MILWAUKEE COUNTY — Milwaukee County supervisors will vote Thursday on a budget that could provide crucial additional funding for early intervention programs serving children with disabilities and developmental delays.
The proposed 2026 county budget allocates about $4.7 million for three nonprofit organizations that provide federally required Birth to 3 services: Penfield Children's Center, Curative Care Network, and St. Francis Children's Center.
However, program leaders say that funding falls short of what's needed.
"We have a collective gap of over $2 million, and we have to fill that gap through fundraising," the president and CEO of Penfield Children's Center, Polina Makievsky, said.
County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson has proposed an amendment to add an additional $450,000 for the programs.
Watch: Birth to 3 advocates hope to secure more funding in 2026 Milwaukee County budget
County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson sent the following statement:
“Every child in Milwaukee County deserves the strongest possible start in life. The Birth to Three program is one of our most effective tools for identifying developmental needs early and connecting families with the supports that help children thrive.
This investment is an important step forward, one that strengthens our commitment to early childhood development and brings much-needed attention to the gaps in state and federal funding. By investing locally, we’re both helping families now and making the case for resources to help our little ones reach their full potential.”
The Birth to 3 program provides early intervention services for children with disabilities or developmental delays.
Makievsky has personal experience with its benefits — her own son participated in the program as a child.
"It was invaluable. The growth that we saw in him was tremendous," Makievsky said.
Despite growing enrollment in the programs, funding has remained stagnant for years for the three nonprofit partners working with Milwaukee County.
"We need some help, we need some support from the community," Makievsky said. "This is an investment that's going to pay tremendous dividends."
Laura Felix, executive director of St. Francis Children's Center, emphasized the importance of the services they provide to families.
"We are really providing that village of support for families with disabilities," Felix said. "We're hoping if there is any possibility of increasing that amount to support birth to three; we believe that is critical."
Parents like Larimar Adrianson understand the program's value firsthand.
"It is absolutely irreplaceable. We can't function without birth to three," Adrianson said.
The county supervisors' Thursday vote will determine how much Milwaukee County invests in these specialized programs that serve some of the community's most vulnerable children.
This story was reported by Megan Lee and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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