50%+ of CA's youngest kids have Medi-Cal coverage. Only 8% are enrolled in Early Start. That gap is a systems failure, not a coincidence. Our latest blog discusses where these systems break down and what it'll take to fix it. Read more: ow.ly/nP9850ZHY5P
We're teaming up with Bringing Up California, @First5Alameda, First 5 Tehama, @ChildrenNow, and @Stanford_CEC for five sessions at the 2026 @First5CA Summit, Aug 31-Sept 2. Will we see you there?
ccfc.ca.gov/summit/index.htm…
Who screens for maternal mental health risk in routine prenatal care? @DignityHealth's new CHW pilot is trying to answer that with a focus on Black birthing people. Read the full story from @SacObserver: ow.ly/oK2z50ZntHw
ALT A tender moment between a mother and her baby indoors, showcasing love and closeness.
Over 2M Medi-Cal members, including 38,000 children from birth to age 5, will lose access to built-in care coordination services that are offered to over 90 percent of Medi-Cal members starting in 2027. Here's the tradeoff buried in CA's new budget deal: ow.ly/L3SX50ZnuFn
CA added doula services to Medi-Cal in 2023 — but 3 years later, implementation has faced significant challenges. Delayed payments. Denied claims. Conflicting credentialing rules. Advocates say the system wasn't ready. Read more: ow.ly/qPva50ZjO88
ALT Expectant mother standing beside a wooden crib in a beautifully decorated nursery room.
California's CYBHI Fee Schedule funds behavioral health services for children birth to 25, reaching them before they are formally connected to the school system. Our latest blog post unpacks early lessons, with highlights from Placer County. Read more:
ow.ly/8fo250ZcTPX
California's First 5s are among the first community providers to contract with managed care plans under #CalAIM - and their lessons are now available. Read our newest brief on navigating the Medi-Cal contracting journey: ow.ly/nLYG50ZcTpr
California's First 5 network is leading the way for early childhood-serving organizations to engage in Medi-Cal transformation. 10 First 5s are now contracted with managed care plans to deliver CHW and ECM services. Read the blog post: ow.ly/LP7j50YKIOS
Medi-Cal benefits alone won't sustain CA's early childhood mental health programs. With CYBHI grants ending and BHSA changes underway, the state needs a dedicated funding strategy for children birth through five. Read our latest blog post: ow.ly/NLOx50YFclx
37 million U.S. children depend on Medicaid and CHIP. A new @AmerAcadPeds technical report examines enrollment, funding, and the future of children's health coverage. Read the report: ow.ly/yz2Q50Yvup9
ALT A pediatrician assists a toddler during a routine check-up at a medical clinic.