Barbara Devaney, Laura Kalb, Ronette Briefel, Teresa Zavitsky-Novak, Nancy Clusen, Paula Ziegler, authors. Features articles related to this study that Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. conducted for Gerber. The Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) provides a wealth of data on the food and nutrient intakes, background characteristics, growth and development milestones, and feeding patterns and transitions for a nationally representative sample of infants and toddlers.

Authored by Anne Gordon, Heather Hartline-Grafton, and Renee Nogales. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental food, nutrition education, and health and social service referrals to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, as well as to infants and children younger than five. This study describes a range of innovative practices at 20 State or local WIC agencies focusing on breastfeeding promotion and support, nutrition and health education, and service delivery. For each program, the report provides background information and discusses the source of the innovation, key challenges, implementation lessons learned, evidence of success, and the feasibility of replication.

From the National Center for Children in Poverty, this article highlights effective programs, policy opportunities, and other strategies to improve educational outcomes for children. This brief is to inform policymakers and other stakeholders on strategies to promote the healthy educational development of children.

In a joint effort between the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), a guidebook called "Supporting Families in Transition: A Guide to Expanding Health Coverage in the Post-Welfare Reform World" was produced for States. The purpose of the guidebook is to help ensure that people diverted from or moving off cash assistance, and working families who may not realize they are eligible, get Medicaid benefits. The guide has been provided to State Medicaid and TANF Directors and is currently available on ACF's Web site.

This report by the Commonwealth Fund presents brief descriptions of State and local initiatives to expand health coverage for uninsured working people and their families.

This issue brief examines changes to prescription drug benefit coverage in large employer plans and implications for a Medicare prescription drug benefit. The brief is available on the National Health Policy Forum's Web site.

This report, co-authored by Mathematica Policy Research and the Urban Institute, reviews findings from the congressionally mandated evaluation funded by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). The study focused on State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) programs in ten States around the country by drawing on case studies and surveys of SCHIP recipients.

This report is an evaluation of grantees receiving the State Covering Kids and Families (CKF) grant. This grant sought to make State Medicaid and SCHIP policies and procedures more user-friendly for low-income families, including eligibility, retention, enrollment and coordination. This article reviews the policy changes that resulted from grants in the eyes of the State officials.

The Santa Clara County Children's Health Initiative (CHI) is an outreach program to expand children's health insurance. The goal of the effort is to make certain that children enroll for all the programs that they are eligible. Overall, parents consistently reported positive feedback about the application process and outreach efforts.

The National Assembly's Family Strengthening Policy Center released this brief on the role that community health workers can play with helping families manage health. Community health workers are trained paraprofessionals who serve as health and human service resource persons in their communities. The brief includes recommendations to help these people become an effective component of health and human services and serving low-income families.