Programs alone will not improve outcomes for millions of children who are struggling with challenges like poverty, systemic racism or trauma. State-level policies and systems reforms also have a significant role to play in strengthening child and family well-being.
Promising state-level reforms include extending foster care services to youth beyond the age of 18, adopting community-based alternatives to juvenile justice involvement and offering a local Earned Income Tax Credit.
The Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Network has a child advocacy and research organization in each state that utilizes data to promote smart policies local on a range of issues — from child welfare and juvenile justice to education and economic opportunity.