Federal policy and funding shifts can cause uncertainty and concern. Early Milestones Colorado is pleased to launch Early Childhood Connect. We will provide up-to-date information about how federal changes impact Colorado’s early childhood system. We will provide news and updates across the four system domains: Learning and Development, Health and Well-being, Family Support and Education, and Economic Mobility.
You can read our Early Childhood Connect 2025 Summary here.
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Office of Management and Budget Seeks Public Comment
The Office of Management and Budget is accepting public comments on a 412-page proposal that would change how certain federal assistance programs are administered. The proposal includes an amendment directing a study of barriers faced by home-based child care providers. The full proposal can be read here, and a guide to submitting public comments is available here.
Changes to SNAP Eligibility
On July 4, 2025, the President signed the tax and spending law, H.R. 1, making several changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The law expands work requirements for some recipients, including adults without disabilities up to age 64 who do not live with dependent children or who have children older than age 14. Reports indicate that approximately 4 million people have lost SNAP benefits as a result of these and other eligibility changes. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 86% of SNAP households include at least one working adult.
Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood
Federal Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood resumed on Sunday, July 5, 2026 following a period during which the organization was unable to receive federal funds. During that time, nearly 30 of approximately 600 Planned Parenthood health centers closed nationwide. Although funding has resumed, some services may not immediately return at all locations as organizations continue to adjust to the changes.
Funding Continues for Immigration Enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol
The House also voted June 9 to direct roughly $70 billion to the Department of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. This is the second time the agencies have received a multi-billion dollar grant in the last year. The bill passed 214–212 and was signed by the President June 10.
Know Your Rights: Five Things Parents Detained by ICE Should Know
Parents have the right to make decisions about their child’s care, even from inside ICE detention. Learn more about parental rights.
The Chilling Effect of Immigration Enforcement
A recent report from New America examines how immigration enforcement affects the child care workforce and mothers’ employment. Researchers found that heightened enforcement reduced employment among mothers with preschool-age children and disrupted the child care market.
Please email Cat Portillo at cportillo@earlymilestones.org with any events we can include.
The new administration has made several significant changes to immigration policy:
Colorado child care providers can support immigrant families and children by:
President Trump signed an executive order to close the U.S. Department of Education. Milestones board member Dr. Rosemarie Allen shares how this decision will impact Colorado’s children in this video.
Here is what the U.S. Department of Education funds in Colorado:
You can view this map to see how much funding districts in Colorado might lose.
A federal court recently ruled that preschoolers with LGBTQ parents cannot be excluded from Universal Preschool. Read more here.
Colorado has several licensing regulations that specify what to do in an emergency such as law enforcement action.
What we know:
Medicaid is also a critical support for the early childhood workforce. Milestones board member Annie Lee shares more about the impact of Medicaid cuts for Coloradans.
Family detention, family member deportation, family separation, anti-immigrant harassment, and any interaction with the immigration system are considered adverse childhood experiences. That means they can impact the development of a child for life. The effects of these policies impact children regardless of the immigration status of the child. Learn more here.
In September, the Trump administration claimed that Tylenol could cause autism. In scientific studies, “no single drug, chemical, or environmental factor has been strongly liked to autism.” Tylenol is the only recommended drug to reduce fever during pregnancy. Untreated fever can have dangerous effects for the mother and child.
The administration is likely to make changes to the early childhood vaccination schedule, including delaying the hepatitis B vaccination. Colorado has already started to create independent systems to assess the vaccination schedule and maintain access.
Economic mobility is a family’s capacity to attain higher income levels over several generations. You can learn more about economic mobility in our recent brief.
The federal government receives a long-term return of $10 for every $1 invested in children. Federal programs helped to cut poverty in half between 1967 and 2012. They contributed to improved health, increased education levels, and a better labor market. Less than 9% of all federal spending goes towards children.
Federal cuts to these programs would impact the educational, health, and economic outcomes of thousands of Colorado kids for years to come.
Do you want to know how much federal funding Colorado receives for programs that support children and families? Use this tracker to learn more.
Since April 1, families have spent an average of $400 more on baby supplies due to the tariffs. The most common baby items such as stroller, cribs, and car seats, have increased in price by 24%.
Early Milestones Colorado surveyed licensed child care providers within Colorado in February and March 2025 to learn how federal supports impact their child care programs. You can read the brief here.
How many child care providers in Colorado get federal funding?
You can view this resource to learn about how recent executive orders impact non-profit organizations.
