Progress Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The clock is ticking on federal funding that helps struggling parents with young children.

The Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program will expire in March unless Congress takes action. A coalition of 750 organizations, including 36 in Illinois, has sent a letter asking that the program continue as it has for decades...

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The Chronicle of Social Change

By John Kelly

Senate and House leadership received a letter today, signed by 750 organizations and local politicians, urging them to maintain a federal program meant to assist struggling young mothers and mothers-to-be.

The Home Visiting Coalition asked leaders in the letter to fund the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program at its current level of $400 million “in the lame duck session or as one of the first acts of the 114th Congress before the MIECHV program funding expires in March 2015...

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The $400 million allotted to the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program will end in March, unless Congress acts during the lame-duck session or in the early days of the new congress, says a group of more than 750 groups hoping to preserve the funding.

The program known as MIECHV was established in 2010 with an initial $1.5 billion budget and in March 2014, funding was extended for an additional year. It is administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and supports state and local programs to address issues such as school readiness, maternal health, and positive parenting. As the name suggests, these services are provided in a family's home, with the idea that the early support will pay dividends later. The Nurse-Family Partnership, based in Denver and operating in 35 states, andHome Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), which operates out of Little Rock, Ark. and serves children and families in 21 states and the District of Columbia, are two example of programs funded through MIECHV...

Contacts:
Ed Walz, First Focus Campaign for Children, 202-657-068
Brent Ewig, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 202-266-3041
Don Owens, Zero to Three, 202-302-5928

Washington – The national Home Visiting Coalition today sent a letter with more than 750 signatories to congressional leadership, urging timely action to extend funding for the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. MIECHV supports evidence-based home visiting initiatives that provide information, coaching and support for parents struggling to meet their children’s basic needs. The letter includes signatories from every state and four territories, including national, state, local and tribal organizations and elected officials. National signatories include the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Social Workers, National PTA, Prevent Child Abuse America, and the Salvation Army.

“We can’t keep making the same mistake over and over again – ignoring the problems children face until they get too big or too bad to manage,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the First Focus Campaign for Children, which is a member of the coalition. “Leaders from across the country are sending a clear message to Congress: act now and avoid costly problems later.”

As the letter highlights, decades of research show that home visiting can prevent and mitigate serious problems facing children and their families. These include poor birth outcomes like prematurity and low birthweight, and other problems such as child abuse and neglect and childhood cognitive disabilities. Research also shows that home visiting can improve school readiness and academic achievement.

Research also confirms that home visiting can deliver cost-effective responses to the problems facing children and families. A RAND Corporation report found that two evidence-based home visiting programs saved as much as $5.70 per dollar invested.

MIECHV has a track-record of bipartisan support. Federal funding for voluntary evidence-based home visiting initiatives was first enacted by President George W. Bush. These efforts were consolidated in 2010, under MIECHV. Since then, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Georgia governor Nathan Deal, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, and other state leaders have tapped MIECHV funding to support locally-focused home visiting initiatives. MIECHV supports home visiting initiatives in every state, the District of Columbia, all five territories, and with tribal organizations. MIECHV offers states considerable flexibility in the design and focus of their home visiting initiatives, while applying accountability requirements that ensure federal funding is used only for effective family supports.

“Continued funding for MIECHV should be a no-brainer for Congress. Thanks to this proven program, states are successfully leveraging resources to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families on the individual, community and statewide levels,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, a coalition member.

The letter urges lawmakers to prioritize home visiting funding in the lame-duck congressional session or early in 2015. MIECHV is currently funded at $400 million a year, but that funding will expire at the end of March 2015.

“Put simply, there is no better investment the public can make than in the long-term success of our babies and their families. The MIECHV program provides support to families when it matters the most – in their child’s earliest years. Working through states and local communities, MIECHV home visitors help parents nurture their children, building strong relationships that form the foundation for success in school and in life,” said Matthew Melmed, Executive Director of ZERO TO THREE®, a coalition member.

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The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. For more information, visit campaignforchildren.org.

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs is a national resource, partner and advocate for state public health leaders and others working to improve the health of women, children, youth and families, including those with special health care needs.

Founded in 1977, ZERO TO THREE’s mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. We achieve this by translating research and knowledge—specifically information about the kinds of early experiences that help babies and young children thrive.

Over 750 leading national, state, tribal, and local organizations and elected officials wrote to Congress to urge a funding extension of the bipartisan Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV program). Congress must act soon to extend the MIECHV program at its current annual funding level before it expires in March 2015. The MIECHV program has is proven to improve outcomes for vulnerable children, pregnant women, families, and taxpayers.

An updated letter was sent to Congress on March 3, 2015.

The Denver Post

By Bruce Lesley

Re: “Here’s what the new Congress should do,” Nov. 25 guest commentary.

Writers Hank Brown and Barry Jackson are right: Voters care about children’s futures. But Brown and Jackson’s policy agenda ignores children entirely.

What’s worse is that nearly every debate they mention — taxes, regulation, immigration reform, welfare reform, the federal budget, health care — matters for Colorado children. On health care, their exclusive focus on Obamacare ignores that federal funding will soon expire for Child Health Plan Plus, a bipartisan health plan that covers more than 125,000 Colorado kids...

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Washington — Today, the First Focus Campaign for Children, a national bipartisan children’s advocacy group, recognized Representative Karen Bass for her leadership on issues important to children during 2013.

“Lots of politicians talk about kids’ issues, but few back it up,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Campaign for Children. “Representative Bass delivered for kids.”

In selecting Champions and Defenders, the First Focus Campaign for Children noted leaders who introduced, co-sponsored, and voted for legislation to meet children’s needs. In addition, the organization considered Members who demonstrated extraordinary initiative by spearheading activities such as sponsoring hearings or garnering the support of their colleagues to improve the health and well-being of children. In recognizing Rep. Bass as a Champion for Children, the advocacy group cited her leadership on child abuse and neglect prevention and response.

The advocacy organization recognized as “Champions for Children” 50 Members of Congress for their extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America’s next generation. An additional 50 Members were recognized as “Defenders of Children” for their support of policies that advance the well-being of children. The 2013 Champions and Defenders are:

2013 Champions for Children

Champions for Children made extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America's next generation.

Senate

Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

House

Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA)
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX)
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY)
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL)
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX)
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. George Miller (D-CA)
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)
Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

2013 Defenders of Children

Defenders of Children supported efforts to advance policies to improve the well-being of America's children.

Senate

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

House

Del. Donna Christensen (D-VI)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)
Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Rep. David Joyce (R-OH)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)
Rep. Sandy Levin (D-MI)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI)
Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO)
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA)
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA)
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
Rep. José Serrano (D-NY)
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)

This is the Campaign for Children’s fourth annual class of Champions for Children. For more information about past honorees, visit www.ffcampaignforchildren.org.

The First Focus Campaign for Children places a priority on supporting legislators who stand by our nation's children. This ad recognizing our 2014 Champions for Children and Defenders of Children ran in the September 30, 2014, edition of Roll Call.

Washington – The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, sent a letter today urging members of the United States Senate’s Health, Labor, Education and Pensions (HELP) Committee to pass the Strong Start for America's Children Act (S. 1697). The proposal, introduced in November by HELP Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), would make quality pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) affordable for every child in America and strengthen early education by improving connections between child care, pre-K, and kindergarten. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman George Miller (D-CA) and Congressman Richard Hanna (R-NY), demonstrating a bipartisan commitment to ensuring that children enter kindergarten ready to learn.

“High-quality pre-K cultivates the ‘soft skills’ prized by employers, so this legislation gives today’s kids a better chance to compete in tomorrow’s economy,” said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

The legislation would make high-quality pre-K affordable by establishing a federal-state funding partnership similar in concept to the highly successful and bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program. It authorizes nearly $27 billion over five years in federal funding to support qualifying state pre-K initiatives. States receiving federal funds must ensure that high-quality pre-K:

• Is affordable – for all four-year-olds in families with annual incomes under 200 percent of the federal poverty level (about $23,500 for a family of four, in 2013);
• Works for all children – by establishing early learning standards that align with their K-12 education systems and are appropriate for the children they serve, taking into account their developmental, language, and cultural needs;
• Meets quality standards – like minimum staff qualifications, evidence-based maximum class size, child-to-staff ratios, and health and safety standards, and provides comprehensive services including nutrition, health screenings, physical activity opportunities, and opportunities to engage families; and
• Improves outcomes – though it prohibits states from relying on a single assessment, the bill requires that states report on their progress increasing school readiness, narrowing school readiness gaps between children of different races and incomes, and reducing special education placements.

The Campaign for Children also urged senators to reject amendments to block-grant early education initiatives. The letter cautions that block-grants are unnecessary, because the bill offers states considerable flexibility in the design and operation of their pre-K programs. It also warns that block grants would undermine efforts to ensure the safety and effectiveness of pre-K initiatives.

“If flexibility means pre-K initiatives aren’t safe or don’t work, kids aren’t getting what they need and taxpayers aren’t getting what they paid for,” said Lesley.

The letter also cautions against amendments to weaken the bill’s fundamental strengths. The first is the bill’s commitment to quality pre-K: teachers with college degrees and specialized training in child development; curricula that meet all of a child’s needs, including developmental, cultural, and language; small class sizes and settings that support and encourage learning; and “wraparound” services to ensure that empty stomachs, unmet health needs, and other problems aren’t standing in the way of kids’ development and learning. The second is a federal-state funding partnership that promotes both affordability and quality, but ensures that states take on a larger funding share over time.

Children who attend high-quality pre-K programs show improved academic achievement and are less likely to drop out of school, become teen parents, or be convicted of a crime later in life. But existing pre-K initiatives vary considerably in quality, and at an average cost of about $8,800 a year, high-quality private pre-K programs are out of reach for many families. Children in Latino families are much less likely than their peers to have access to affordable, high-quality pre-K.

“It’s about fairness – quality pre-K levels the playing field, especially for poor children, but it only works if parents can afford to enroll their kids,” said Lesley.

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The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. For more information, visit www.ffcampaignforchildren.org.

Strong Start HELP Letter This letter, sent to members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on May 13, 2014, urges them to vote to pass the Strong Start for America’s Children Act (S. 1697) out of committee with no significant changes. The letter outlines the numerous ways the bill would benefit children, why the federal government should invest in early education now, and important provisions of the legislation that should remain unchanged.