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Washington – A provision added to a new mental health reform bill provides easier access to comprehensive health services for children who receive care at in-patient psychiatric and mental health centers, creating better continuity of care for those children.The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act  (H.R. 2646) was first drafted in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Long stalled in Congress, today it passed unanimously with modest revisions.In a notable step forward, Section 206 of the bill allows children receiving Medicaid-covered inpatient psychiatric hospital services to be eligible for the full range of Early...

Los Alamos Daily Post4/28/16WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham introduced legislation to ensure stable and increased federal funding for emergency food banks that distribute food to communities throughout the state.Lujan Grisham drew attention to the need for the funding last month at a food distribution site at Pajarito Mesa.As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Lujan Grisham voted for the 2014 Farm Bill that dedicated money for food purchases, along with $100 million a year for food banks to distribute food to communities. But the distribution money is usually whittled down to about $50 million...

Washington – The House’s version of a bill that funds children’s food programs – both in and out of school – puts kids’ access to food programs at risk and weakens nutrition standards that help children thrive.In a letter to House Education and the Workforce Committee Members last week, First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, strongly stated its opposition to the Improving Child Nutrition Education Act of 2016 (H.R. 5003) introduced by Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind.“Contrary to its title, the House’s nutrition bill detracts, rather than improves, child nutrition standards and access to healthy foods...

Los Alamos Daily PostBy Chris Clark3/23/16WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District introduced legislation today to help hard-working families save for college.At a time when 70 percent of graduating seniors have an average student loan debt of $28,950, the Save for Success Act reforms the American Opportunity College Tax Credit (AOTC) to increase its impact and encourage saving for college.Created in 2009, the American Opportunity College Tax Credit allows families with college expenses to receive a $2,500 tax credit for a student’s first four years of post-secondary education, for a total credit of $10,000. This assistance, however, only...

Ways & Means Committee Democrats3/16/16Today, Ways and Means Republicans will vote to end the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) – a policy created under President Reagan that had Republican support for years – which plays an important role in providing child care for Americans working to stay out of poverty, preventing child and elder abuse, and helping seniors and people with disabilities to live independently.Former Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp even supported it, until he didn’t: “Cutting funding for services that keep people in their communities and out of expensive institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes is...

Office of U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema3/11/16Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09) and Congressman John Katko (NY-24) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to help Arizona families prepare and save for parenthood.The Working Parents Flexibility Act allows an individual and his/her employer to contribute pre-tax income to a Parental Leave Savings Account, similar to a health savings account. Earnings on the account are not taxed and can be withdrawn tax-free by the owner during the first year of parenthood.“Many parents are unable to take advantage of unpaid leave, because they simply cannot afford to go without pay for any length of...

The Queens Gazette2/24/16The Child Care Access to Resources for Early-Learning (CARE) Act, which would expand access to affordable, quality child care for hardworking American families, has been introduced in Congress by Congressman Joseph Crowley.The lawmaker, Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, said that the bill, backed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a wide variety of advocacy organizations, would ensure that both parents and child care providers have the resources they need to ensure high quality early care and learning for children under the age of 4.Crowley (D–Queens/The Bronx) stated: “When the cost of child care exceeds tuition ...”

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