Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Description

Policy developments in Rhode Island in the late 1990s have shown that, in the eyes of policy makers and the public, kids count. The collaborative work of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, a statewide children’s policy organization, has contributed to unprecedented increases in the level of support for early childhood education and child care. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT collects and disseminates data on the well-being of Rhode Island’s children, and advocates for and facilitates the development of responsive policies. By framing the issues, stressing their impact on children and communities, bringing together stakeholders, enlisting media support, and collaborating with key groups, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT sets the stage for policies that effectively address the needs of children and families.

Partners

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT partners with a number of private and public entities:

• Public-sector partners include the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet (which includes the Directors of five state agencies that serve children); designated policy and data contacts from each of the state agencies providing services to children and families; and state legislators;
• Foundation partners include The Rhode Island Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Prince Charitable Trusts, United Way of Southeastern New England, Carnegie Corporation, and other national and local foundations;
• Community partners include the Office of the Child Advocate, the Public Policy Coalition for Child Care, and the Children’s Policy Coalition; and Academic partners include the Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory at Brown University, Rhode Island School of Social Work, and the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University.

History and Development

In 1994, The Rhode Island Foundation, in partnership with Brown University’s Taubman Center for Public Policy, and Rhode Island College’s School of Social Work, developed a collaborative proposal to bring KIDS COUNT to Rhode Island. KIDS COUNT is a national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation that supports data projects documenting the status of children. The proposal was approved, and Rhode Island KIDS COUNT was created and housed within the Rhode Island Foundation.

From the beginning, leaders of the Rhode Island KIDS COUNT initiative sought to involve both private- and public-sector stakeholders. A board was created that included representation from both the private and public sectors, and relationships were established with key decision-makers at the public agencies that serve children and families. As a result, data and policy liaisons were designated at relevant state agencies to provide data and information on an ongoing basis. The first Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook was released in 1995, with information on 28 indicators of child well-being for each of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns.

The wealth of quality data and information gathered and disseminated by Rhode Island KIDS COUNT established the organization as a credible expert on the needs of children and the impact of state policies on their well-being. In addition, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT effectively used its data as the basis for advocacy efforts. Public- and private-sector leaders quickly came to depend on Rhode Island KIDS COUNT to bring together, educate, and mobilize stakeholders. After 2 years, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT spun off from the Rhode Island Foundation and became an independent multi-strategy, multi-issue policy organization.

Current Activities

The data tracking and dissemination activities involved in the annual Factbook continue to be the foundation of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT’S work. The Factbook tracks data in five areas: family and community, economic well-being, health, safety, and education. In addition, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT produces quarterly issue briefs, legislative updates, and analyses of Rhode Island’s policy choices.

Data gathered is strategically disseminated through electronic and print media to educate policymakers and the public. Through press releases, public forums, news specials, a Web site, and a monthly cable television show, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT works to raise awareness about the needs of Rhode Island’s children. In addition, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT contributes to public policy development by leading and participating in key government committees, providing information and data-based testimony to policymakers, and convening public policy forums.

National and local initiatives partner with Rhode Island KIDS COUNT because of its success in raising public awareness and influencing public policy. As manager of the Carnegie Corporation’s Starting Points Initiative, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT has developed and implemented public engagement strategies on supporting children’s healthy development from birth. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is also a partner in the Supporting Early School Success initiative, an effort to increase state and local capacity to achieve school readiness and early school success for all children. As part of this initiative, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is documenting best practices and lessons learned in school-family-community partnerships. Finally, Rhode Islands KIDS COUNT has joined with the United Way of Southeastern New England to implement Child Watch, a program with the objective of prompting involvement by top business leaders in developing community responses to children’s needs. Through this initiative, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is planning events that will give business leaders an up-close and personal view of programs that work to promote children’s healthy development and school readiness.

Resources

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is funded mainly through private funders, including the Rhode Island Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, Prince Charitable Trusts, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the United Way of Southeastern New England, and Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory at Brown University. Their reliance on foundation funding provides flexibility and allows them to document trends and convene stakeholders as a neutral expert.

Results

The efforts of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT have contributed to major policy gains for children on a range of issues, including lead poisoning, Medicaid outreach and enrollment, and supportive welfare reform policies. The central gains affecting child care came with the 1998 passage of Starting Right, a comprehensive 3-year early childhood education law. Starting Right doubles the dollars for early childhood education in Rhode Island and:

• Expands eligibility for state-subsidized care to families earning 250% of poverty income;

• Provides Rite Care health insurance coverage to child care providers who care for state-subsidized children;
• Increases the number of Head Start slots or child care slots with comprehensive services to cover an additional 700 low-income children;
• Accelerates the scheduled reimbursement rate increases up to the 75^th percentile of current market rates for child care providers who care, for state-subsidized children by January 2000; and
• Dedicates additional resources to the professional development of center and family child care staff.

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is currently beginning a formal evaluation and strategic planning process.

Sustaining and Replicating

Leaders of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT believe that they are well positioned as an organization to continue making positive change for children through public-private partnerships. The following essential elements are in place:

• A diverse funding base that includes a balance of project-related and core funding, and funders that have indicated long-term commitment to the initiative;
• A high level of credibility among public- and private-sector leaders, service providers, and the general public;
• A unique role as the only information clearinghouse on Rhode Island’s children; and
• The benefit of the valuable technical assistance and national recognition that national foundations, such as Annie E. Casey, and Carnegie Corporation bring.

Lessons Learned

Never underestimate the power of trustworthy data. Reliable, accurate data are invaluable to understanding issues, analyzing public policy options, and establishing credibility among policymakers and the public. If data are presented in a "user friendly" format, and disseminated at the right time, they can have significant impacts on public policy decisions.

Partnerships pay off. Early on, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT invited state officials, state data staff, policy liaisons, and community leaders to the table. The staff of KIDS COUNT is small, and the collaboration and information sharing that has been established with the state agencies is absolutely essential to the success of the Factbook.

Keep children’s issues in the spotlight. By employing a variety of dissemination and public education strategies, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT has been able to raise public awareness of children’s issues. This sustained attention has built momentum for implementing supports for children during a time of economic opportunity.

Contact Information

Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Executive Director
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
One Union Station
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 351-9400
Fax: (401) 351-1758
Web site: http://www.rikidscount.org