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News from Every Child Counts
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7/09/12
It has been a few weeks since the legislature adjourned and the Governor signed bills into law so we have put together a final legislative update. We realize we may have left something out and apologize ahead of time if that is the case. If you are interested the Legislative Services Agency put together a 233 page summary of the 2012 session- our summary is not nearly as long!
Just because the legislative session is over doesn't mean our work is over. We will track the administrative rules process and the implementation of the new laws. We will also continue to have conversations with legislators and the Governor, we hope you do too!
During the interim, we are also working on electoral advocacy, so look for more information from us in the next few weeks on opportunities to get involved. We will need your help to ensure candidates are educated on issues related to children and families AND that Iowans are educated on where candidates stand on those issues!
We look forward to our continued work with you on behalf of our youngest Iowans and their families!
Sincerely,
Sheila Hansen & Danielle Oswald-Thole
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 What is Sequestration?
The term has started to come up a lot recently, and we'd thought we'd explain what it means. Remember last fall, when we faced a national crisis over the "debt ceiling"? In the deal Congress finally made, it agreed to cut the budget or else it would cut the federal budget automatically across the board - that's sequestration.
Well, Congress failed to agree on a budget, so these cuts from sequestration might go into effect in January 2013. What this could mean for kids is less resources for programs like child care, including fewer slots and fewer jobs for providers.
Discretionary spending, where much of the federal funding for child programs comes from, would face an 8% cut. That also means programs like Head Start and Early Head Start, among others, would face unprecedented cuts, interruptions and gaps in services. We probably don't have to tell you, these programs don't have a lot of fat on them to begin with. Even now many have waiting lists, are understaffed, or are underfunded.
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Children's Budget 2012
On June 27th, we attended an event on Capitol Hill hosted by First Focus where they released Children's Budget 2012.
Children's Budget 2012 is a comprehensive guide to federal spending on children and an invaluable resource for those seeking to improve the lives of America's youth. This year, Children's Budget analyzes the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on children and the consequences, as that investment runs out. |
Increasing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Existing Public Investments in Early Childhood
The Center for American Progress recently released a report, "Increasing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Existing Public Investments in Early Childhood Education", which included the following recommendations on steps the federal government should take to provide an ideal early childhood environment in the U.S.:
- Partner with states to align early learning standards that define expectations for all early learning programs.
- Invest with states to build assessments and assessment systems that demonstrate standards are being met.
- Increase consistency, quality, and system wide access to federally procured and federally required, locally procured technical assistance.
- Implement a more consistent, state-of-the-art approach to high- quality professional development for existing staff and help determine the optimal set of skills and knowledge that should be imparted in preparation programs for early childhood program staff.
- Improve early childhood data and harmonize reporting requirements to help increase knowledge of inputs and outcomes.
Read the rest of the recommendations here. Download the entire report (pdf) Download the introduction and summary (pdf) |
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Get timely updates from the Child and Family Policy Center:
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How is state policy affecting the families around you?
Tell us about it! Sheila Hansen
Every Child Counts
Director
Danielle Oswald-Thole
Every Child Counts Outreach Coordinator and Policy Advocate
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Health Care Update
Supreme Court Affordable Care Act Ruling a Major Win for America's Children In a major victory for our nation's children, the Supreme Court upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152) in a close 5-4 vote.
Most notably for kids, the decision maintains the successful Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), keeps Medicaid and CHIP coverage strong for children who are currently enrolled, and affirms a long list of consumer protections which ensure that children with long term
or serious illnesses are able to get the care they need.
While the Court upheld the law in its entirety, it ruled that the Medicaid coverage expansion would not be required for states. This could complicate the ACA's goal to improve coverage for low-income adults, including parents. However, Medicaid's strong history of providing comprehensive, affordable coverage for children is preserved entirely.
The Court's decision clears the way for federal and state policymakers to continue the task of
implementing the ACA. As advocates for children, we celebrate the ACA's notable wins for kids, many of which already are protecting and improving their health and well-being. Read the rest of the article from First Focus here.
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"Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless."
-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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