Children's Trust Policy Post
April 1, 2014
Children's Trust Marks 30 Years and Launches Child Abuse Prevention Month
News conference scheduled for Thursday, April 3, Noon, First Floor of the State House
Children's Trust of South Carolina will host a news conference at noon, Thursday, April 3 to commemorate 30 years of preventing child abuse and neglect in our state and to launch Child Abuse Prevention Month. 

 

Gov. Nikki Haley will join Children's Trust, recognizing the anniversary and child abuse prevention month with proclamations. Children's Trust will also be joined by child-serving professionals from across South Carolina.
 
Children's Trust encourages state leaders and child advocates to join them in pledging to be child abuse prevention partners. Gov. Haley is expected to be the first to sign the pledge.

 

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First-time Index Shows Children of Color at Heightened Disadvantage in South Carolina
Race for Results Identifies need to create more opportunity for success for all children
KIDS COUNT, Race for ResultsIn the first-time index and new KIDS COUNT� policy report, Race for Results: Building a Path to opportunity for All Children, South Carolina trails national levels. This new compilation shows South Carolina below national figures for its three largest racial and ethnic groups on how children are progressing on key milestones. The full report is available today.

The index is based on 12 indicators that measure a child's success for each stage of life, from birth to adulthood. Indicators measure education, poverty, family and health.

The report makes four policy recommendations to help ensure that all children and their families achieve their full potential:
  • Gather and analyze racial and ethnic data to inform polices and decision making;
  • Utilize data and impact assessment tools to target investments to yield the greatest impact for children of color;
  • Develop and implement promising and proven programs and practices focused on improving outcomes for children and youth of color; and
  • Integrate strategies that explicitly connect vulnerable groups to new jobs and opportunities in economic and workforce development. 
In addition to the Race for Results Index, the Casey's Foundation's KIDS COUNT Data Center has up to date and comprehensive national, state and local statistics on child well-being. Race for Results data for South Carolina is also available.
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Child Passenger Bill Introduced
Legislation would bring S.C. up to current national guidelines
Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-Beaufort) and others introduced H. 5004, the House companion bill to S. 823. The legislation updates child passenger safety law, bringing South Carolina up to current national guidelines on child passenger safety. Provisions include seating children less than 2 years old in rear-facing car seats, children less than 8 years old in booster seats and all children less than 13 years old in the backseat of the car. These provisions align with standards set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of accidental childhood fatality in South Carolina.

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Key Legislation for Children Make Progress
H 4408, adding additional members to the Child Fatality Advisory Committee, was passed by the House.  The bill now moves to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. 

H. 4347, the "South Carolina Children's Advocacy Medical Response System Act," was  enrolled for ratification after the House agreed to Senate amendments. The legislation will move next to Governor Haley to sign into law. This program, already functioning, coordinates and provides medical service resources to agencies statewide that respond to cases of child abuse and neglect.

H 3428, reauthorization of First Steps, was considered by the Senate K-12 Education subcommittee.  Much discussion focused on the readiness assessment -- what should be included and what agency is responsible for the assessment. Institute for Child Success has compiled a brief regarding comprehensive school readiness assessment

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Department of Social Services Oversight Hearings Continue in Senate  
S.C. Department of Social Services oversight committee hearings continued in the Senate last week along.  The agency also made its budget presentation to the Senate Finance Committee. The next oversight committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 16.  Director Lillian Kohler is expected to attend. 

 

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Congress Reauthorizes Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
Families will continue to receive prevention services across the country
Monday afternoon Congress passed the "doc fix" extension bill which included a six month extension of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. The House passed the bill last week, and it will now go to the President for signature. Congress will now have to consider a longer-term reauthorization of the program before March 31, 2015, the new expiration date.
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U.S. House Ways and Means Hearing Scheduled on the Maternal, infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
Chairman wants to ensure program is focusing on prevention
Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Washington, chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Ways and Means announced a hearing on the federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 2, in Room 1100 of the Longworth House Office Building. 

Witnesses, by invitation only, will include practitioners involved in providing home visiting services, a former recipient of these services, and experts on the effectiveness of home visiting programs.  However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing. Written testimony must be received by Wednesday, April 16. 

 

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Youth Violence Prevention Webinar Available
Webinar, scheduled for 2 - 3 p.m., Monday, April 7, will explore a public health approach to youth violence prevention
Children's Safety Network is hosting a  webinar to provide an overview of the magnitude and burden of youth violence.  It will explore how Centers for Disease Control is addressing current challenges in the public health approach to youth violence, effective existing prevention strategies, and directions for expanding the evidence for population-level impact. Immediately following the webinar, @ChildrensSafety and @CDCInjury will host a one hour Twitter chat to continue the discussion.  Join the conversation from 3-4 pm at #YouthViolence.

  

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Child Welfare News from Around the Country
An Ohio lawmaker introduces bill to stop "re-homing" of adopted children, raising the awareness of a new form of human trafficking.  Re-homing is when an adopted child is placed into a subsequent adoptive home, often without oversight of authorities. Child traffickers often take advantage of vulnerable, adopted children from another country or children with disabilities.
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Policy Post is published by Children's Trust of South Carolina.

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