support Black maternal and infant health. Check it out ⬇️

Black maternal and infant health inequities are preventable. This report highlights evidence-based policy that can improve birth outcomes, strengthen family well-being, and advance equity.

This Child Policy Nexus report, Evidence-Based Policy Considerations to Support Black Maternal and Infant Health, highlights strategies that can improve birth outcomes and reduce inequities affecting Black mothers, birthing people, infants, and families.

The report reviews evidence across four key areas: Medicaid and CHIP, MIECHV home visiting, SNAP and WIC, and EITC programs.

Sustained investments are essential to supporting Black mothers, birthing people, infants, and families.

Read the full report:
https://academic.oup.com/cpn/issue/39/2

08/19/2026

We’re looking forward to two BIG September dates for prenatal-to-3 policy.

🗺️ On September 18, our Center will release the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap at the Early Childhood Leadership Summit hosted by The Hunt Institute. Available on our website that day, the Roadmap will provide the latest look at where states stand on evidence-based policies and strategies that support infants, toddlers, and their families.

🔎 Then, on September 29, we will host our virtual 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit, where we will explore findings from our new retrospective brief examining how the state policy landscape changed from 2016 to 2026, what helped states move policies forward, and where opportunities remain. Not registered yet? Join us: https://bit.ly/4hqDcbg

08/14/2026

How has the prenatal-to-3 policy landscape changed over the past decade?

Join us virtually for the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit on September 29 to explore what a decade of state action can teach us about advancing prenatal-to-3 policy. Register today➡️ https://events.zoom.us/ev/ArQdgkwAzxzPV7bJEWZDIvXWVtSifHJuA5jH0I-YWQza_pjXAn4D~AlAvTHmhnTSJgH__Q-BVzVqZxs_OU9D28E0V1k3SzoWBW9ut3uxV_jeIjyp9YqRwLg81x3LtPuHbe90fXYRYAyHeCw

Together, we'll examine:
- What has changed?
- How did states make progress?
- What comes next?