Map and Track: State Initiatives for Young Children and Families, 2000 Edition.

The third in a series of biennial reports describes state programs and efforts intended to promote healthy child development and family relationships, school readiness, and economic security. State profiles highlight programs funded in fiscal year 2000 that focus on child development and family relationships in the general population. Policies regarding wage and income supports, child care assistance, and health and nutrition assistance also are identified as initiatives supporting economic security. Nationwide, the states utilized four types of programs to serve infants and toddlers and their families: expansions of the federal Early Head Start program; home visits to families of newborns; support for families at risk of abuse or neglect; and parent support programs for teens. Supplements to the federal Head Start program and prekindergarten programs helped to improve school readiness, while family resource centers, family support home visitation programs, and school-linked parent education programs were funded to educate and support parents of young children. State efforts to increase family income and provide basic supports for families in need included tax, minimum wage, and TANF policies, child care assistance, health insurance, and food and nutrition assistance. The report presents information for each state as well as a summary of trends in programming. Numerous figures and 9 tables.