This report outlines the national and state environmental context for the SECCS Initiative in supporting MCH strategic planning in early childhood systems building. This strategic context has implications for roles, relationships, and activities within a planning process and ultimately an implementation process. It summarizes the opportunities and challenges that need to be taken into account as states move forward to develop comprehensive early childhood systems. This environmental scan provides states with essential information about the challenges and opportunities they face, as well as important information about potential resources that can be used to assure success. The scan provides an assessment of state capacities to improve their early childhood service systems, including both an assessment of resources and capacities that are available to state Maternal Child Health programs. The scan also assesses how each component of the initiative is positioned on the national policy landscape, where states might find resources at the national level, and information on the broader environment within the specific state and nationally. A review of promising practices, potential and emerging resources, and likely barriers in the planning process is also included. The report concludes with eight state initiatives to observe for ideas and as examples of promising developments. These examples show the kinds of strategies that may be effective and should be monitored as the planning process continues. The states exemplifed herein are: Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. This report demonstrates the existence of considerable assets both at the national level and in each state and territory participating in the SECCS Initiative. (Contains 6 figures and 1 table.)