Access and Early Intervention for Families in Texas
Category: News
"To be a parent of a young child in the United States today is to live within profound systemic constraints; to operate under the tightest of margins, both in terms of time and money; and to want more and better options than are currently available.” 2026 National Parent Survey
Any Baby Can partners with Central Texas families through home visits, early therapies, mental health care, and parent education. Every day, we see what families in Texas are going through.
As state leaders prepare for the 90th Texas Legislature, we’re sharing our top policy priorities. These are not just goals for the Capitol, but a roadmap for our entire community. We’re also working closely with regional and statewide partners, including TexProtects, United Way for Greater Austin, and Texans Care for Children.
As lawmakers draft the next two-year state budget, we urge them to back three critical priorities:
- Protect and increase state investment in Early Childhood Intervention and evidence-based home visiting programs, including Nurse-Family Partnership and Parents as Teachers.
- Expand infant, early childhood, caregiver, and family mental health supports, including services embedded in early childhood and home visiting systems.
- Protect and improve healthcare access for eligible Texas children and families, reduce enrollment barriers, and support adequate provider reimbursement.
Priority 1: Protect and Expand Early Childhood Intervention and Home Visiting
When families get support early, the benefits last a lifetime. Home visits and early intervention make it easier for families to get help quickly. If families delay or avoid getting services that support their children, small challenges can turn more severe.
The Challenge: According to the latest Health of Women and Children Report, our support systems lack flexibility, adaptability and compassion. Only 1.9% of Texas families with the highest needs receive home visiting services (source: TexProtects). Thousands of infants and parents miss out on proven support.
What We’re Seeing: In Any Baby Can’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), 70% of mothers face three or more risk factors for pregnancy complications. That is higher than both state (60%) and national (65%) averages. Yet these families achieve incredible outcomes thanks to home visiting services (source: Nurse-Family Partnership). Mothers in NFP had 35% fewer cases of hypertension. Their children had 67% fewer behavioral and learning problems by age 6 (source: Nurse-Family Partnership). Families succeed when parents are supported.
Policy Asks:
- Increase and protect state funding for Early Childhood Intervention and evidence-based home visiting programs.
- Make sure every qualifying child and family can get timely, high-quality services.
- Support a stable workforce and reimbursement structure so providers can meet growing need.
Priority 2: Invest in Mental Health for Children and Caregivers
Early mental health support builds bonds between children and caregivers and improves developmental outcomes. It can also reduce the need for more intensive intervention later. Many costly crises can be prevented with timely, family-centered support.
The Challenge: Ongoing stressors—like unstable housing and deep poverty—hurts caregivers’ well-being and infant brain development. According to America's Health Rankings, Health of Women and Children Report, mental health conditions in children ages 6 and 17 jumped by 12%.
What We’re Seeing: Families are coming to us with more complex needs. Requests for our counseling services rose by 5% last year, and by 49% over the past four years. Evidence-based programs yield proven results. Participating mothers report fewer depressive symptoms and lower substance use. Nurse-Family Partnership families have fewer reports to Child Protective Services (CPS) than families not in the program.
Policy Asks:
- Increase state investment in mental health for infants, young children and women.
- Bring behavioral and mental health consultation into preschools, child care centers and early learning settings.
- Embed mental health support directly into home visiting and other trusted family services.
Priority 3: Protect Healthcare Access for Children and Families
When families can access healthcare early, they are healthier and more stable. Navigating complicated healthcare systems adds a heavy burden on families, and makes it harder to focus on their future.
The Challenge: Texas now has the highest rate of uninsured children in the nation. 13.6 % of children lack health insurance; up from about 10‑11 %. That means about 1.1 million kids in Texas have no coverage (source: Public Health Watch). Also, one in four Texas women working full-time does not have health insurance (source: Economic Issues for Women in Texas Report). Poor coverage or access means families shift care to emergency rooms and more expensive settings.
What We’re Seeing: Living without health insurance is a daily risk. This is a problem especially for families with children who have complex medical needs. Children who receive regular, preventative medical care miss fewer days of school, stay healthier and do better in school.
Policy Asks:
- Keep eligible children and families covered, and reduce administrative barriers to enrollment and renewal.
- Better support reimbursement levels so providers can accept state insurance and see more patients.
- Ensure children who qualify for early intervention and behavioral health services get care without long waitlists.
Any Baby Can's Position
Texas is strongest when children and families receive support early on. Let's address challenges before they become crises. We urge the 90th Texas Legislature to protect healthcare access, strengthen early childhood intervention and home visiting programs, and invest in the well-being of children and caregivers. These investments improve lives today, and build a stronger, healthier Texas for generations to come.
We invite lawmakers, community leaders, and neighbors across the state to stand with Any Baby Can. Together we can put our youngest Texans first.
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