Early Childhood

Congress should raise the federal minimum wage significantly by passing legislation like the Raise the Wage Act.

Congress should pass the American Family Act to restore the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which was increased by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2021, but expired at the end of that year.[1] In 2021, it drove child poverty to all-time lows.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) should require Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to use the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0-3R or DC:0-5) for diagnosis payment and utilization review purposes.[1]

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Administration on Children Youth and Families (ACYF) should disseminate best practices for states regarding interventions and strategies to keep families together when it can be done safely (e.g., using a relative for kinship care).[1][2][3]

Congress should enact legislation requiring all providers to provide and all health plans to reimburse for evidence-based mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) screening during annual well-child and adult physical exams. This should include an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) component in addition to Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT).[1][2]

Congress should pass the Reconnecting Communities Act, which would address infrastructure barriers that impede mobility and connectivity, focusing on communities of color and low-income communities. It would also create a program under the Department of Transportation (DOT) to award grants for community engagement, education, and capacity building; planning and feasibility studies; and capital construction.[1]