Excel by Eight is focused on building a reliable resource grid, where all Arkansas families and communities have what they need to help children thrive.
LEARN ABOUT OUR PLANE8 Communities in Arkansas are improving health and education outcomes for their children.
A child’s first 3 years build the foundation for future learning, behavior, and health.
A Win for Arkansas Families: Act 965 Recognizes and Reimburses Community-Based Doula Care
Act 965 creates a certification process for community-based doulas and ensures Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement. Excel by Eight served in an advisory role to the Doula Alliance of Arkansas during this effort. This new law is a major step toward addressing Arkansas’s maternal health crisis and ensuring more families have access to the care and support they need.
Excel by Eight Celebrates Enactment of ACT 587: A Major Step Toward Strengthening the Early Childhood Workforce
Act 587 enables eligible early childhood educators working in publicly funded programs to participate in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, a long-overdue recognition of their contributions to the state’s educational and economic success.
Meredith’s Story: How Doula Support Complements Medical Care
At Excel by Eight, one of our goals is to ensure that all women receive complete, high-quality preconception, prenatal, and postpartum care. Meredith’s experience highlights the importance of doula support in advocating for patients’ voices to be heard during childbirth, in addition to providing educational experiences that can help mothers be better prepared for childbirth. She shares how her doula, Nicolle Fletcher, provided crucial support during both of her labors.