First Focus on Children

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Trump Administration Destroys the Systems that Support and Protect America’s Children In an important column, the President of First Focus on Children, Bruce Lesley names what ought to be our nation’s social policy agenda, if justice and equity are the goals we seek: “de…

Trump Administration Destroys the Systems that Support and Protect America’s Children janresseger.wordpress.com/2026/01/15/t... by Jan Resseger

Trump's cuts to mental health programs includes Cook County drug court, Illinois providers The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on Tuesday night canceled some 2,000 grants representing nearly $2 billion in funding, according to an administration official with…

Trump's cuts to mental health programs includes Cook County drug court, Illinois providers - Chicago Sun-Times chicago.suntimes.com/nation-world...

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Vouchers, Patriotism and Prayer: The Trump Administration’s Plan to Remake Public Education Education Secretary Linda McMahon is bringing about a new era in education — and perhaps the end of public schools as we know them.

Watch: How the Trump Administration Is Remaking Public Education — ProPublica www.propublica.org/article/trum...

The Misguided Push to Abolish the Department of Education The Trump Administration has taken another significant step toward dismantling the Department of Education by proposing a plan to use six “interagency agreements” that would disperse many of the…

The Misguided Push to Abolish the Department of Education firstfocusonchildren.substack.com/p/the-misgui...

The Trump Administration’s Culture of Death to Children University of Pennsylvania professor Marci A. Hamilton addresses the Trump administration’s handling of public health, particularly its promotion of anti-vaccine rhetoric and policy decisions that…

The Trump Administration’s Culture of Death to Children | Marci A. Hamilton | Verdict | Legal Analysis and Commentary from Justia verdict.justia.com/2025/12/30/t...

Why Kennedy’s Message on Parental Rights, HIPAA, and Kids’ Medical Records Misses the Point Parents have rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), but so do kids.

Why Kennedy’s Message on Parental Rights, HIPAA, and Kids’ Medical Records Misses the Point open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

Bruce Lesley (@brucelesley.bsky.social) Across our nation, children are being left behind in the decisions that shape their futures. At @firstfocus.bsky.social, we’re working to change that by calling for policy changes that put kids…

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Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough • Kentucky Lantern A third unvaccinated infant in Kentucky has died of pertussis as public health officials urge Kentuckians to get vaccinated against the disease.

Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough • Kentucky Lantern kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...

Public News Service | News in the Public Interest Public News Service (PNS) is a member-supported news service that advocates journalism in the public interest. PNS's network of state-based news services distribute high quality public interest news…

Childhood trauma to prison: How trauma fuels the vicious cycle | Public News Service app.publicnewsservice.org/story/childh...

Mamdani is building a universal child care team, but faces daunting financial and logistical challenges The mayor-elect has tapped government veterans as he looks to implement the $6 billion initiative.

Mamdani is building a universal child care team, but faces daunting financial and logistical challenges - POLITICO www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

The CDC revives debunked 'link' between childhood vaccines and autism A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage that previously stated "Vaccines do not cause autism" has been changed to cast doubt on the scientific research that supports the finding.

The CDC revives debunked ‘link’ between childhood vaccines and autism : Shots - Health News : NPR www.npr.org/sections/sho...

Under RFK Jr.,, the CDC rewrote its vaccine safety page to spread misinformation and doubt about vaccines. This will harm children.

Recent Actions by the Trump Administration Target Children with Disabilities Proposed rules, reductions in force, threaten roughly 100,000 children who rely on Supplemental Security Income, plus others in need of support and

Recent Actions by the Trump Administration Target Children with Disabilities firstfocus.org/update/recent-… by Chad Bolt and Lily Klam

What the America First Global Health Strategy Means for the World’s Children World-class programs that once safeguarded vulnerable children have been dismantled, and future support is alarmingly limited and uncertain.

What the America First Global Health Strategy Means for the World’s Children leilanimatallah.substack.com/p/what-the-a...

How Trump officials have transformed the EPA to weaken enforcement - The Washington Post

1 in 4 AZ kids relies on SNAP. State's dismal childhood poverty record leading to a perfect storm As the federal shutdown drags on, SNAP food benefits recipients remain in limbo. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to release contingency funds to pay the benefits, but the president…

1 in 4 AZ kids relies on SNAP. State's dismal childhood poverty record leading to a perfect storm www.kjzz.org/the-show/202...

idahostatejournal.com | empowering the community POCATELLO — Idaho State built on the momentum from last week’s road win over a nationally ranked opponent to capture its second straight victory, a 27-17 win over Cal Poly inside the ICCU Dome.

‘This perfect storm:’ How Idaho Medicaid cuts could affect everyone’s health care access | Local | idahostatejournal.com www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/t...

The Medicaid Program That Saved Money, Turned People’s Health Around — and Got Killed The end of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot in North Carolina is a story of how MAHA might actually be realized — or not — at the state level.

The Medicaid Program That Saved Money, Turned People’s Health Around — and Got Killed - POLITICO www.politico.com/news/magazin...

Newborn baby beaten and burned to death with hot liquid by laughing parents In a heart-wrenching case from Virginia, a young couple faces prison time over abuse that led to the tragic death of their newborn daughter.

Baby beaten and burned to death with hot liquid by parents - US News - News - Daily Express US www.the-express.com/news/us-news...

The impact of losing SNAP benefits and a Head Start school closure on this grandmother NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Nicole Hines of Davenport, Iowa, about how the loss of SNAP benefits and the closure of a Head Start school that her granddaughter attended are affecting her life.

The impact of losing SNAP benefits and a Head Start school closure on this grandmother : NPR www.npr.org/2025/11/08/n...

Remembering when @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @WhiteHouse promised tariffs revenues for CHILD CARE. (1)

Study: Louisiana’s child poverty rate increase leads US The report comes out as Louisiana — along with other states — has announced it will not provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in November.

Study: Louisiana’s child poverty rate increase leads US thecurrentla.com/2025/study-l...

The Trump Admin must release the SNAP contingency fund today so that 16 million kids do not start going hungry tomorrow.

It’s that simple.

Money Matters: The Nation’s Retreat from Kids Federal spending on children has dropped to historic lows, but the steepest cuts are ahead.

Money Matters: The Nation’s Retreat from Kids brucelesley.substack.com/p/money-matt...

First Focus on Children released our annual report yesterday, Children's Budget 2025. The findings show a 30+% decline in the share of federal funding to children from 2021 to Trump's FY 2026 budget proposal.