Maine has only about 800 slots for babies and toddlers to receive Early Head Start services, but about 8,000 kids are eligible.
That's the finding of a new report from the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. Researcher Jessica Carson says Maine's situation is better than the national average, but still leaves many kids behind.
"There are still, in Maine, 90 percent of the children living below the poverty line aren't able to access that program," Carson says.
Carson says families who receive child development services through Early Head Start are also threatened by cuts to other social service programs. President Trump Tuesday released a budget that would slash funding for programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and food stamps.
