The Excel by Eight Foundations Collaborative gathered in Little Rock this fall for our third annual Summit. We discussed opportunities for engaging in the work of the collaborative, celebrated another year of accomplishments in early childhood development, and previewed our legislative priorities for 2025.
Let’s look at the key takeaways from the day.
Investing in Child Care: A Vital Strategy for Growing the State’s Economy
Steve Cousins of the SHARE Foundation, Brandom Gengelbach of the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Randy Zook of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce / Associated Industries of Arkansas, and Alison Williams of Excel by Eight discussed the economic impact of child care and what businesses can do to support working families.
The charge of Excel by Eight’s 75-member Business Coalition is to raise awareness about child care challenges, advocate for legislative action, and identify workable solutions that address the three critical elements of the child care crisis – accessibility, affordability, and quality – and its impact on the state’s current and future workforce.
Two public school districts in Independence County – Batesville School District and Southside School District – are leading by example. Batesville Preschool and Southside School Child Care offer early care and education to parents working for the district. However, Batesville’s solution is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Certain careers and work environments will be more “child friendly” than others. The issue of access to quality and affordable child care for working families is complex and expensive. Cousins said while there is no singular solution, collaboration and community engagement are key to bringing about change.
“Get out there. Volunteer; go to chamber events. Attend legislative town hall meetings. Join Rotary,” he advised. “The more plugged in you are, the more access you will have to people with influence, power, and money who can help you get what you need. There are enough people in this room to change the state. This kind of meeting is what I’m talking about.”
Explore More
Take a deeper dive into the media coverage that emerged from the child care conversation at the Summit:
- Excel by Eight Foundations Collaborative hosts its third annual summit in Little Rock, focusing on child care and the workforce | Little Rock Public Radio
- Proposed tax credits aim to tackle child care and workforce challenges | Little Rock Public Radio
- Excel by Eight works to improve child care in Arkansas | THV 11
- How expanding childcare access strengthens Arkansas’ workforce | Ozarks at Large, KUAF
Improving Birth Outcomes Through Increased Access to Quality Maternal Health Services
Krista Langston and Kelly Conroy of UAMS, Nicolle Fletcher of the Doula Alliance of Arkansas, and Izzy Montgomery of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement explored strategies to improve birth outcomes in Arkansas, with Langston calling this moment a “window of opportunity.”
From 2018-2021, Arkansas had the highest maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the country. That number is two times the national average. The United States alone has an MMR that is two times higher than other developed countries in the world. In Arkansas, 56% of postpartum mothers had no follow-up behavioral health visit within 120 days of an inpatient stay, leaving mothers who may be experiencing postpartum depression without help and resources. Further compounding this issue are the recent closures of labor and delivery units in rural hospitals across the state. Women not only lose access to a place to deliver their baby, but they also lose access to an OB-GYN for preconception, prenatal, and postpartum care.
Doulas are an effective way to support women navigating an unfamiliar maternal health care system. Although doulas do not perform medical practices, they work in collaboration with a birth team to offer emotional, mental, and physical support to women before, during, and after pregnancy. A goal of the recently launched Doula Alliance of Arkansas is to expand the number of doulas in Arkansas and find a way to reimburse them for their services as a part of the governor’s proposed Maternal Health Plan. While maternal health care as a whole is a complex system, ACHI has identified nine points on a healthy birthing journey.
One approach to satisfying all nine key factors is Centering Pregnancy. Centering Pregnancy is an evidence-based program, taking prenatal care where it’s needed the most. This group prenatal care model is made up of eight to 10 women who receive their prenatal care in a group setting. Mothers also receive one-on-one time with a provider and 60-90 minutes of circle-up time. Taking Centering Pregnancy to areas of the state where there is a lack of prenatal care helps bridge the gap in maternal health care across Arkansas.
Supporting a Strong Start for Infants and Toddlers
Nicole Bedard and Charlie Johnson of UAMS, Dr. Natalie Burr of Little Rock Pediatric Clinic, LeCole Barnes of Arkansas Children’s Care Network, and Anna Strong of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics led the discussion around ensuring children have healthy beginnings.
The session opened with an introduction to HealthySteps, an evidence-based, interdisciplinary pediatric primary care program. HealthySteps integrates specialists into the pediatric care system, including family medicine practices. These specialists help create a universal, prevention-focused model to pediatric care by creating a more consistent, structured, and equitable service.
“There are so many non-medical factors that can affect the health of our children and families,” said Dr. Burr. “HealthySteps provides another set of hands in the clinic that can help address concerns, including those related to parental mental health.”
HealthySteps Specialists have been able to identify resources to support the needs for both pediatric patients and their families. For example, through the HealthySteps program, mothers can be screened for postpartum depression in conjunction with their child’s visit and be referred to a health provider for treatment if they are screened as needing support. Additionally, HealthySteps has been able to tap into resources to get families connected to the help they need.
As of August 2024, 22,583 children aged 0-3 were served in the initial three years of the HealthySteps program. Of that number, 3,009 encompass Tier 2 and Tier 3 families. Another positive outcome of the program is that immunization rates have increased from 22% (baseline) to 59% in two years.
There is a great ROI for HealthySteps. For every $1 invested in the program, an estimated $2.63 in savings is realized by state Medicaid agencies every year, earning a 163% average annual ROI. Savings are not exclusive to just the health care sector, but also in education, public assistance, child welfare, and in the criminal justice system.
From everyone at Excel by Eight, we look forward to another year of advocacy for Arkansas families. Thank you for supporting our mission.