A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.
Only 1 in every 6 infants and toddlers experiencing homelessness in Michigan are enrolled in an early childhood development program, pointing to the dire need for stronger state policies and funding to improve access to these important programs for families without a reliable roof over their heads.
SchoolHouse Connection–a national nonprofit working to overcome homelessness through education–recently partnered with the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions to develop a report that takes a close look at national and state data on infant and toddler homelessness as well as enrollment in age-eligible early childhood development programs during the 2021-2022 program year. According to the report, young children experiencing homelessness across our country are significantly under-enrolled in early childhood development programs, such as Early Head Start and/or early intervention and home visiting programs.
Looking specifically at Michigan, there are a total of 424,697 infants and toddlers in Michigan ages birth to 3 years old and, of that total, 7,595, or 1.79%, are experiencing homelessness. And of those 7,595 Michigan toddlers and infants experiencing homelessness, only 1,389, or 9.2%, are enrolled in an early childhood development program, leaving 6,206, or 90.8%, unserved.
The importance of early childhood development programs for toddlers and infants experiencing homelessness cannot be overstated. Often, these are children living in unstable and sometimes unsafe conditions, with living situations ranging from emergency shelters to the back seats of cars, bus and train stations, parks, motels, substandard housing, abandoned buildings, and the couches and floors of people who will take them in. For young children going through the most important stages of their development, these types of living conditions can seriously impact healthy growth and development and lead to long-term trauma and consequences, including major developmental delays, a lack of school readiness and low high school graduation rates.
Access to early childhood development programs can make a huge difference in the lives of these vulnerable young ones, as they can help alleviate and even reverse the detrimental effects of homelessness on their development, while also aiding families with housing and other service needs.
And while Michigan has certainly made some strides in removing barriers to these programs for families experiencing homelessness–including streamlined eligibility, priority for child care subsidies, waived co-payments and grace periods for enrollment documentation and immunization requirements–there is still room for improvement. To ensure better outcomes for children, Michigan policymakers should offer work requirement exemptions for parents experiencing homelessness to enroll in early childhood development programs and access child care subsidies, also known as scholarships. This is something that nine other states have already done. Early childhood providers and programs can also help in bridging the major gap between served and unserved families experiencing homelessness by improving outreach, identification and support.
This issue is more important than ever, given that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported a 6% increase in families with children staying in homeless shelters or who were visibly unsheltered from 2022 to 2023 in Michigan. And HUD’s numbers only account for a small fraction of families experiencing homelessness, as many go unidentified because they are unable to access a shelter due to lack of availability, fear or eligibility requirements.
Homelessness is also rising among school-age children. Statewide, Michigan saw a 9.5% increase in homelessness among K-12 students from 2019 to 2022. And the figures were even more concerning for the Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District, where the share of K-12 students experiencing homelessness increased by over 50% and now sits at more than twice the state average.
The bottom line is kids experiencing homelessness should not be left behind, and early childhood development programs can provide stability and support to the youngest of our state’s residents at a time when it is crucially important for their development. Addressing housing discrimination, raising the payment standard for the Family Independence Program, adopting a state Child Tax Credit and addressing affordable housing issues would also go a long way in reducing the number of children who have to grow up without a safe, stable home in the first place.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
