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| Rhode Island KIDS COUNT | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rhode Island KIDS COUNT |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Focus | Child welfare, health, education, family economic security |
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is a nonprofit state-level children's policy organization based in Providence that collects data and promotes policies to improve the well-being of children and families. Founded in 1994, the organization produces data reports, policy briefs, and advocacy campaigns to influence state policy debates and program design across Rhode Island. Its work informs lawmakers, service providers, and civic organizations about indicators of child health, early care, and family economic security.
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT was established amid national conversations influenced by advocates connected to Annie E. Casey Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and local leaders in Providence, Rhode Island. Early activities drew on models from Children's Defense Fund, Voices for Illinois Children, and Child Trends to create statewide child indicators similar to efforts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine. Over time the organization expanded reporting to include metrics used by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Administration for Children and Families to track trends in child health, family poverty, and early education. Partnerships and advisory relationships have involved policymakers from the Rhode Island General Assembly, officials from the Office of the Governor of Rhode Island, and administrators in the Rhode Island Department of Health.
The stated mission emphasizes improving outcomes for children through data-driven advocacy, reflecting priorities aligned with national actors like Zero to Three, National Governors Association, Child Welfare League of America, Pew Charitable Trusts, and Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Goals include reducing child poverty as framed by analyses from the Economic Policy Institute and Children's Defense Fund, increasing access to early childhood education consistent with standards promoted by National Institute for Early Education Research, and improving health outcomes referenced by American Academy of Pediatrics and Healthy People 2030 targets. The organization sets measurable objectives that echo indicators used by UNICEF, World Health Organization, and federal programs administered by Medicaid.
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT issues annual data books, policy briefs, and issue-specific reports that synthesize statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, National Center for Health Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, and state agencies including the Rhode Island Department of Education. Reports often reference benchmarks or methodologies from Child Trends, Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Publications have covered topics such as early childhood enrollment analyzed alongside Head Start, preschool quality metrics compared with Quality Rating and Improvement System, and health coverage trends measured relative to Children's Health Insurance Program enrollment. Reports are cited by journalists from outlets like the Providence Journal, policy analysts at Bipartisan Policy Center, and academics at institutions such as Brown University, University of Rhode Island, and Yale School of Medicine.
Programmatic work includes initiatives on early childhood education aligned with models promoted by National Head Start Association, family economic supports informed by Earned Income Tax Credit research from Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, and child health campaigns that reference guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Initiatives also address school readiness with frameworks used by Common Core State Standards Initiative, out-of-school time programs similar to those supported by Afterschool Alliance, and family engagement approaches consistent with findings from Harvard Family Research Project. The organization hosts trainings and convenings for stakeholders including representatives from Rhode Island Department of Human Services, local school districts, pediatric providers affiliated with Hasbro Children's Hospital, and legal aid organizations.
Advocacy efforts target legislation and budget decisions in the Rhode Island General Assembly and administrative rules overseen by the Office of the Governor of Rhode Island and state agencies such as the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families. Policy successes have included influencing funding priorities for early childhood programs, expansions of child health coverage, and supports for family leave models comparable to initiatives in Massachusetts and California. Analyses and testimony have been used by legislators, civic bodies like Rhode Island Foundation, and national coalitions including Kids Count Data Book contributors to shape debates on child welfare, tax policy, and workforce supports.
Funding sources historically include charitable foundations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and philanthropic arms of local entities like the Rhode Island Foundation. Grants and contracts have also come from federal agencies including the Administration for Children and Families and state contracts with agencies such as the Rhode Island Department of Health. Governance is provided by a board of directors that has included leaders from academia, nonprofit management, and philanthropy with affiliations to Brown University, Roger Williams University, RI Public Health Association, and other civic institutions.
The organization collaborates with a broad network that includes advocacy groups like Children's Defense Fund, research centers such as Brown University School of Public Health, state agencies including the Rhode Island Department of Education and Rhode Island Department of Human Services, and national partners like Child Trends, Zero to Three, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It engages community providers, hospitals like Hasbro Children's Hospital, early childhood centers connected to Head Start, and legal and social service partners including Rhode Island Legal Services and Family Service of Rhode Island. These collaborations support data sharing, joint reports, policy campaigns, and public education efforts across civic, philanthropic, and governmental sectors.
Category:Organizations based in Rhode Island