Greetings Healthy Kids Action Network!

Thank you to everyone who participated in Michigan's Children's first webinar last week, "What Does Health Care Reform Mean for Kids in Michigan?"

We heard from national experts with a wealth of knowledge! The recording of the call and presentation slides from the webinar are now available on our website.

In this email you will find two actionable items that we need your help with:

1. An Action Alert calling on Congress to move the jobs bill, which includes the provision to temporarily extend the increased federal match we receive for our Medicaid program; and,
   
   
2. A sign-on letter to the State Board of Education commending them for including preschool in its principles and urging them to consider a comprehensive early childhood system with investments in four areas, including health and mental health.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at alicia@michiganschildren.org.

Best,

Alicia S. Guevara
Policy & Outreach Associate

As Michigan faces an estimated shortfall of $1.8 billion in its fiscal year 2011 budget, further deep cuts are inevitable if lawmakers fail to address the need for new revenue by modernizing the state's tax system to match current economic realities. In the current state budget, lawmakers relied heavily on federal stimulus dollars under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to prevent even deeper cuts than those ultimately adopted.

ARRA included an increased federal contribution to state Medicaid programs, which is scheduled to end on December 31, 2010. Congress has signaled its intention to pass a temporary extension of the increased federal match, and as such, proposed state budgets across the country have built in an assumption of this funding. Michigan's proposed state budget assumes $709.4 million in this federal funding.

Although legislation to pass an extension has passed both the U.S. House and Senate, momentum has stalled as leadership works out the differences between the bills.

Please contact YOUR U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow NOW and urge them to call on Congressional leadership to move quickly on the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010, which includes the provision to extend the increased federal Medicaid funding for six months, and to finish the job before the Memorial Day recess.

Also, ask your U.S. Representative to sign-on to this "dear colleague" letter being circulated in Congress to express the urgency of moving the legislation.

Click here to read more in our May 4 Action Alert.

The Michigan State Board of Education is seeking public comment on principles for reforming Michigan's educational system. The plan, which is entitled Principles to Guide Michigan's Education System Restructuring.

Please consider signing-on to a letter that Michigan's Children is circulating that applauds the State Board for addressing preschool programs in the principles, and urges the Board to recognize the need for investments in the earliest years of life (birth - three), as well as the importance of school/community linkages.

The letter specifically calls for a comprehensive system of early childhood services, linked to Michigan's public K-12 system, with investments in high quality early childhood services in four areas: (1) health and mental health; (2) home visiting and family support; (3) child care; and (4) preschool. Click here to read the letter.

Click here to read the September 2009 Lead Forward report by the Michigan Association of School Administrators that is referenced in the sign-on letter, as well as an April 7th op-ed in the Detroit Free Press by Jack Kresnak, President/CEO of Michigan's Children, and William Mayes, Executive Director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators.

If your organization is interested in signing on to the letter, please email Pat Sorenson, VP of Public Policy at Michigan's Children, at pat@michiganschildren.org by the close of business on Thursday, May 6th. Please include "sign-on to State Board of Education letter" in the subject line.

If you would like to submit separate comments to the State Board of Education, they must arrive by Tuesday, May 11th, and can be e-mailed to: sbe-reform@michigan.gov.