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Share with Legislators ACNJ president’s Op-ed supporting legislative bills to invest in child care.

Posted on April 21, 2022

It's time to address the long-time child care crisis in New Jersey.  The pandemic didn’t create it – it exposed it.

Let's urge legislators to support Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz's comprehensive package of bills that would help parents, strengthen programs and support staff. One bill, S-2476 (pending introduction), incentivizes the development of child care for infants and toddlers, the most difficult for families to find.

Share the op-ed authored by ACNJ President Cecilia Zalkind describing this historic proposal.

The package comes with a $360 million price tag. But we need to tell state leaders that this is an investment we cannot afford not to make.

Read the Op-Ed

New Jersey's commitment to children has led to extraordinary advances, putting the state ahead of the rest of the country and most importantly, improving the lives and well-being of newborns and preschool-age children.

But we are still missing the babies.

Let's make some noise for child care  and take a moment to send a message to your state leaders that this is a critical investment for children, families and for our economy.

During this legislative session, ACNJ is calling on the state to:

  • Improve access to infant/toddler care by increasing the number of available child care programs;
  • Expand child care assistance for parents of very young children; and
  • Support the child care workforce, who have historically been underfunded and underappreciated
reimagine-child-care

Unlocking Potential: Our Ambitious Roadmap to Close Inequities for NJ Babies

Posted on June 24, 2020

In order to give all children a strong and equitable start in life, New Jersey must begin with an intentional focus on eliminating racial inequities and disparities in access to essential supports, according to a new report, Unlocking Potential, released today by Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ).

Read Unlocking Potential, A Roadmap to Making New Jersey the Safest, Healthiest and Most Supportive Place to Give Birth and Raise a Family

The statewide plan, funded by the Pritzker Children's Initiative (PCI), provides the action steps needed to achieve concrete targets related to early childhood development with the goal of ensuring an additional 25 percent of low-income infants and toddlers - 27,000 young children - will have access to high-quality services by 2023. These supports include access to quality child care, home visiting, health and mental health services.

Unlocking Potential is based on the belief that we all have a role to play in achieving equity and that supporting equal opportunities at the start of a child’s life is the first step in eliminating disparities that impact outcomes for babies, families and communities. The foundation for change is in place; the opportunity is now!

 

Learn More

“I Need to Go to Work, But I Can’t Find Child Care!”

Posted on July 11, 2025

cindy shields
Cindy Shields
Senior Policy Analyst for Early Childhood Education

This is a common cry across the country, and New Jersey is no exception. Families are struggling to find quality child care, and when they do, the cost is often unaffordable. What’s driving this crisis, and how do we begin to fix it?

A Broken Market

In other industries, companies might cut staff or raise prices to cope. But in child care, cutting staff isn’t an option due to licensing regulations. You need ample staff to maintain safe and nurturing learning environments. And raising tuition? Many families are already financially stretched to the limit.

Worse yet, there's no room to trim wages. Early educators, mostly women and disproportionately women of color, earn less than dog walkers, with a national average of just $15.41/hour according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Burned out and underpaid, many early care educators are leaving the field for less stressful, better-paying jobs in retail or warehouses. That means fewer open classrooms, longer waitlists, and even more pressure on parents trying to access and afford child care.

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The Cost of Child Care to Families

Wages account for about 80% of a child care center’s budget, leaving razor-thin margins to cover everything else. The pandemic pushed the child care industry past its breaking point.
Today, New Jersey families face impossible choices. The average cost of center-based care is:

  • $20,213 per year for an infant
  • $19,448 per year for a toddler

For a dual-income family earning the NJ average of $167,018, that’s 12% of their income; more than they might spend on housing or even college tuition. For a single parent earning the state average of $44,800, child care eats up 45% of their income.

NJ working class left behind high child care costs

By comparison, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that families spend no more than 7%of their income on child care. Clearly, something is wrong.

A Squeeze on the Middle Class

In New Jersey, only families earning approximately $300,000 or more can afford the average annual cost of center-based infant care—about $20,000—without spending more than 7% of their income.

For families earning less than 185% of the federal poverty level (roughly $64,300 for a family of four), the New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program offers vital help covering child care costs for children up to age 13.

But New Jersey’s working middle class is being left behind. These families earn too much to qualify for assistance, yet far too little to absorb the staggering cost of child care. They’re falling through the cracks.

The burden often lands hardest on mothers, many of whom are pushed out of the workforce entirely. Parents are forced into impossible choices: pay for housing and food, or pay for child care. Too often, they are working multiple jobs just to get by, with no good options in sight.

Child Care Is Essential Infrastructure

New Jersey’s economy cannot function without child care. Without a stable child care system, the workforce suffers, and so does the economy.

But here’s the good news. By investing in early care and education, New Jersey could save upwards of $3.6 billion annually. With a return on investment of $7–$13 for every dollar spent, child care is not just a moral imperative; it’s a smart financial strategy.

Our children deserve safe and enriching child care environments with well-compensated educators. Our working, economically contributing families deserve choices, not compromises.

This Election Year: Ask the Candidates
As we head to the polls, child care must be a central issue in every candidate’s platform. We urge every voter to ask:

  • What will you do to ensure equitable access to high-quality early care and education for all working families in New Jersey?
  • How will you support the child care workforce to ensure they are qualified, respected, and fairly compensated?
  • What policies will you champion to preserve and grow options for families, especially given the challenges child care providers face today?

New Jersey’s children, families, and economy are depending on it.

Read our latest updates on maternal and infant health.

Governor Murphy’s Historic Early Childhood Education Legislation Marks Critical Progress with Room for Improvement

Posted on July 11, 2025

UPDATE: New Jersey Universal Preschool

This week, Governor Murphy signed significant legislation expanding access to early education, addressing several policy priorities ACNJ has long advocated for, while also leaving areas of opportunity for further improvement.

The centerpiece legislation (S3910/A5717) codifies New Jersey's preschool funding formula into statute, strengthening and sustaining the state’s pre-K expansion effort, while also setting the course to provide full-day kindergarten by 2030. This represents the culmination of decades of advocacy, beginning with ACNJ’s involvement in the Abbott v. Burke Supreme Court decision more than 25 years ago, which mandated high-quality public preschool for children in high-poverty districts.

The other two bills include:

  • The authorization of three-year contracts between school districts and community childcare providers, providing much-needed stability for community providers (S4476/A5780).
  • Amendments to the Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act, updating various language provisions concerning Preschool Education Aid to align with legislation (S3910/A5717) that modifies the allocation of Preschool Education Aid ( A5908/S4695). 
Gov Murphy bill signing 7-11-2025

Governor Phil Murphy signed significant legislation to expand access to early childhood education on July 11, 2025.

Key Provisions Aligned with ACNJ Priorities

  • Ensuring Universal Preschool Expansion: The law codifies annual preschool expansion grants and revises preschool education aid requirements, providing the predictable investment our early learning system needs to thrive.
  • Enhanced Stability for Providers: Recognizing that community-based providers are essential partners, the legislation extends contract terms from one to three years. Multi-year contracts makes it easier for providers to secure funding for facility upgrades and new program start-up costs, as well as planning. The previous one-year contract agreements created uncertainty about program continuation, not knowing if they would be renewed another year. Extended contract terms now offer the stability needed for meaningful facility investments and stronger partnerships. 
  • Comprehensive Coordination: The legislation also addresses the fragmentation ACNJ has long identified as a barrier to effective preschool delivery, improving coordination and transparency by:
    • Establishing a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee with representatives from key State agencies and the Legislature.
    • Requiring the Departments of Education, Children and Families, and Human Services to maintain and annually update public information on preschool and child care providers.
    • Mandating annual reports to the Legislature on the status of preschool education and the effectiveness of the mixed-delivery model.
    • Directing State agencies to publish guidance on expanding access to high-quality preschool in high-need areas.

ACNJ thanks Governor Murphy for keeping his promise to expand early education to New Jersey’s youngest learners. Since taking office, 229 districts have been added to state-funded preschool programs. And more recently, in February 2025, the state announced that the Department of Education and Department of Children and Families would amend their rules to align state-funded and licensed child care centers to the same minimum space requirement of 42 square feet of usable space per child. This critical regulatory change, which ACNJ has long advocated for, removes a significant barrier that often prevented child care providers from participating in preschool expansion.

New Jersey’s public pre-K program is a nationally recognized model, demonstrating the profound impact of quality early education. Research by the National Institute for Early Education Research confirmed that students who attended Abbott preschools continued to excel through 10th grade, with a 15% reduction in grade retention and 7% decrease in special education placements.

Critical Gaps That Require Continued Attention

Although this legislation is a big step forward, the state can still do more to build a stronger, comprehensive early education system.

We know that a robust mixed-delivery model -public schools partnering with community child care centers- is essential to meeting the diverse needs of families. However, the legislation stops short of mandating it. Declining participation by private child care providers threatens the viability of the broader early care and education system. In former-Abbott districts, enrollment in the community decreased by 25% from 2009 to 2022, while in expansion districts, only 17% of preschoolers are served by private providers. The loss of preschool-aged children from community-based centers threatens the entire birth-to-five system by undermining the financial viability of infant and toddler care. This creates "infant toddler care deserts" that ultimately harm working families and the broader economy.

In addition, the legislation does not establish the pathways and timeframes to help existing early childhood educators meet the certification requirements, potentially exacerbating the teacher shortage crisis.

Conclusion

ACNJ commends Governor Murphy, Senate Majority Leader Ruiz, Assemblywoman Katz, and all the legislative sponsors for their leadership. As we work toward implementation, ACNJ remains committed to ensuring this legislation achieves its full potential by strengthening the mixed delivery system that serves as the backbone of quality early childhood education in New Jersey.

The promise of universal preschool is within reach. With continued advocacy and thoughtful implementation, New Jersey can build an early childhood system that truly serves all children and families.

For more information on this topic, contact Winifred at wsmith-jenkins@acnj.org.

Read our latest updates on preschool expansion.

Midwifery Saves Lives: Why New Jersey Must Expand Access to Midwifery Care

Posted on July 3, 2025

winifred headshot
Winifred Smith-Jenkins
Director of Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy

Too many mothers and babies in New Jersey are dying, and it doesn’t have to be this way. Midwifery care is a proven, life-saving solution. But outdated laws, systemic barriers, and a lack of awareness are limiting access to this vital care.

A Forgotten Legacy of Care

For centuries, midwives were the primary providers of childbirth care in the United States. Before hospitals became common, childbirth happened at home with the help of skilled midwives. Many of these midwives were enslaved African women, Indigenous women, and immigrants who passed down knowledge through generations and provided trusted care in their communities.

Known as “granny midwives,” Black women in the South cared for mothers in rural and low-income communities well into the 1940s.These midwives provided prenatal education, labor support, delivery, and postpartum care at a time when hospitals were not accessible or welcoming to everyone. Their care kept communities alive and mothers safe.

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Starting in the early 1900s, hospitals and male doctors began to take over childbirth care. Public health campaigns and new licensing rules, often shaped by racism and bias, pushed midwives out by calling their work outdated or unsafe, without much proof. As a result, trusted community-led models of maternal care that worked for generations were lost.

Bringing midwives back into the center of maternity care isn’t just a return to tradition. It’s a matter of equity, cultural respect, and saving lives, especially for the families most at risk.

It's a Matter of Justice - Maternal death

What Exactly Is a Midwife?

A midwife is a highly trained clinical professional who specializes in healthy pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum care. They provide holistic, respectful, and culturally responsive care that centers around patient autonomy, trust, and informed decision-making.

Midwives are different from other birth workers: 

  • Midwives are not doulas – Doulas offer emotional and physical support, not clinical care.
  • Midwives are not OB-GYNs – OBs are trained as surgeons to manage high-risk pregnancies and complications.
  • Midwives are essential to a modern, integrated maternity care system that meets the needs of diverse families.

The Research is Clear: Midwives Save Lives

Research overwhelmingly shows that midwife-led care improves outcomes for mothers and babies; especially for Black families, who face the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in New Jersey.

  • States with stronger midwifery integration have:
    • Lower rates of neonatal death, preterm birth, and low birthweight
    • Better outcomes for Black mothers and infants
  • Midwife-led continuity of care reduces fetal loss and neonatal death by up to 16%
  • Countries with strong midwifery systems (e.g., the UK, Norway) have significantly lower neonatal mortality than the U.S.
  • Midwifery practices—like delayed cord clamping, early breastfeeding, and reduced unnecessary interventions—support healthier newborn transitions

Barriers in New Jersey

Considering the benefits of midwives, New Jersey makes it hard for them to practice. The result? Families lose access to choices and the care they need.

Some of the biggest barriers: 

  • Restrictive laws prevent midwives from practicing independently
  • Midwives face burnout and a lack of supportive infrastructure
  • There is a shortage of racially and culturally diverse midwives
  • Aspiring midwives lack accessible training and mentorship pathways
  • Consumers, especially in underserved areas, lack access to midwifery care

New Jersey recognizes three midwifery credentials:

  • Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) – Must be an RN and complete graduate midwifery training
  • Certified Midwife (CM) – Similar to CNM but with a non-nursing health science background
  • Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) – Trained through accredited programs or apprenticeship, often focused on home and birth center deliveries

Only CNMs and CMs can work in hospitals, but under the supervision of doctors. CPMs often cannot get paid or included in care networks, even though they are qualified. These limits make it harder for families to access the care they need.

Policy Solutions We Need Now

To improve maternal and infant health outcomes, New Jersey must:

  • Grant full practice authority to CNMs and CMs
  • Integrate and reimburse CPMs fairly
  • Establish an independent midwifery licensing board
  • Improve home-to-hospital transfer protocols
  • Expand pathways and scholarships for future midwives, especially midwives of color
  • Raise public awareness about the midwifery model of care

It’s a Matter of Justice

These outcomes are not inevitable. They are the result of systemic failures that we have the power to change. Expanding access to midwifery care is a critical, evidence-based solution.

What to Ask Candidates This Election Year

This election year, ask every candidate for governor:

  • What will you do to expand access to midwives?
  • How will you improve maternal and infant health for all families in New Jersey?

The future of maternal and infant health depends on bold, inclusive leadership, and midwifery must be part of the solution.

Read our latest updates on maternal and infant health.

What about the kids? 2025 Social Media Campaign

Posted on June 30, 2025

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Your Voice Matters

Ask New Jersey candidates "What about the kids?" Help us get these issues on their campaign agendas. Share the posts below and make sure to tag candidates in your district.

Because better outcomes for children lead to thriving communities and a stronger economy when we invest in:

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Maternal & Infant Health
Child Care

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A post shared by ACNJforKids (@acnjforkids)
Positive Youth Development
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Maternal & Infant Health
Child Care
Positive Youth Development

Investing in Positive Youth Development to Address NJ’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

Posted on June 30, 2025

Will NJ's Future Governor Address Youth Mental Health?

Isaiah-Fudge-2024_5-cropped-web
Isaiah Fudge
Director of Positive Youth Development

For more information on this topic, contact Isaiah at ifudge@acnj.org.

Young people are struggling to cope with stress, anxiety and depression, and it’s persistently showing up in their daily lives, especially post-COVID. New Jersey is facing a mental health crisis. It's time the state prioritizes investment in positive youth development (PYD) to address and reduce mental health issues early, before they lead to more serious problems.

In June 2023, Rutgers’ New Jersey State Policy Lab found:

  • 42% of high school student respondents felt sad or hopeless, with the percentage among middle school respondents reaching 50%.
  • 37% of youth were seen as not “flourishing” (showing interest and curiosity; remaining poised when facing new challenges; and being able to complete tasks they start).
  • 23% of children were reported to have an emotional, mental, developmental, or behavioral issue.  

Beyond the most visible consequences—violence, self-harm, and youth detention—these issues can lead to declining academic performance, chronic absences, or disengagement from school altogether.

Nearly 24,000 or 5% of New Jersey youth are disconnected from school and 15% of students are chronically absent.

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Our Schools: Underequipped to Meet the Mental Health Needs of Youth

Not only are there gaps in resources, but access to those essential supports can also be difficult. Nowhere is this challenge stronger than in schools, where kids spend most of their time. While struggling with teacher shortages, the crisis is magnified by the lack of mental health professionals.

New Jersey’s school-based mental health professionals-to-student ratios are all beyond recommended ratios. These high ratios do not take into account that school psychologists and social workers are often overburdened with Child Study Team duties like assessment, evaluation, and IEP case work management, limiting their capacity to provide actual mental health supports to students.

Worse yet, despite recognizing the need for increased access to youth mental health supports, Governor Phil Murphy recently shared that the U.S. Department of Education has canceled nearly $1 billion in nationwide school-based mental health funding. This is likely to widen an already large gap in supports for New Jersey’s nearly 1.4 million students.       

Beyond the School Walls: Community Supports

Although there are some accessible resources to assist youth with their mental wellness, many of them are mostly available during emergency situations. But to curb the mental health crises, support services are needed to address issues before a problem becomes an emergency.

Throughout New Jersey, in 15 locations, there are regional hubs focused on supporting mental wellness for youth. New Jersey’s Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) is a preventive initiative with three tiers of services. Services in the first tier are available for all students in the state, their parents and school faculty. These include workshops on substance use, conflict resolution and lifestyle changes to improve mental health. The program also offers short-term, youth treatment through their tier 2 and 3 levels, available via referral from schools.

Although NJ4S can be a great resource, supports that emphasize positive youth development are needed to address, early on, the issues causing mental health issues and their effects.

Investing in the Whole Child: Fostering Learning and Mental Wellness

An enhanced whole-child approach in schools is all about tailoring support and interventions to meet the unique needs of every student, which ultimately cultivates learning. This approach is strongly complemented by positive youth development (PYD), an initiative that leverages the strengths of young people and their communities to support their holistic growth across areas like safety, health, and education.

Investing in PYD not only helps cultivate student learning but also plays a crucial role in promoting mental health wellness. Two of the most effective whole-child initiatives are social-emotional character development (SECD) programs and community-based violence intervention and prevention (CBVIP) strategies. These initiatives directly contribute to creating supportive environments where students can thrive both academically and emotionally.

Social-Emotional Character Development – This whole-child approach supports youth mental wellness through creating the conditions for youth to be their authentic selves. 

Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention – This whole-child initiative addresses the root causes of violence by providing wrap-around supports to at-risk students. Specifically, CBVIP, among other issues, addresses lack of housing, employment, and even access to food, effectively mitigating some of the factors that lead to poor mental health and ultimately catalyze violence. However, funding for this initiative has been cut by $811 million at the federal level leading to a $35 million shortfall here in NJ. With all the work resulting in consistent decreases in gun-violence in 2023 and 2024, its sustainability is now being threatened.  

What can you do?

Ask the gubernatorial candidates about their plans for ensuring our youth have mental wellness. Specifically:

  • What will you do to ensure NJ’s students have access to more mental health professionals while in school?
  • What is your plan to expand and sustain the best practices that promote healthy, holistic youth development in and around schools?
Read the latest on our efforts on positive youth development.