RIght Start Weighs In On Priorities for Rhode Island’s Next State Budget
Governor Dan McKee and his state agencies are currently in the process of crafting the FY 2025 state budget. RIght from the Start has weighed in sharing our priorities — designed to ensure all Rhode Island kids and families get off to the right start — in a number of letters to state agency leaders: […]
Bernelle Richardson’s Story: Families Can’t Afford Child Care When They “Level Up” to Middle Class
A women’s care nurse in Warwick, Bernelle Richardson works in a career she loves helping mothers with labor, delivery, and postpartum care. She credits Early Head Start as the catalyst that changed her family’s trajectory by providing the high-quality care and family support needed to “level up” to the middle class. With their children in […]
Rhode Island Child Care Assistance Program Information
RI Head Start programs are now enrolling! Head Start provides innovative, high-quality, comprehensive support services to children and families to prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond. Learn more and find a RI Head Start program in your community: https://riheadstartassociation.org/.
Senator Reed Visits Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Center To Advocate For Additional Federal Investment To Avoid Funding Cliff Facing Child Care Providers
Senator Reed Visits Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Center To Advocate For Additional Federal Investment To Avoid Funding Cliff Facing Child Care Providers Thank you Senator Jack Reed for joining us at Beautiful Beginnings Child Care today to advocate for much needed federal funding for our nation’s child care system. #ChildCareIsEssential for our kids, working families, […]
Tell Congress To Fund Child Care & Head Start
With the debt ceiling deal finished and passed, Congress is now focusing on annual funding bills. Lawmakers have a lot of tough decisions to make about funding, and we have a big fight ahead to ensure federal child care and early learning programs like Head Start get the critical investments they need. Use the links […]
Rhode Island Child Care Assistance Program Information
The Rhode Island Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps eligible families pay for child care. RIght from the Start has proudly advocated to lift income limits so more families can benefit from CCAP. Check out CCAP’s new information brochure, and click here for more information about eligibility and how to apply.
Rhode Island Head Start Programs Enrolling Now!
RI Head Start programs are now enrolling! Head Start provides innovative, high-quality, comprehensive support services to children and families to prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond. Learn more and find a RI Head Start program in your community: https://riheadstartassociation.org/.
New State Report With Recommendations To Help One In Five Young Children Struggling With Mental Health Challenges
In 2022, Rhode Island passed the Infant and Early Childhood Wellness Act, sponsored by Senator Alana DiMario and Representative Liana Cassar. Mental Health challenges are growing increasingly prevalent for young children in Rhode Island. Data show that 20% of children ages one through five with Rhode Island Medicaid insurance presented with serious mental health disturbance […]
Big Win For Rhode Island Kids & Families: Amended State Budget Includes $7 Million In New Funding For Early Childhood Programs!
In a big win for Rhode Island’s kids, families, and our workforce of child care educators, the FY 2024 State Budget passed by the House on Friday includes $7 million in new funding for early childhood programs! $3 million will be used to preserve Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms, and $4 million will […]
Fix the Rhode Island FY 2024 Budget for Babies, Young Children, and Families
Overview We thank Speaker Shekarchi, Senate President Ruggerio, and Governor McKee for promising to take another look at the FY2024 State Budget Proposal and to add additional resources for child care and early learning, beyond the $8 million included to prevent closure of RI Pre-K classrooms for four-year-olds. Despite a good revenue year and $4 […]