PATH applauds passage of the Global Child Thrive Act

PATH applauds the US Congress’ bipartisan passage of the Global Child Thrive Act, which is included in the FY 21 National Defense Authorization Act.

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial to their development and ability to thrive. This is also a time when a child has many points of contact with the healthcare system. By using these moments to further engage caregivers, the Global Child Thrive Act leverages programming designed to prevent early childhood illness and death to also support a child's physical, emotional, and cognitive health.

This legislation is especially timely, during the pandemic response, as parents and caregivers experience additional stress related to their own health and well-being, economic instability, and social distancing requirements. Building in dedicated support without increasing caregiver burden is thoughtful, equitable policy that will help families navigate this challenging and important time in their child’s life, with benefits that last a lifetime.

PATH has 10 years of experience integrating early childhood development into health systems and services for families. We look forward to working with the US government and governments around the globe to help children everywhere realize their full developmental potential. We thank Senators Roy Blunt and Chris Coons and Representatives Joaquin Castro and Brian Fitzpatrick for their commitment to this important health and development issue.

Learn more about PATH’s early childhood development work here.