Latest News

Franklin County Child Care Providers to Meet Star-Rating Standards

As highlighted in a recent Columbus Dispatch article, Franklin County Department of Jobs and Family Services (FCDJFS) will spend more than $750,000 this year to train childcare providers in low-income communities through the Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) star rating system. This free training will allow providers to meet new state standards and maintain public […]

Research Shows Intergenerational Benefits of Preschool

Many of us are familiar with the Perry Preschool or Abecedarian research that show the long-term impact that high-quality preschool can have on a child’s growth, development, and future. A new line of research goes deeper – beyond the children themselves – and looks at the impact of children whose parents received preschool education. This research, […]

Understanding Infant Mortality

The New York Times recently wrote about a crisis that has plagued the United States for more than two centuries: Infant Mortality – specifically among African American mothers, who are more than twice as likely to lose a child during pregnancy or the first year of life than non-black women. Black infants die at a […]

New study shows healthcare in families is inter-related: kids receive recommended care when parents are insured

A recent article in Managed Healthcare Executive Magazine highlights a new study by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine that finds parental Medicaid enrollment is linked to an increase in pediatric well-child visits for children in low-income families. The study, published in Pediatrics, found that a parent being enrolled in Medicaid was associated with a […]

Sweeping Changes to the Criminal Justice System on the Horizon

Criminal Justice Reform is getting an increasing level of attention nationally and in state capitals from coast to coast – from legislative fixes to ballot initiatives, addressing our criminal justice system is a hot topic and high priority across the political spectrum. In Ohio, in part due to the Opioid crisis sweeping across the state, […]

Small towns and rural areas lag in economic and employment growth

A recent Brookings report highlights the divide between large metropolitan areas and small cities and rural areas. Smaller metropolitan areas with less than 250,000 people—representing 9 percent of the nation’s population—have lost ground in terms of economic and population growth. Rural areas had even greater declines in output and employment since 2010. There is some […]

What Journalists and Community Leaders Should Look for During Child Care Site Visits & Tours

Are you looking for a way to allow journalists to better understand and experience the importance of quality child care during a site visit? The Education Writers Association outlines a wonderful story that not only provides examples, but a quick check list to ensure that local reporters get the most out of a visit to […]

A perfect storm brewing for foundations and non-profit organizations

A recent analysis by Grants Plus “What does tax reform mean for grant funding?” outlines the implications of the new tax law on philanthropic giving. Grants Plus warns of a “perfect storm” that will impact philanthropic giving if individual donations fall at the same time that federal grants and contracts, and state and local budgets, […]

ACS client creates a research-based communication strategy and commercials to increase awareness of high-quality early learning

In May of 2017, The Franklin County Department of Job & Family Services (FCDJFS) in Columbus, Ohio contracted with Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) to lead and develop their Early Learning Media Campaign between May and September 2017. The purpose of this campaign was to help advance communication among two target audiences– parents and […]

New Study Uncovers a Startling Statistic: 4.2 Million Kids Experience Homelessness Nationwide

There is growing and often hidden epidemic – 4.2 million young people experience unaccompanied homelessness in the course of a year, according to a new study from Chapin Hall a research center at the University of Chicago. This study provides new evidence for understanding the scale, scope, and urgency of youth homelessness in America. The […]