Policy Update, April 18, 2014

We apologize that our "3rd Friday" edition arrives to you on Monday. The e-mail provider was out of service on Friday. Contact us anytime with your feedback or questions. Lucinda Nord, 317-921-1394 or cell 317-502-8504.

Higher Quality = Higher $$ Rates

New Rates Effective in May

Early care and education providers will receive higher reimbursement rates through the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) as they become licensed and move up levels on the Paths To Quality voluntary rating scale. Indiana Family & Social Services Administration will make the new rates effective May 2014.

Learn more about the rates:

Check the rates in your county.
Learn about Paths To Quality and the criteria for each level.
Learn about the CCDF program, including current statistics.

Praise and thanks to the staff in FSSA and the Bureau of Child Care for their leadership in crafting a creative policy solution to achieve increased early learning outcomes for Indiana's children most in need. We celebrate this as a major victory for children, parents, providers and their communities. Low-income children and their families will have increased access to high-quality programs. Providers will be reimbursed closer to the market rates.

Early Education Matching Grants Announced

Thirty organizations from fifteen counties have been awarded Early Learning Matching Grants from the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration. The nearly $1.5 million in state grants are the product of 2013 legislation--not to be confused with the pre-K pilot enacted in 2014.

For the Early Learning Matching Grant program, early education providers submitted applications detailing their quality program (at a Level 3 or 4 on Paths To Quality) and 50% matching cash resources. Providers must also commit to assessing participating children with ISTAR-KR, a readiness observation tool. This grant targets early care and education providers that serve 4-yr-old children whose family income is below poverty. Read the FSSA Release and List of Awardees.

For clarification on new laws enacted in 2014, read our summary of early education laws. The pre-K pilot counties have not been selected. We will share info about processes and technical assistance opportunities as we learn them.

Primary Election Day Tuesday, May 6

Registration to vote in the primary ended on Monday, April 7. Learn more about who the candidates are in each district. Absentee and online voting are available now with specific deadlines.

You might also consider working the polls, as our democracy depends upon poll workers.

June 1 Changes to Medicaid in Indiana - Is your client affected?

If your organization works with people with disabilities, one of your clients has probably received a letter from the State explaining the forthcoming changes to their Medicaid benefits. Effective June 1, the Medicaid Spend Down program will be eliminated, and participants will need to be transitioned either to traditional Medicaid or to a Marketplace plan, depending upon income. After June 1, individuals determined to be eligible for disability through the Social Security Administration will be automatically enrolled into Medicaid. What is confusing for some is the period between the application for disability and the determination, as many clients experience a delay in determination.

If your client is one of the 76,000 Hoosiers on Medicaid Spend Down or in the process of applying for disability, extra assistance may be needed to ensure the appropriate steps are followed to complete enrollment and to understand the new coverage. Learn more about the June 1 change, review the slide presentation, or check out the FAQs.

What grade did your schools receive?

The Indiana Board of Education released the A-F grades for schools, as required under PL-221. The grade is intended to provide parents, students and the community an easy-to-understand label to illustrate how the school is performing. See how the schools in your community were graded.

Now that you filed...about your tax dollars

Several organizations have released information about how your tax dollars are used. Below offers a sample:

The Congressional Budget Office publishes nonpartisan research. See the CBO analysis of the updated budget projections for the next 10 years.
The Brookings Institute regularly analyzes tax and budget data. Review the fiscal policy section, which includes analysis and recommendations about income tax collection.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget releases its annual Tax Day Report, which shows where federal tax dollars are spent.
The Tax Foundation released its report about the relative burden of state and local taxation by state. This recently issued report is generating much discussion among Indiana lawmakers and local elected officials.

National Nonprofit Survey Finds 6th Straight Year of "Increased Demand for Services"

The Nonprofit Finance Fund releases its "State of the Sector" report. The survey measures ongoing challenges faced by the nonprofit sector and offers insight into opportunities for investments.

Legislative Session Highlights

In case you missed it, check out the recorded webinar or the one-page summary about newly enacted laws from the 2014 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Thanks to our partners at Indiana Coalition for Human Services and Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.

IaUW Public Policy

IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on programs and policies that help:

children prepare for and succeed in school;
individuals achieve and sustain financial stability;
individuals access quality healthcare; and
communities thrive, including a strong 2-1-1 network and charitable sector.

Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities.

Frequently Requested Links / Documents

iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.

IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.

Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.

IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.

IN211.org - Search for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.

NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.

Funding and Other Opportunities - Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

Indiana General Assembly - Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.

Library of Congress - Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.