investigative reporter for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social. being nosy. mnewman@bettergov.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.social/post/3mvqhfh4doc2yMy latest >>>> https://illinoisanswers.org/2026/09/17/childcare-illinois-background-checks-delays-dcfs/ [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Sep 2026 20:07 +0000at://did:plc:3mxpndzfnsfxdphmnrkllol2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvqhfh4doc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.social/post/3mp275l5q422mOne of my favorite packages @illinoisanswers.bsky.social has published this year.24 Jun 2026 15:10 +0000at://did:plc:3mxpndzfnsfxdphmnrkllol2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp275l5q422mhttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.social/post/3movpxleci22b"Post-pandemic, a new openness to accommodating family needs has made it possible for more mothers and fathers to balance work and parenting — particularly mothers of young children." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/21/upshot/remote-work-parents-mothers.html22 Jun 2026 20:28 +0000at://did:plc:3mxpndzfnsfxdphmnrkllol2/app.bsky.feed.post/3movpxleci22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.social/post/3mns3t6fadk2a"The sheer logistical and financial madness of raising children in America is now officially a matter of political concern." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/magazine/childcare-mothers-politics.html?unlocked_article_code=1.olA.mNS7.oCOi06yXKyq3&smid=url-share08 Jun 2026 16:24 +0000at://did:plc:3mxpndzfnsfxdphmnrkllol2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mns3t6fadk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.social/post/3m5elg5cqt22aIllinois defendants who have been found unfit for trial – and are in need of inpatient fitness restoration – are waiting nearly twice as long for a state hospital bed as they did five years ago. My latest for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social https://illinoisanswers.org/2025/11/11/too-mentally-ill-for-trial-she-spent-months-in-an-illinois-jail-as-the-state-looked-for-a-hospital-bed-she-died-waiting/11 Nov 2025 16:43 +0000at://did:plc:3mxpndzfnsfxdphmnrkllol2/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5elg5cqt22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/meredithnewman.bsky.social/post/3lq665ttpz22yAs part of @IllinoisAnswers' series "Making it in Chicago," @_MJHopkins and I investigated the cost of child care in Cook County. We found the state's largest child care subsidy doesn’t provide enough relief for many families and providers. https://illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/27/were-at-the-mercy-of-child-care-child-care-costs-are-crushing-families-illinois-largest-subsidy-excludes-thousands/27 May 2025 17:02 +0000at://did:plc:3mxpndzfnsfxdphmnrkllol2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lq665ttpz22y