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
EdTrust-New York Responds to One House Budget Bills with Support and a Call for Increased Investment in Education Equity
EdTrust-New York believes the state has not invested enough in an equitable, student-centered education system, despite some positive developments in the recently released One House Budget Bill.
EdTrust-New York Responds to NY Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address
EdTrust-New York calls for stronger commitments to educational equity and looks forward to collaborating with the Governor and Legislature to ensure the inclusion of the following proposals in the final 2025 State Budget.
New York Fails to Seize Critical Opportunity to Support Vulnerable Families with Child Care Bill Vetoes
This past week, while Governor Hochul toured New York to discuss affordability, she vetoed two bills that could have made child care more accessible for our most vulnerable families.
Call to Action: Governor Hochul Must Sign Critical Child Care Bills
The Governor’s immediate signature on these bills is essential for ensuring that New York’s youngest and most vulnerable residents receive the care and education they urgently need. The proposed child care legislation marks a transformative shift towards a more equitable system.
From Barriers to Opportunity: Confronting Systemic Barriers to Early Childhood and Poverty-Reduction Programs
The report features qualitative and quantitative data that uncovers barriers families face to access poverty-reduction and early childhood programs such as child care subsidies and vouchers, WIC and SNAP benefits, and voluntary home visiting.
EdTrust-New York Statement on the Conclusion of the New York Legislative Session
EdTrust-NY and our coalition partners championed innovative legislation during this legislative session, making significant strides to support families facing the greatest challenges in accessing child care.