Maternal and Infant Health
Children are better poised for success in school and in life when they have a healthy start. A healthy start requires comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care, access to health insurance for expectant families, and access to additional services for those with special or high needs.
Black women are more likely to die from pregnancy complications than White women in New York State. New York State must do more to support women of color — especially Black women — with anti-racist and anti-discriminatory prenatal and perinatal care and high-quality postpartum mental health services.
Our Equity-Centered Approach
To support the health and wellness of young children and their families in New York State, we advocate for comprehensive systems change to achieve equitable and timely access to prenatal and postpartum programs. These programs include Early Intervention access, expanded continuous Medicaid coverage for birthing parents and children up to age six, WIC, SNAP, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory maternal health and mental health supports, and increased access to home visiting programs.
Latest Resource
On the Blog: Parents, Providers, and Stakeholders Share Advantages and Disadvantages of Early Intervention Telehealth Services
Featured Reports and Resources Over the Years
Resource: Early Intervention Telehealth Recommendations
Blog: Racist Disparities in Health Care
Blog: How Better Screening and More Information Can Help New Mothers
Blog: Faced With Limited Resources, New Mothers Get By Finding Their Own Support
Data Snapshot
Black birthing people died
the rate of White birthing people from pregnancy or childbirth.
Only
%
of Black children receive Early Intervention services on time, compared to 60% of White children.
More Resources
In the Face of Federal Attacks on Education Access, New York Must Lead
As federal actions strip funding and exclude vulnerable students, New York must defend equitable access to public education. Arlen Benjamin-Gomez calls on us to speak out and push back, together and unapologetically.
Federal Shutdown Disrupts Critical Supports; EdTrust-New York Commends State Efforts and Urges Swift Federal Action
We commend Governor Kathy Hochul for taking swift action today by announcing an additional $65 million in emergency food assistance for New York State. Over the past week, she has directed $41 million in emergency funds to feed New Yorkers, bringing the total investment in food security to $106 million.
How New York Can Protect Children, Students, and Families from Federal Attacks on Medicaid and SNAP
New York ranks 40th in child poverty. The state’s Child Poverty Reduction Act aims to cut that rate in half within a decade, but harmful federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP threaten progress — compounding hardship for millions of families.
How New York Can Protect Children from Federal Attacks on Head Start and Early Education
The Trump administration’s actions threaten New York’s youngest learners by cutting Head Start funding, restricting access, and advancing anti-immigrant policies. Without action, these federal attacks could harm children and families for generations.
EdTrust-New York Applauds Passage of Child Care Wait List Bill, Calls for Action on Critical Unfinished Priorities
EdTrust-New York celebrates the passage of S.1926 (Persaud) /A.7145 (Walker) by the State Legislature and advancing it to the Governor’s desk for signature. The legislation requires every county social services office in New York State to create and maintain a wait list of families seeking child care assistance.
EdTrust–New York Condemns Final State Budget for Failing to Invest in Educational Equity Despite Urgent Student Needs
EdTrust–New York acknowledges some positive developments in the final budget, but we are deeply disappointed that state leaders failed to invest in key educational equity priorities, such as literacy. We are also concerned that changes to the Foundation Aid formula will reduce school funding for high-needs districts.