The end of childcare funding will impact public health

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Federal childcare funding is set to expire. That's bad news for kids' health.]( By Nik Popli Reporter The emergency childcare funding Congress allocated during the pandemic is set to expire at the end of the month, raising financial and public health concerns for the millions of families and childcare providers who relied on it over the last two years. The funding, part of [the American Rescue Plan Act]( passed in 2021, included $24 billion in childcare stabilization grants, and were used by childcare providers to improve workers’ compensation, cover expenses such as rent, mortgages, and utilities, and purchase personal protective equipment and supplies. But the funding now faces a dramatic sunset and an estimated 70,000 childcare programs are expected to close as a result of lost funding, leaving around 3.2 million children without essential care, according to a [study by the Century Foundation]( a progressive think tank. Public health experts say that quality childcare services play a crucial role in promoting overall well-being and can have significant repercussions on children’s health in areas like nutrition and sleep. A decline in federal funding, experts warn, could hurt lower-income families and disproportionately impact mothers, who have returned to work at record rates since the pandemic and could soon be making tough decisions on how to handle childcare costs, which have risen faster than inflation for five straight months. [READ MORE]( Share This Story What Else to Read [Success of MDMA in PTSD Study Could Pave the Way for U.S. Approval of the Psychedelic]( By CARLA K. JOHNSON / AP In a study of 104 people with post-traumatic stress disorder, the psychedelic MDMA effectively reduced symptoms when used alongside talk therapy. [Read More »]( [What to Know About the Latest Advances in Managing Severe Asthma]( By Markham Heid New innovations in biologics and phenotyping excite doctors. [Read More »]( [Can Cannabis Help Your Gut?]( By Stacey Colino It’s not a panacea for gastrointestinal disorders, but it eases some patients’ symptoms. (Originally published in 2021.) [Read More »]( [Birdwatching Has Big Mental-Health Benefits. Here’s How to Start]( By Angela Haupt Research suggests that seeing—and even just hearing—birds can relieve stress. [Read More »]( [Need a Break Now? Try Treating Your Weekend Like a Vacation]( By Angela Haupt and Video by Andrew. D Johnson Experts share ways to achieve a vacation mindset at home. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [Polio eradication efforts are falling short]( This was the year the world health community hoped to end the transmission of polio, a disease that causes paralysis in children. But as Helen Branswell reports in STAT, efforts will almost certainly fall short as sanitation conditions in rural Afghanistan and Pakistan mean the disease continues to spread. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Nik Popli and Oliver Staley and edited by Oliver. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.