Manley Discusses Early Intervention, Behavioral Health at Birth to Five Legislative Roundtable

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. – State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, attended a legislative roundtable hosted by the Illinois chapter of Birth to Five, an organization ensuring equitable access to inclusive, high-quality Early Childhood services for families across the state.

Rep. Manley was joined by state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, as well as families, community members and service providers who shared their expertise and experience. Common challenges included affordable child care, transportation, navigating public services, and barriers to mental and behavioral health support.

“It is critical that we continue to have open and honest conversations about how to support Illinois families,” Rep. Manley said. “We can’t just tell parents to ‘wait and see,’ we have to be proactive and we have to be collaborative.”

Expanding early intervention services, development screenings and supporting a growing Early Childhood workforce are all included within the mission of Birth to Five, and they continue to work alongside state and local agencies.

On July 1, the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) officially began operations as Illinois’ first agency focused entirely on early childhood programs and services.

The agency will jointly administer programs from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD).