Strategies

Provide financial assistance to working parents, or parents attending school, to pay for child care

Adjust and monitor fluoride levels in public water supplies to reach and retain optimal fluoride concentrations

Expand refundable earned income tax credits for working individuals and families with low to moderate incomes

Convene small groups of families for facilitated weekly meetings that include a family meal, structured activities, parent support time, and parent-child play therapy

Adopt policies that allow custodial parents who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to collect all child support paid by the non-custodial parent; no portion is retained by the state

Increase the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly compensation that employers may legally pay to workers

Partner with doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals to incorporate literacy support into regular well-child visits, especially in lower income communities

Provide sealants, fluoride treatment, screening, and other preventive dental care on school grounds via partnerships with dental professionals