With the support of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) is pleased to offer technical assistance (TA) to states on projects that support development or maintenance of quality child care settings that promote child health.

Would you take this deal? Buy one year of college, get three more for no additional cost. A no-brainer, right? That’s similar to what happens when society invests in early childhood programs such as high quality child care, Head Start, Early Head Start, and home visiting programs. For every dollar spent, between two and four dollars are returned to the economy in various ways.

So says a new report released by the RAND Corporation, which studied the outcomes from 115 early education programs. Investing Early follows up on RAND’s 2005 review of early childhood programs. The report looks at a larger and more diverse set of early childhood interventions, including health-focused programs, community-based interventions, and programs that take a “two-generation approach” by working with children and their parents. Investing Early looks at the connections between early childhood programs and a broad set of individual and societal outcomes. It highlights health outcomes specifically and also evaluates the financial costs and benefits of investing in early childhood programs.

According to the CDC, getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

The Problem:

Much of the country has been struck this season by record low temperatures and never-before-seen snowfalls. How do we keep young children safe and warm through it all?

As the end of the year nears, CCAoA’s Emergency Preparedness Team has been reflecting on the disasters that struck in 2017. Top-of-mind, of course, are the hurricanes—Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Our team worked directly with CCR&Rs affected by the storms and the providers they serve. This is the last of three blogs on lessons learned and our team’s advice for CCR&Rs about the critical things they need to do before, during, and after a disaster.

Did you know the new iOS 11 feature on your iPhone allows you to call for Emergency SOS 911 help without using the keypad, even when your phone is locked? The great thing about this feature is that you can access emergency services silently and quickly.  Having a cell phone present during an emergency or disaster can be invaluable.  According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), about 70 percent of 911 calls are placed from wireless phones and that number is growing.

We know that having a cell phone present during an emergency or disaster is great, nevertheless, simply having a cell phone with you during an emergency does not guarantee your safety. Understanding your cell phone’s emergency options and having them properly prepared and activated is key when your survival is at stake.