Rhode Island KIDS COUNT’s 2026 Budgetary and Legislative Priorities   From RI KIDS COUNT: In the face of the current federal threats, our #1 Priority is to defend and protect access to basic needs including access to food, health and mental health services, health care, housing, and vaccines for all babies, children and youth regardless of income, immigration status, or gender identity. Please download our full 2026 Budgetary & Legislative Priorities here.

While defending and protecting Rhode Island’s progress, we will continue to be bold in leading campaigns for policies that increase equity and reduce disparities in child well-being. These campaigns will focus on:

Civic Engagement

Voting right for student member on the Board of Education

Child Development

Strengthen access to family home visiting*

Ensure access to Early Intervention*

Early Care and Education

Invest in RI Pre-K and Head Start with 30% for infants and toddlers*

Increase access to affordable, high-quality child care*

Health Care Access

Pediatric primary care Medicaid rate increase

Mental Health

Increase access to school social workers

Sustain and permanently fund PediPRN

Out-of-School Time Learning

Increased funding for OST programs

RI Works

Increase child support pass through+

Eliminate automatic reduction in RI Works benefit for housing subsidy+

Increase RI Works monthly benefit amount+

Restore eligibility to LPRs+

Family Economic Security,

Increase state EITC*

Establish a state Child Tax Credit*

Raise general revenue to fund much-needed investments in health care, child care, and education systems*

Youth Justice

Establish minimum age of incarceration

Increase use of Juvenile Hearing Boards

  • priority for RIght from the Start

  • priority for Raising RI

For more information on specific bills and priorities in our issue areas, please contact the following Rhode Island KIDS COUNT staff: 

Child Welfare, Youth Justice, Education: Senior Policy Associate Kelsey Bala (kbala@rikidscount.org)

Economic Well-Being, Early Learning and Development, the RIght From the Start Campaign: Director of Early Childhood Policy and Strategy Leanne Barrett (lbarrett@rikidscount.org)

Health: Policy Associate Michaela Carroll (mcarroll@rikidscount.org) The Raising RI Coalition, The Anti-Racist Education Policy

Collaborative: Senior Advocacy and Community Engagement Manager Jessica Vega (jvega@rikidscount.org)

Please also feel free to contact our Executive Director Paige Parks (pparks@rikidscount.org), Deputy Director Stephanie Geller (sgeller@rikidscount.org) and Communications Manager Katy Linwood (klinwood@rikidscount.org)

Edited 01-16-2026 12:55 PM