Last July, President Trump signed H.R. 1 into law, making significant changes to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other social service programs. Among the many changes in this new law were work requirements for certain Medicaid...
Posts by: Sara Howard, Policy Advisor
State releases 2024 report on Severe Maternal Morbidity (2017-2021)
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) has released its report on Nebraska Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) based on SMM data from 2017 to 2021. Cases of SMM, defined as “unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that result in significant short-...
Federal MIECHV reauthorization bill is introduced
Extensive research has shown us that children’s earliest experiences build the foundation that affects them for the rest of their lives. Parents are their children’s first and best caregivers and teachers during these early years, but they sometimes struggle with...
Home visiting benefits babies, families
[First Five Nebraska Policy Advisor Sara Howard testified before the Lincoln City Council in support of Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's proposal to include home visiting in the city's annual budget. This blog is adapted from Howard's written testimony.] Healthy moms and...
FFN to work with state senators on 5 interim studies
FFN is partnering with several state senators on legislative interim studies focused on early childhood, including the School Readiness Tax Credit, maternal depression and maternal and infant health, home-visiting programs and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).





