Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways usually provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Because of the Independence Day holiday, the first July issue was delayed by one business day. Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).
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 Early Learning Advisory Committee Annual Report
The 2015 report of the Early Learning Advisory Committee (ELAC) outlines the accomplishments of the ELAC over the last year and offers a set of recommendations for the future. The report also provides a status update in four key areas:
Hoosier Children and Families- Indiana is home to 508,938 children birth to 5. Nearly 2/3 require care because all parents work.
- About one in four families with children lives in poverty, which translates into one-third of all children being eligible for subsidy.
High Quality Early Childhood Education (ECE)- Half of all early childhood education programs now participate in the Paths To Quality voluntary rating system.
- The cost of ECE center programs ranges from $8,840 for preschool to $11,749 for infants.
Early Childhood Workforce- The number of ECE teachers with a BA degree is increasing, as is the number of AS degrees being conferred in higher education.
- The projected demand just five years out for ECE teachers far outpaces the supply of qualified teachers.
Kindergarten Readiness - As of 2014, 97% of children were enrolled in full-time kindergarten.
- The number of children being retained in kindergarten increased to 3,743 children, or 5% of the 80,617 students statewide.
- The definition of kindergarten readiness: "In Indiana we work together so that every child can develop to his or her fullest potential - socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively and academically. Through growth in all of these domains, the child will become a healthy, capable, competent and powerful learner."
The report includes detailed appendices with statistics by county for number of children by age, ratio of children birth to 5 to Federal Poverty Level, number of children in known care by age group and county, high quality enrollment by program type and by county, programs and capacity by county and more.
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Child Care law effective July 1
 July 1, 2015, marked the effective date of the law enacted in 2014 that requires all child care providers that accept the taxpayer-funded Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy meet minimum health and safety requirements. Providers have had one full year to learn about standards and change their business models to ensure:- safe conditions in home or facility and in motor vehicles used to transport children;
- child-to-staff ratio and appropriate group sizes;
- nutritious snacks and meals are provided and drinking water is available at all times;
- daily activities, including active indoor and outdoor play and quiet time; and
- 12 hours of continuing education annually for caregivers.
Child care registered ministries that do not accept CCDF are not required to meet the above requirements. Child care homes that care for five or fewer unrelated children are also not required to meet requirements. Learn more about types of regulated child care or the requirements for CCDF.
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Submit a Bicentennial Project or
Nominate a Bicentennial Torchbearer
 The State of Indiana will celebrate its 200th birthday in 2016. Nonprofits are invited to get involved. - Submit a Bicentennial Project where your nonprofit organization may leave a legacy for the future in your community. View a sample of the projects already approved or submit your application for an official bicentennial project.
- Nominate a Torchbearer for the relay that will travel all 92 counties between September 9 and October 15, 2016. Deadline to nominate is December 31, 2015. Learn more.
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Indiana's Congressional delegation leading conversations about child nutrition, SNAP, work requirements and the cliff effect
In late June, members of Indiana's Congressional delegation played key roles in two committees reviewing important eligibility programs. If you want to see your members of Congress in action, click on the links to read their statements or view the recorded hearings.
 Both Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (2nd, R) and Congressman Todd Young (9th, R) were engaged with the Joint Hearing between Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Nutrition and Ways & Means' Subcommittee on Human Resources RE: Past, Present, and Future of SNAP: How Our Welfare System Can Discourage Work. During this rare joint hearing, members heard from policy experts and researchers but were perhaps most interested in the story shared by a client of an employment support program in Maryland, Chanel McCorkle. Her story illustrates the challenges of trying to obtain child care subsidies while working and wading through difficult application and eligibility processes. She shared how her upward mobility in wage increases may result in her being worse off from the loss of child care, SNAP and medical benefits before she is financially stable, aka the benefit cliff. Congressman Young expressed his support for allowing states flexibility in program implementation and looking to the community- and faith-based organizations for solutions. Block granting of SNAP was discussed.
Congressman Todd Rokita (4th, R) chaired the Education and the Workforce Committee hearing on Child Nutrition Assistance: Looking at the Cost of Compliance for States and Schools. During the hearing, Chairman Rokita shared his concerns about the nutrition requirements, citing food in trash cans he has observed in school lunch rooms. Indiana's media focused on a Blackford County School Board President's comments about "contraband" salt, pepper and sugar brought by students to improve the taste of school meals. Witnesses discussed their concerns about paperwork and specific nutrition requirements. While witnesses support healthy meals and the ability for schools to avoid stigma for children receiving "free or reduced lunch," they offered suggestions to reduce waste and compliance paperwork. They described the challenges associated with changing children's taste palates to improve the overall health of future generations. A Nutrition Director from Georgia shared some common sense strategies from her own school including holding recess before lunch, cutting fruit for children rather than serving fruit whole and providing whole wheat biscuits.
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 FSSA Hearing on HIP 2.0 on July 9
The Medicaid Advisory Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday, July 9, 10amET, to provide an enrollment update and to accept public comments on how HIP 2.0 implementation is going. See agenda for the meeting.
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 U.S. Supreme Court upholds tax credits for ACA Marketplace Plans
The health insurance markets remain stable, and about 200,000 Hoosiers may continue their plans, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell issued in late June. Many of Indiana's Republican leaders expressed their disappointment in the decision.
Most Hoosiers have either employer-based plans, Medicare or one of our state's Medicaid programs, including HIP. The total number of Hoosiers insured through the Marketplace is a small but growing fraction of the total insured. Who is enrolled in Marketplace plans?
- Most enrollees are over age 45, with 29% in the 55-64 age category. 35% of enrollees are under 35.
- Enrollees pay $120/month on average after tax credits and cost-sharing reductions, based on their incomes. Plans typically cost about $438/month.
- 88% receive some level of tax credits and/or cost-sharing reductions.
Healthcare stakeholders are gearing up for the third year of open enrollment into the Marketplace. Health insurance companies submitted their planned costs to the Indiana Department of Insurance for review. See this Courier-Journal article which outlines the changes in costs for 2016. Some premiums are decreasing, while others are increasing.
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 IaUW Public PolicyIaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on policies that are aligned with the impact work in local communities conducted by our 61 United Ways and United Funds.
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Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
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Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
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Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and
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Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.
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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.
Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region.
IN211.org - S earch 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.
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.
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Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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