• Equitable Opportunity - Racial and ethnic disparities must be reduced so that all children have equitable opportunities to thrive.
  
• Prevention - We can and must focus on preventing problems facing children and families, rather than intervening after preventable issues have already been identified.  
  
• Civic Engagement - The involvement of all stakeholders is critical, including community leaders, business and the private sector, parents, and youths.
  
• Collaboration - We must form key partnerships at the neighborhood, community, and local levels to address the needs of children and families.
  

 

• Information - We create and disseminate non-partisan updates and analyses on legislation, policy, and budget issues affecting children, youths and families. 

• Training & Technical Assistance - We provide tools for communities, parents and youths to be effective advocates on their own behalf and create opportunities for others to get involved in policy advocacy. 
• Policy Forums - We bring young people and communities together with policymakers to explore and seek solutions to problems.

• Passage of legislation and appropriation of funding to promote subsidized guardianship in Michigan.
• Establishing a legislative mandate creating interdepartmental task forces addressing over-representation of African American children in the state's child welfare systems, and on services to at-risk youths in transition to adulthood. Recommendations of both task forces have translated into changes in public policies and practices.
• Expanded eligibility and funding for the Michigan School Readiness program (MSRP) and local Great Start Collaboratives.
• Preservation of Medicaid eligibility for 19- and 20-year-olds in Michigan, as well as low-income relatives caring for children who have been removed from their homes.
• Preservation of funding for community-based initiatives addressing high African American infant mortality rates.
• Assuring $90 million over a two year period in new funding for community-based prevention programs for children and families.
• Generating and later protecting a minimum of nearly $5 million annually in funding for children abuse and neglect prevention services for children ages 0-3.
• Ensuring public funding ($300,000 over three years) for the Michigan Ready to Succeed Partnership, one of the seeds for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), the central focal point for education, technical assistance and information related to early childhood programs in Michigan.
• Restoring $900,000 for minority health grants.