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Birth to Five Illinois® News Coverage

Scroll down to read all Birth to Five Illinois news coverage, or you can click below to read the coverage for each Region.

Region 1
Region 1-A
Region 1-B-B
Region 1-B-C
Region 1-B-D
Region 3

Region 4
Region 8
Region 9
Region 11
Region 12
Region 13

Region 16
Region 17
Region 19
Region 20
Region 21
Region 24

Region 26
Region 28
Region 30
Region 31
Region 32
Region 33

Region 34
Region 35
Region 39
Region 40
Region 41
Region 44

Region 45
Region 47
Region 48
Region 49
Region 50

Region 51
Region 53
Region 54
Region 56

ALL REGIONS

Guest User 10/25/26 Guest User 10/25/26

Rantoul Roundup 26 Episode 17: Glow On Grove, Birth to Five Illinois, Rantoul Sports Wrap, and RACC

Jill Duden returns to the Rantoul Roundup to share what Birth to Five Illinois is doing to identify the Early Childhood needs and work with the community to close the gaps in Champaign and Ford Counties.

Guest User 10/21/26 Guest User 10/21/26

Birth to Five Illinois on “Catch the Beat from Market Street”

Jill Duden and Melissa Watson from Birth to Five Illinois, representing Region 9 (Champaign and Ford Counties) return to “Catch the Beat on Market Street” to provide updates on their Councils’ progress bridging the gap between what Early Childhood services exists and what families say they need.

Guest User 7/28/26 Guest User 7/28/26

Birth to Five Illinois - Focus

Listen to Angie Hunt (Region 11) and Jill Duden (Region 9) share some of their recent report findings and how the community can use it to better support children and families.

Guest User 7/27/26 Guest User 7/27/26

Birth to Five Illinois - Callie & Co Mix 94.5

Listen to Jill Duden (Region 9) and Angie Hunt (Region 11) talk about the Birth to Five Illinois Councils, who might be interested, and how to get involved!

Guest User 7/22/26 Guest User 7/22/26

Birth to Five Illinois: Early Literacy Starts at Home — and Grows at the Library

Melissa Watson (Region 9 Family & Community Engagement Specialist) and Jessica Titus (Moyer District Library Director) authored this piece on early literacy skills and upcoming storytime events for families in Champaign and Ford Counties.

Guest User 6/8/26 Guest User 6/8/26

Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 on Catch the Beat from Market Street

Listen to the Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 (Champaign & Ford Counties) Team on WEFT 90.1FM!

Guest User 6/7/26 Guest User 6/7/26

Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 on the Rantoul Roundup

Jill Duden (Region 9 Council Manager) goes live on the Rantoul Roundup to talk about the impact of Birth to Five Illinois and offer listeners the opportunity to join the Councils in Champaign and Ford Counties.

Guest User 5/27/26 Guest User 5/27/26

Birth to Five Illinois Seeks Local Voices for Regional Councils

Jill Duden, Region 9 Council Manager, encourages parents, caregivers, educators, and community members from Ford and Champaign counties to join our Action and Family Councils.

Guest User 5/15/26 Guest User 5/15/26

Helping Families Thrive from Birth to Five

Watch Jill Duden, Region 9 Council Manager (Champaign & Ford Counties) build a community trail mix as an analogy for the Birth to Five Illinois Action and Family Councils.

Guest User 4/29/26 Guest User 4/29/26

Virtual Parent Café Offers Connection, Support for Families

Birth to Five Illinois: Regions 8, 9, 17, 28, and 54 got more coverage for their Parent Cafés!

Guest User 4/8/26 Guest User 4/8/26

Family Programs Are Coming

Birth to Five Illinois: Regions 8, 9, 17, 28, and 54 are hosting Parent Cafés!

Guest User 4/8/26 Guest User 4/8/26

Connecting Families, Building Futures: Learn About Home Visiting with Jumpstart and Birth to Five Illinois

Jill Duden (Regional Council Manager for Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9) and Lauren Wallace (lead parent educator for Jumpstart in Ford County) discuss the benefits of home visiting in this Ford County Chronicle article.

Guest User 3/24/26 Guest User 3/24/26

Champaign County Hosts Listening Session on Youth Mental Health Services

The Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 (Champaign & Ford Counties) Listening Session is featured on NewsChannel20!

Guest User 3/9/26 Guest User 3/9/26

Early Childhood Mental Health Starts at Birth, According to Birth to Five Illinois Leaders: Community Focus With Callie Luttman

Jill Duden (Region 9 Council Manager) and Angie Hunt (Region 11 Council Manager) discuss how they are working to improve the way Early Childhood systems work together and normalizing mental health as health for children and families.

Guest User 3/4/26 Guest User 3/4/26

Helping Our Youngest Learners with Birth to Five Illinois

Read this article, co-authored by Lynn Matthews, Executive Director of the Community Resource & Counseling Center, and Jill Duden Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 Council Manager (Champaign & Ford Counties).

Guest User 12/31/25 Guest User 12/31/25

United Way Screenings

FREE developmental screenings are available for children from birth to age five in Champaign County through a partnership between Birth to Five Illinois, United Way of Champaign County, the Champaign County Home Visiting Consortium.

Guest User 10/28/25 Guest User 10/28/25

Birth to Five Illinois Awards Additional $2.5 Million to Strengthen Early Childhood Collaborations

Highlighting Birth to Five Illinois Early Childhood Collaboration Funding in Regions 1, 3, 9, 26, 40, 48, 53, and 54.

Guest User 7/17/25 Guest User 7/17/25

New Rural Transportation Service Launched in Ford County

The Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 Action Plan has prompted some major changes to increase access for families in Ford County.

Guest User 7/1/25 Guest User 7/1/25

Champaign Public Library, Local Organizations Host Fatherhood Forum

Birth to Five Illinois: Region 9 (Champaign & Ford Counties) participated in a Fatherhood Forum to celebrate the importance of fathers!

Guest User 6/1/25 Guest User 6/1/25

Illini Media Group Features Birth to Five Illinois on the Focus News & Public Affairs Podcast

Region 9 Council Manager (Jill Duden) and Family & Community Engagement Specialist (Melissa Watson) talk all things Birth to Five Illinois on this episode of the Focus News & Public Affairs Podcast.