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Great Start Collaborative-Oakland
The
purpose of the GSC-O is to assure a coordinated system of community resources
and support whereby ALL Oakland County families have knowledge of and access to
the services they need which will result in their children being prepared and
eager to learn.
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It's Their Future; It's Our Responsibility!
Thank you for your continued interest and support in building our Great Start System in Oakland County.
Great Start Collaborative-Oakland would like to recognize Lake Orion Community School District as our November and December Children's Champion. Thank you for your efforts in leadership on the ECIC board, participation with Early Care and Education and Social Emotional Subcommittees, hosting Parent Coalition meetings and provider focus groups, speaking at the Galileo Institute and hosting/co-sponsoring our Annual Parent Conference. You are a model of community collaboration!
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The new ECIC website (www.greatstartforkids.org) is quickly becoming a wondering resource for those interested in keeping up with what's going on in early childhood. The new site features a wonderful, constantly updated Google feed of the latest in early childhood news, a Twitter feed where you can view what early childhood advocates around the state are saying, a Great Start Blog-an open forum for thoughts on views, and the popular Capitol Corner-featuring weeking legislative updates.
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Upcoming Great Start Meetings
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Click here to view the GSC-O Calendar online.
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Date
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Meeting
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Location
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Thursday, November 12
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Michigan's Defining Moment-Community Conversation
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Oakland University-Rochester Hills
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Thursday, November 19
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Parenting Education & Family Support Subcommittee
Meeting
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Carehouse, Pontiac
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Thursday, December 3
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Parent Coalition Meeting
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Oakland Family Services, Pontiac
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Monday, December 7
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Community Engagement
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Oakland Schools, Waterford
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If you are interested in participating in one of the above events/meetings, please contact Darlene.Zimny@oakland.k12.mi.us or 248.209.2588. Looking for ways to get involved in the Great Start Collaborative-Oakland? Click here to sign up for one of three workgroups or five subcommittees.
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| Talking Points |
As the dust finally begins to settle with the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget, child advocates must begin to consider what the implications are for Oakland County children and their families, not only for this year but for the next few years to come.
Some highlights of the final budget provisions affecting children and families in Oakland County:
Department of Human Services (DHS)
Child Care
- Retains current policy of reimbursing up to a maximum of 90 hours of subsidized child care every two weeks. The Senate had reduced the number of reimbursable child care hours available through the subsidy from 90 hours to 75 hours.
- Changes child care reimbursement rates by (1) providing rate increases to most child care centers and family and group homes and (2) establishing a two-tier system of reimbursement for unregulated child care aides and relatives, with lower payments provided those who have not completed training requirements.
- Continues to appropriate the Child Care Development Fund to the ECIC for child care quality improvements. The Oakland-Macomb Great Start Child Care and Early Learning Regional Resource Center through United Way for Southeastern Michigan is funded to provide activities, supports and services that will improve child care quality across all settings. This includes professional development and training from child care providers as well as resources for child care providers and families.
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
- Restores funding for DHS contribution to the Zero to Three Secondary Prevention Program (however the Governor did veto this program in the DCH and K-12/School Aid Budgets).
- Cuts the Strong Families/Safe Children program to $268,003 in Oakland County, a decrease of $56,368 from last fiscal year.
K-12 Education
Per Pupil Expenditures
- Reduces per pupil funding for schools by $165, this effects all of Oakland County's 28 school districts.
Intermediate School District Operations
- Reduces funding for Intermediate School Districts (ISD's) by 20%.
Early Childhood Education
- Provides continuation funding for school district grants for the Great Start Readiness (GSRP) preschool school readiness program. All school district programs will continue to run this year.
- Cuts in half the GSRP Competitive program. Preschool programs provided by OFS, OLHSA and Lowry will continue to run this year.
- Retains current funding for Great Parents Great Start, a parent education and support program.
- Reduces funding for ECIC and the Great Start Collaboratives by 11%.
Department of Community Health
Medicaid- Increases funding in Medicaid services to cover caseload, utilization and inflation changes.
- Includes an 8% provider rate reduction.
MIChild
- Increases funding for MIChild to cover caseload, utilization and inflation changes but does not reflect changes in eligibility related to the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009.
Public Health Programs for Families and Children
- Reduces funding to local public health departments.
- Eliminates funds for the Nurse Family Partnership Program unless local entities are able to provide required matching funds.
Community Mental Health Services
- Cuts funding for mental health services for persons not eligible for Medicaid, for a total of approximately $10 million in Oakland County.
- Eliminates funding for respite care services for children with serious emotional disturbances and their families.
Children's Special Health Care Services (CSHCS)
- Increases fees for families utilizing CSHCS from $12/month to $15/month.
- Expands Medicaid health coverage under the CSHCS program.
Women, Infant and Children Nutrition Program (WIC)
- Increases funding to cover an increase in need and rise in food costs.
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Further Information
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- For more information on Michigan's full FY2010 budget view Michigan's Children latest Budget Basics.
- For more information on options for solving Michigan's budget crisis view state Superintendent Mike Flanagan's thoughts. This YouTube video titled, "Watch that Next Step" lays out some short term solutions to rescue Michigan schools through the new 3 R's-Reimagine, Reduction and Revenue.
- Wondering what people are saying about the new budget? This compilation of news articles put together by ECIC highlights parents views on the cuts to the Great Start Readiness competitive programs, drawn from statewide media.
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| Upcoming Learning Opportunities |
Please review these announcements carefully to determine which ones best meet your needs. Programs, resources and services that follow are neither specifically recommended nor endorsed by Great Start Collaborative-Oakland.
- Thursday, November 19th, 10:00-11:30; Webcast, "Improving Urban Service Systems for Children and Families. Host-Oakland Schools. For more information contact Lisa Sturges at lisa.sturges@oakland.k12.mi.us.
- Michigan's Great Start Child Care Resource Center at CMU in conjunction with CMU's Child Development and Learning Lab and the Mt. Pleasant Association for the Education of Young Children is pleased to announce the one day Loving Guidance: Conscious Discipline Conference on Thursday, April 29th. For more information see attached document.
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Find Us On Facebook
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Find us on Facebook to get the latest advocacy updates and learn more about the Great Start Collaborative-Oakland.
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Lisa Sturges
Great Start Collaborative-Oakland
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