Early intervention is most effective in the first three years of life. Yet since 2020 state funding has remained flat while demand continues to grow – enrollment in Milwaukee County Birth to 3 has grown 13%. At Penfield, the impact of timely intervention is clear: in 2024, 94% of children who received Milwaukee County Birth to Three services improved in motor skills, 92% improved in cognitive skills, and 91% improved in communication skills.  

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Increased state funding by $15M over the biennium to address service demand. 

• Aligning funding with actual program costs to ensure sustainability. 

• Increasing provider rates to stabilize and grow the workforce. 

88.9% of children in the Early Pathways program showed reduced trauma symptoms after receiving treatment. Yet too many families can’t access these services because Medicaid and private insurance often fail to cover preventive or home-based care. Expanding reimbursement and strengthening the mental health workforce would allow more Milwaukee families to get help before challenges escalate 

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Expanded Medicaid reimbursement for home-based mental health services.  

• Broadening insurance reimbursement criteria to include prevention and early intervention services. 

• Investing in IECMH workforce development, including requiring graduate training in IECMH.  

• Extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum care to 12 months. 

Milwaukee families depend on affordable, high-quality early education, but low wages drive workforce shortages and turnover.  Increased investment in wages and inclusive classrooms helps Penfield sustain stable environments where children can build trust, grow, and thrive. In Penfield’s Early Education and Care Program 83.1% of children demonstrated improvement in social emotional development and 82.6% of children demonstrated improvement in early learning literacy skills. 

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Secure sustainable state and federal funding for early childhood education programs.  

• Increasing wages for early educators to address workforce shortages. 

• Continued investment in high-quality, inclusive childcare programs.  

• Reducing financial barriers for families seeking early education services.

Medicaid coverage impacts individuals and families across Penfield programming, from early intervention services, to maternal care, to lead poisoning prevention. As of October 2025, an estimated 32% of Penfield children receive critical therapies and health services through Medicaid. Cuts or block-grant shifts would threaten intervention and access across Penfield programs and families, as well as across Milwaukee.  

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Preventing Medicaid cuts and shifts to block grants that may reduce funding for early intervention services. 

• Expanding Medicaid coverage for women to twelve months postpartum. 

Milwaukee faces some of the nation’s most severe disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes, with March of Dimes giving Milwaukee an F rating for infant mortality. Wisconsin’s maternal mortality rate in 2018 was 14.3 per 100,000 births, double what it was in 2000.  

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Expanded maternal health services, including mental health support and postpartum care.  

• Support policies that improve maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities. 

• Extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum care to 12 months 

Penfield Children’s Center is committed to protecting Milwaukee’s children from the harmful effects of lead exposure. Last year, more than 4,500 Wisconsin children under age six tested positive for lead poisoning, including over 2,000 in the city of Milwaukee alone. By prioritizing lead prevention, we can safeguard children’s health, development, and future potential. 

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Expanding state and county funding for lead hazard control and abatement in pre-1978 housing and licensed childcare centers. 

• Requiring lead-safe certification for all rental properties occupied by children under age six. 

• Prioritizing remediation grants for childcare providers and family-serving landlords, not just homeowners. 

• Maintaining universal blood lead testing for all Milwaukee children at 12, 18, and 24 months and annually through age five. 

• Funding public awareness campaigns led by community and early childhood partners to teach parents about lead risks and prevention. 

• Requiring lead-safety training for all early childhood providers, home visitors, and maintenance staff working with children. 

Penfield partners with Head Start to prepare Milwaukee’s most vulnerable children for school. In Milwaukee and nationwide, Children who attend Early Head Start and transition to Head Start are more ready for kindergarten than children who do not attend Head Start. Funding cuts or regulatory changes would reduce access to high-quality early education, deepening achievement gaps Penfield works every day to close. 

Penfield is Advocating For

• Continued investment in high-quality early childhood programs that serve low-income families. 

• Sustained investment in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.  

Children with complex medical needs often face barriers to education, healthcare, and developmental opportunities. Through Penfield’s advocacy efforts, we hope to expand our services to better support our current and future families. 

Penfield is Advocating For 

• Support of integrated care models that coordinate medical, behavioral, and developmental services across providers. 

• Strengthening in-home support and care coordination for families navigating multiple systems 

• Expanding state and county-funded respite care programs for families of young children with medical or developmental complexity. 

• Funding flexible short-term respite services that allow families to manage caregiving stress while ensuring children receive safe, specialized care. 

• Equitable reimbursement policies for therapies, home health, and specialized early learning programs. 

• Increased access to transportation and supportive services for families to reach therapy, clinics, and early learning programs.