We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to make the Child Tax Credit permanent.

This year’s expansion of the Child Tax Credit drastically improved the United States government’s support of American families. A part of the American Rescue Plan, this enhanced credit now includes advanced payments of up to $300 a month to parents for each of their children with no restrictions on how to spend it. According to experts, this program is projected to slash child poverty in half, transforming the lives of some four million children.

This is landmark legislation. In fact, not since the New Deal established Social Security to protect the elderly has the U.S. launched as robust a tool in the fight against the cascading effects of poverty. 

But there’s a catch; it’s only temporary.

Under current federal law, this program expires at the end of December. After that, it vanishes—and with it, the opportunity to lift millions of children out of poverty.

We simply can’t afford to miss this chance—especially here in Tennessee.

The annual Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT Data Book makes this crystal clear when it ranked Tennessee 36th nationally for overall child well-being.  Whether it’s living without health insurance, no access to early childhood education, teen births, or the fact that one in five children in Tennessee are living in poverty, the report highlights the need for immediate action.

At Nurture the Next, the state’s largest provider of in-home support for vulnerable families, we know how important these resources are for children and families, and the short-term and long-term implications this scarcity causes.

The research that informs our evidence-based programs clearly demonstrates the connection between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and negative outcomes in education, health, and lifelong earning potential. Poverty is also an important predictor of child maltreatment. Policies that strengthen the economic security of low-income families may reduce child maltreatment.

The expanded Child Tax Credit improved support for families in two major ways.

First, it increased the total amount of the credit. Previously, families were able to claim a $2,000 tax deduction for each child. Now, families will be eligible to receive up to $3,600 for each child five years-old and younger, and $3,000 for each child ages six through 17. Previously, there was no tax benefit for parents of 17-year-olds. 

The other key improvement is that the Child Tax Credit is that it is fully refundable. That means families will get the full amount of the credit even if they have a zero-dollar tax liability. This guaranteed income to parents of children under 18 will have a major impact on protecting children and families in vulnerable situations, especially those whose earnings can fluctuate month to month

That’s why this week, Nurture the Next proudly signed on to a letter calling on Congress and the White House to make the Child Tax Credit enhancements permanent. This support for families is critical to improving child development outcomes. In fact, when families have economic stability, every indicator of child wellbeing improves—from educational outcomes, to reduced risks for childhood trauma, to their life-long mental and physical health. Not only will this help change the trajectory of individual lives, but entire communities.

While government alone cannot solve all these problems in their entirety, this is a reasonable and common-sense solution that can help create a more prosperous future for our children. Nurture the Next will continue to work with our community partners, leaders, and most importantly families, to advocate for policies that keep our children healthy and safe.

We’re committed to raising the next generation together. We hope you’ll help.