On July 30, 2024, in the Rayburn House Office Building, First Focus on Children released the 2024 Babies in the Budget report. It is known that early investments can produce lifetime gains in the lives of children, their families, and society at large. The 2024 Babies in the Budget book analyzes the share of federal spending allocated to our nation’s youngest. At this briefing, we shared a first look at how spending for 0-3-year-olds has changed from FY2020-FY2024 and discussed the importance of many of these programs.

This briefing was held in cooperation with the Congressional Mamas’ Caucus, Congressional Dads Caucus, and Congressional Baby Caucus.

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Today’s webinar — It’s Time for Adults to Listen: A Youth-Centered, Policy-Focused Discussion on the Nation’s Youth Mental Health was a unique opportunity to hear from five dynamic youth advocates who are stepping up to effectively raise important policy issues and solutions with local, state, and federal lawmakers for themselves and their peers. As Senator Tim Kaine (VA) said in his opening remarks, “[Youth] advocacy has the power to help others experiencing mental health challenges and to change the direction of our country for the better.”   

Panelists underscored three key principles that are integral to effective policymaking, and which cut across all the policy recommendations from the webinar:  

1. Young people want and need to be involved in the issues and policies that affect them. Children and youth, starting at the youngest ages, must know that they are valued. We must ensure that youth have a seat at the table by continually embedding them in meaningful ways in policymaking to share their lived experience.    
2. Stigma exists at generational and cultural levels. While young people are having conversations about and leading efforts on their mental health, stigma regarding mental health can prevent adults, providers, and policymakers from listening to and meeting the needs of youth. Labeling and stigmatizing are destructive to young people. We must look for ways to reduce stigma through more discussions in schools, families, and communities, and by adequately funding services to support these efforts.
3. Prevention is key. Efforts to provide social and emotional support to children and teens will help them cope with challenging circumstances and be more resilient.  Additionally, any support that can be offered to parents and caregivers will benefit children and teens. 

While work has begun to address youth mental health issues, much more still needs to be done. Below are some of the policy recommendations raised by our panelists and moderator that First Focus on Children endorses:  

• Provide funding for mental health coordinators in all schools to oversee student care coordination and ensure help is received. 
• Integrate existing youth-led peer crisis intervention programs into the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to build a national sub-line staffed by teens, for teens.  
• Integrate peer-to-peer support programs into middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities to connect more youth to help amidst national mental health workforce shortages. 
• Expand the pediatric behavioral health workforce with the intention to recruit and train providers (professional and paraprofessional) from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. 
• Improve the cultural competency of behavioral health providers so that all youth—including those with unique needs—feel heard and understood and receive the appropriate care.
• Increase the number of pediatric behavioral health providers who can provide therapies for youth with higher levels of trauma, including those in foster care, and increase Medicaid access to providers who have this expertise. Ensure that families are included in the care plans of youth facing mental health issues. 
• Require insurance coverage of at least three mental health visits per year under ACA marketplace plans and private employer-sponsored plans (which includes youth under 26 still on their parents’ plans).
• Enforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) which was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2008.  The goal is to treat mental health conditions and substance use disorders as equivalent to other health conditions in insurance plans.   
• In the spirit of the MHPAEA, make patient co-pays for behavioral health visits the same as for physical health visits.    
• Require mental health checkups in schools as standard care.  
• Ensure there are regular and consistent mental health screenings at annual pediatrician appointments that are covered by insurance and result in referrals to mental health providers when needed.  

To read more about peer support, check out panelist and First Focus on Children intern Trace Terrell’s latest blog post on our website — where can also see posts on youth mental health from the First Focus policy team.

If you have additional questions or would like to contact First Focus staff, please contact Averi Pakulis at averip@firstfocus.org or Elaine Dalpiaz at elained@firstfocus.org.

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A discussion of why we must restore improvements to the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, with information on the recently reintroduced House bill and upcoming Senate bill. Featuring Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) plus an expert panel.

New research continues to emerge about the positive impact that the 2021 improvements to the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit had in so many aspects of the lives of children and young people. Join this webinar to hear an update on new research and learn about ways you can take action to keep the pressure on lawmakers to expand these credits once again.

Materials Referenced during the session

• Child Investment Research Hub
• 2021 Child Poverty fact sheet
• Letter on the American Family Act
• Think of Us, COVID-19 Microcash Grant Application Data Briefing
• Tell Congress: Invest In Kids Through Anti-Poverty Action
• Slide Deck

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Join in celebrating Father’s Day and Children’s Week by attending a briefing with Congressional leaders, Administration officials, and child advocates focused on the importance of investing in our children. This brief will provide a first look at an upcoming Babies in the Budget report that examines yearly spending trends and the share of federal funding allocated to infants and toddlers, highlight recent successes of investments for children and the impact of federal programs, and discuss what next steps are needed to continue the commitment to kids during this appropriations season.

Hosted by First Focus on Children, ZERO TO THREE, and the Children’s Defense Fund, and in cooperation with Rep. Jimmy Gomez, chair of the Congressional Dads Caucus, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, chair of the Congressional Mamas’ Caucus, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, chair of the Baby Caucus.

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Across the country, challenges to our public schools are taking place in the form of censorship, anti-LGBTQ policies, and bans on curriculum and socio-emotional learning. Join this virtual conversation with State Rep. Anna Eskamani and PEN America’s Jonathan Friedman to hear the consequences these policies have for children and what can be done to continue to protect our students at a local and federal level.

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