Initiative:
Additional activities
Many issues affect children’s health. While the Alliance focuses its attention and resources on our key initiatives, we also collaborate and support the work of many other organizations. The following highlights several of our additional interests.
Quick links: Early childhood | Health care coverage | Mental health | Overweight, obesity and nutrition
Early childhood
The number of Wisconsin children in out-of-home care continues to grow. Currently, there are 207,960 children in Wisconsin day care agencies (this does not include children who are in non-licensed out-of-home care). Due to societal changes, more caretakers of young children have continued to enter the workforce resulting in an increased need and focus on the developmental care of young children. Early childhood systems work to ensure children are healthy and ready to learn by the time they enter school.
- Collaborating Partners
- Wisconsin's Early Childhood Environmental Scan: An Analysis of the Current Early Childhood Infrastructure - Conducted by Theresa Ahlers, Wisconsin Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Association with the participation and expertise of many other early childhood partners.
- Wisconsin's Early Childhood Environmental Scan: An Assessment of Community Level Assets and Needs - Conducted with the participation and expertise of many early childhood community leaders, parents and family members.
- Wisconsin Head Start Association
- Wisconsin Kids Win: The Early Childhood Comprehensive System State Plan - A plan to develop a locally-based, comprehensive system of services that promotes school readiness of young children in Wisconsin.
Health care coverage
In Wisconsin, too many children and families are uninsured or underinsured. Nearly three-fifths of these families meet the income eligibility standards for Medicaid or BadgerCare, but for a variety of reasons remain uninsured. Barriers for families may include incorrect denials, required enrollment forms (i.e. employer verification form), mistrust in the health care system, assumption they are not eligible, stigma of being on state health insurance, and misassumption of being treated poorly at enrollment sites.
- ACCESS - An online program designed for a quick and easy way for people in Wisconsin to get answers to questions about health and nutrition programs. Includes eligibility calculators and online application.
Learn more. - BadgerCare Plus is a new program for children and families in Wisconsin who need and want health insurance. Complete an easy online application.
- Covering Kids and Families Wisconsin.
Mental health
Infant and early childhood mental health is the social and emotional development of young children, involving skills such as self-confidence, motivation, persistence, curiosity, self-control and trust. These important skills affect future learning and growth. Children who are unable to attain early social and emotional milestones do not do well in early school years. Research indicates that children who start behind tend to stay behind. These children are at a higher risk for school problems and juvenile delinquency.
Overweight, obesity and nutrition
Overweight infants and children are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, severe asthma and/or joint and bone problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes the rise of overweight and obesity in America as an epidemic. The percent of children and adolescents who are overweight has doubled since the early 1970s. The percent of obesity in infants has also increased dramatically over the years.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - obesity and overweight
- Let's Move - America's Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids.
- President's Challenge ~ You're It. Get Fit!
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention Program.
- Wisconsin Nutrition and Physical Activity State Plan.