Start Small, Think Big
A lifetime of success begins during infancy. The first three years of a child’s life are critical — but our work is about so much more than those three years. It’s about shaping a child’s future. Supporting their families. Improving the health and prosperity of our state as a whole.
Across Michigan, tens of thousands of families with infants and toddlers are not able to access the high-quality programs, services and opportunities they need to raise healthy and thriving children.
That’s why we’re working to ensure that race, income or zip code do not determine a child’s destiny.
Think Babies Michigan is a collaborative of more than 2,400 members — leaders, experts, families, organizations and providers — working together to improve the lives of babies prenatal to three years old and, therefore, the well-being of our state as a whole. Together, this collaborative combines resources to help support these growing minds and their families.
Michigan is among 20 states to receive this multi-year grant made possible by the Pritzker Children’s Initiative, an initiative of the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation. ECIC is honored to serve as the project lead for this collaborative, statewide initiative. Read the full initiative.
Want to play a part in improving the lives of children and families across Michigan?
Learn more about the parents advocating for change with Think Babies Michigan.
think babies parent leader spotlight
Learn about our specific policy recommendations to support
Michigan’s early childhood workforce.
Our Policy Agenda
- Increase the number of families with children prenatal-to-three who are utilizing essential health, developmental and social-emotional support services. We want to ensure resources such as Early On and Home Visits go directly to those who need them and can benefit from them long-term.
- Increase the number of infants and toddlers who have access and are enrolled in high-quality child care, setting these children up for success throughout their lives.
Policy Priorities 2020-2025
1. Ensure that race, income or zip code does not determine a child’s destiny in Michigan.
2. Develop a statewide, cross-sector infant-toddler workforce strategy.
3. Expand enrollment in and access to high quality child care, early intervention, home visiting and preventative care services.
4. Strengthen how families learn about and access programs and services.
5. Actively support efforts led by partners and allies that positively impact infants and toddlers and their families.
More than 950 Michigan families, advocates, researchers, government officials, service providers and parents convened to create the Think Babies Michigan 2020-2025 Policy Agenda. Michigan is the only state in this national movement to intentionally prioritize having parents co-lead and co-design our policy agenda-setting process.
Resources
Policy Priorities
Policy Priorities: Fact Sheets
FY24 Advocacy Talking Points
Early Childhood Funding:
Child Care:
- Child Care Advocacy Toolkit
- Brief: Child Care Financing Reform: A Critical Next Step for Michigan Families and the Economy
- Full Report: Child Care Financing Reform
- County-Specific Fact Sheets: Child Care is a Critical Need
Home Visiting:
Cross-Sector Workforce:
- 2023 Cross-Sector Workforce Report
- Cross-Sector Workforce: Confronting Michigan’s early childhood workforce crisis
- Cross-Sector, Prenatal-to-Three Workforce Strategy Recommendations
Equity & Inclusion:
Steering Committee
The Think Babies Michigan Collaborative is led by a Steering Committee of over 30 groups and numerous parents, who provide guidance and support to achieve policy change for Michigan’s infants and toddlers and their families.
- Clinton County RESA Office of Innovative Projects
- Council of Michigan Foundations
- C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital – University of Michigan Medicine
- Detroit Parent Network
- Early Head Start – Childcare Partnerships
- Early Childhood Investment Corporation
- Early On Foundation
- First Steps Kent
- Flint Early Childhood Collaborative
- Governor Whitmer’s Office
- Great Start Collaboratives
- Great Start to Quality Resource Centers
- Hope Starts Here – Detroit’s Early Childhood Partnership
- Intermediate School Districts
- Inter-tribal Council
- Kresge Foundation
- Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children
- Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health
- Michigan’s Children
- Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health
- Michigan Department of Education – Office of Great Start
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Michigan Head Start Association
- Michigan League for Public Policy
- Mothering Justice
- Nurse-Family Partnership
- Public Sector Consultants
- University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Numerous parent leaders from communities statewide
Co-Chairs
Amy Zaagman
Executive Director of the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health
Christian Ko
Parent Leader, Oakland County
Denise Smith
Implementation Director, Hope Starts Here
Matt Gillard
President and CEO of Michigan’s Children
Monique Stanton
President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy
Rachelle McKissick-Harris
Parent Leader, Kent County
Think Babies is staffed by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation.
Contact Us
Alicia Guevara Warren
Director Statewide Policy Initiatives