State Budget Delivers Modest Gains for the Early Learning Workforce but Leaves Out Critical Supports for Pennsylvania’s Youngest Children
HARRISBURG, PA (July 12, 2026) – Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates, expressed appreciation for some small steps forward in addressing early education workforce shortages in the 2026–27 state budget. They also emphasized that the commonwealth must do far more to support programs such as infant and […]
Proposed State Budget Strengthens Support for Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Workforce
HARRISBURG, PA (February 3, 2026) – Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, expressed appreciation for the Shapiro Administration’s 2026-27 state budget proposal and its continued focus on children and early education workforce investments, while also highlighting the […]
Home Visiting Works!
What People Are Saying
”Home visitors going in present potentially one of the few positive role models for people in that kind of environment…and give them the tools that are necessary to make sure that a child is cared for and that they have resources moving forward.“
Drew Welsh, District Attorney, Clarion County
”Positive parenting approaches and nurturing a child’s development in the first several years of life is likely to have sustained benefits as a child moves through adolescence and adulthood. Research supports the use of evidence-based home visiting programs to positively influence the life course of parents and their children.
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Joan B. Thode, MD, General Pediatrics, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health
”The Early Head Start program we offer helps to strengthen families by capitalizing on parents’ strengths to helping them understand child development and build their parenting skills.“
Pam Johnson, Executive Director, Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, Inc.
”Without evidence-based home visiting, I would not be where I am today. The Family Support Center did more than help me get back on my feet; they gave me hope. “
Father who benefited from home visiting services with Family Check-Up
”A mother’s physical, emotional and mental health prior to pregnancy and birth play a crucial role in determining the outcome of a pregnancy and that child’s subsequent development. For young mothers, evidence-based home visiting can help ensure they get the proper care they need. In home visits, nurses and other trained professionals engage with a pregnant woman or mother, as well as her partner and other family members, educating them on the importance of regular well-child visits and helping parents to understand the important role that they themselves play in their child’s development.“
Dr. Robert Cicco, Pittsburgh Neonatologist, Allegheny County Medical Society President and the former President of the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
”Parents are a child's forever teacher. And, to do well, you need to be well.“
Susan Evans, Early Head Start
”From identifying postpartum depression to helping deal with substance use disorders, these programs empower families to make proactive, positive choices that prove beneficial to healthy development. The good news is that evidence-based home visiting programs can positively impact the lives of these young families, building confidence and imparting them with the tools necessary to overcome many challenges so they can successfully raise their children.“
Julie Mansfield, MSN, RN, manager with Nurse-Family Partnership
What People Are Saying
”Home visitors going in present potentially one of the few positive role models for people in that kind of environment…and give them the tools that are necessary to make sure that a child is cared for and that they have resources moving forward.“
Drew Welsh, District Attorney, Clarion County
”Positive parenting approaches and nurturing a child’s development in the first several years of life is likely to have sustained benefits as a child moves through adolescence and adulthood. Research supports the use of evidence-based home visiting programs to positively influence the life course of parents and their children.
“
“
Joan B. Thode, MD, General Pediatrics, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health
”The Early Head Start program we offer helps to strengthen families by capitalizing on parents’ strengths to helping them understand child development and build their parenting skills.“
Pam Johnson, Executive Director, Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, Inc.
”Without evidence-based home visiting, I would not be where I am today. The Family Support Center did more than help me get back on my feet; they gave me hope. “
Father who benefited from home visiting services with Family Check-Up
”A mother’s physical, emotional and mental health prior to pregnancy and birth play a crucial role in determining the outcome of a pregnancy and that child’s subsequent development. For young mothers, evidence-based home visiting can help ensure they get the proper care they need. In home visits, nurses and other trained professionals engage with a pregnant woman or mother, as well as her partner and other family members, educating them on the importance of regular well-child visits and helping parents to understand the important role that they themselves play in their child’s development.“
Dr. Robert Cicco, Pittsburgh Neonatologist, Allegheny County Medical Society President and the former President of the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
”Parents are a child's forever teacher. And, to do well, you need to be well.“
Susan Evans, Early Head Start
”From identifying postpartum depression to helping deal with substance use disorders, these programs empower families to make proactive, positive choices that prove beneficial to healthy development. The good news is that evidence-based home visiting programs can positively impact the lives of these young families, building confidence and imparting them with the tools necessary to overcome many challenges so they can successfully raise their children.“
Julie Mansfield, MSN, RN, manager with Nurse-Family Partnership
Childhood Begins at Home Follow 1,169 396
Childhood Begins at Home is a statewide campaign designed to help policymakers and the public understand the value of evidence-based home visiting.
Pennsylvania's FY 2026–27 budget level funds Community-Based Family Centers for the 4th straight year. But with rising costs, flat funding means fewer families can access evidence-based home visiting services.
Learn why sustained investment matters: https://www.childhoodbeginsathome.org/
📊 New resource!
Our updated State & County Home Visiting Fact Sheets provide county-level data on young children, families, and evidence-based home visiting services across Pennsylvania.
Explore the fact sheets: https://www.childhoodbeginsathome.org/report/home-visiting-state-county-fact-sheets/
#HomeVisiting
Happy Fourth of July!
Today, we're celebrating family, community, and the moments that bring us together. Wishing Pennsylvania children and families a safe, joyful holiday filled with fun, connection, and summer memories.
#FourthOfJuly #PAFamilies #ChildhoodBeginsAtHome
Family Connects—Strengthens connections for families with newborns by linking them directly to supportive community care resources. #HomeVisitingWorks
Family Check-Up®—Supports strategies to better engage parents and parent-centered intervention for reducing problem behaviors in children from toddlers through adolescence.