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CSCs
strategically invest in primary prevention and early intervention
programs and services.
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FCSC News Update returns following the
2009 Legislative Session and our weekly Capitol Connection updates. FCSC News Update will continue to deliver
timely updates on news and events focused on Florida's children and the
work of the children's services councils. We encourage contributions
from our readers. Please enjoy!
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TOP STORIES
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Broward
CSC Hosts Governor Bill Signing
 Gov. Crist signed legislation May 14 at the Children's
Services Council of Broward County that benefits children in foster
care, as well as young people leaving foster care. SB 126 by Sen.
Paula Dockery (R-Polk) provides children in foster care better access
to their own personal records often needed for medical and educational
purposes. SB 1128 by Sen.
Nan Rich (D-Broward) ensures that disabled homeless children and
children in foster care receive appropriate educational services.
 SB 126 provides current
and former foster children, as well as foster parents and guardian
relatives, access to a child's personal records. Additionally, the
Department of Children and Families will be required to keep complete
and accurate records of children entering the foster care system
accessible until they reach their 30th birthday, making it possible for
former foster children to access their own information for education or
employment reasons to help them make a seamless transition to adulthood.
SB 1128 aims to
curb foster children from dropping out of high school and help speed
school enrollment. It also ensures that Florida's disabled homeless
children and children in foster care have a designated advocate to make
educational decisions on their behalf. Throughout the student's K-12
education, a representative of the school district, or a surrogate
parent appointed by the court will advocate for the child.
In addition to
several dignitaries in attendance, members of Florida Youth SHINE were
also present to the witness the bill signing. Florida Youth SHINE works
to ensure that the voices of youth are heard in public policy debates
to improve child protection and foster care services. The governor
credited the approval of the two bills, in part, to members of Florida
Youth Shine.
~ Photos
courtesy of Broward CSC
Worst to First Campaign Seeks Students' Help to Lead the
Charge for a Better Florida
 High school and college students from
around the state are invited to apply to become members
of the Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps, which will train youth
advocates to help improve the education system in Florida --
currently ranked among the lowest in the nation. One thousand
students will be selected for the Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps,
and will be invited to a gathering in Orlando (expenses paid
except for transportation). The youth training and
gathering is part of the "Worst to First"
campaign, which seeks to build partnerships among a broad constituency,
including parents, teachers, businesses, advocates, social service
providers, school administrators and students. More information will be
available soon on the Worst to First web site.
Federal Focus Turns to Health Care Reform
In February,
President Obama released his budget proposal, including $634 billion to
be set aside as a "down payment for health care reform."
Congress is now considering the President's health care
proposal/principles for reform, and is beginning the process of
formulating and moving legislation. Congressional leadership, including
Max Baucus, Ted Kennedy, Steny Hoyer, Henry Waxman, Pete Stark, Nancy
Pelosi, and Harry Reid, has indicated that a health care bill will be
drafted and passed out of committee by this summer.
Currently, the
relevant committees (Senate Finance, and Health, Education, Labor &
Pensions; and House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education
and Labor Committees) are intensifying their efforts to receive input
on various aspects of health care reform through both formal hearings
and informal meetings. The timeline for the legislation appears to be
as follows:
- April - May: Committee hearings and bill
drafting. The three committees in the House have said they will
work from one starting point, while the two Senate committees will
work separately on bills.
- June: Health-related committee markup,
amendments, and votes on health reform legislation.
- July: Health care bill introduced in the
House and Senate, and each body, respectively, passes health
reform legislation. (The three committees in the House have
pledged to have a health reform bill on the House floor before the
August recess.)
- August: House and Senate meet to create a
single version of health reform legislation in the form of a
"conference committee report."
- September: Action by House and Senate to
pass health reform legislation ("conference report").
Critical
components of the health reform proposals include:
- building on successful public programs like
Medicaid and CHIP, including increased eligibility for such
coverage (up to 275 percent for CHIP);
- strengthening key public programs by
simplifying enrollment, increasing provider reimbursement rates,
enhancing quality of care provisions, and improving preventive
screenings and treatments (EPSDT) for more children; and
- reforming the insurance market and creating
a health insurance exchange with a public health insurance option
to make it easier for individuals to get health insurance.
Medicaid is
considered critical for lower-income children and adults because it
provides extensive cost protections and comprehensive care for
low-income people, particularly children. Many consider it important
for low-income people who are currently served in Medicaid to stay
there rather than move into private plans that may not meet their
needs. Similarly, low-income adults who don't currently qualify for
Medicaid will need strong benefit and cost-sharing protections to
ensure that they are able to get the health care they need.
~ Sources: Health Care for America Now
(HCAN) and Families USA
Obama Machine Pushes Health Care Reforms
"President Obama's former campaign apparatus is cranking up a
full-tilt drive for passage of a health care overhaul this year, with
organizers tapping his 13-million-strong e-mail list for donations to
fund advertising, hire staff and even open election-style
offices," reports the Washington Times.
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LEGISLATIVE WATCH
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Crist
Signs Budget with Two Vetoes, Restoring State Pay
Saying the economy is on the upswing, Florida's
ever-optimistic Gov. Charlie Crist signed the state's $66.5
billion budget into law Wednesday, making two changes to the bill passed
by lawmakers.
The governor restored pay to state workers --
reversing the 2 percent pay cuts imposed by the legislature -- and he
vetoed the raids on the concealed weapons trust fund. Read story
in St. Petersburg Times blog,
The Buzz.
Florida CSC Provides Post-Session Update on Bills
Affecting Children
Since the
conclusion of the 2009 Regular Legislative Session (May 1), Gov. Crist
has received more than 150 bills for his signature. Of those, he has
signed 35 into law, some of which directly affect, or will have an
impact on, Florida's children and families. Florida CSC has compiled a
list of those bills, along with brief summaries. It is important to
note that the KidCare bill (SB 918) has not been presented to the governor yet.
However, it is expected that he will sign this important legislation
into law soon. Stay tuned.
Bills Signed by
Governor
- SB 126 -
Children/Confidential Records, by Sen. Paula Dockery - provides
children in foster care better access to their own personal
records often needed for medical and educational purposes.
- SB 1128 -
Education/Children in Shelter Care or Foster Care, by Sen. Nan
Rich - ensures that disabled homeless children and children in
foster care receive appropriate educational services.
- HB 381
Relating to Care of Children, by Nick Thompson - ensures that
grandparents and other relatives caring for children have an
increased opportunity to participate in proceedings and hearings
related to those children.
- HB 185 Relating
to Access to Health Care, by Matt Hudson - expands the Florida
Healthy Kids board by one with a representative from the dental
community; specifies provider arrangement contract prohibitions or
restrictions; prohibits prepaid limited health service
organizations from requiring specified contract continuation or
renewal conditions; and more.
- HB 285
Relating to Medicaid Low-Income Pool and Disproportionate Share
Program, by Rep. Jimmy Patronis -- Expands membership of Medicaid
Low-Income Pool Council; provides for composition of expanded
membership; designates council chair; provides restrictions on
specified appointments.
Bills Presented to
the Governor
- HB 7021 Open
Government Sunset Review Act Regarding Councils on Children's
Services and Juvenile Welfare Boards - provides a permanent
exemption for CSCs from public records requirements for personal identifying
information. The exemption protects a child's or family's personal
information held by a CSC or a service provider or researcher
under contract with a CSC.
- SB 1540
Relating to Zero-tolerance Policies/Schools, by Sen. Stephen Wise
-- Provides that zero-tolerance policies do not require the
reporting of petty acts of misconduct and misdemeanors to a law
enforcement agency; encourages school districts to use
alternatives to expulsion or referral to law enforcement agencies;
and more.
- SB 1840 Relating to Protecting
Health/Surcharge on Tobacco Products, Sen. Ted Deutch -- levies a
$1 surcharge on cigarettes, and requires that revenue be deposited
into the Health Care Trust Fund within the AHCA.
Florida Congressman Addresses Childhood Hunger
Congressman Allen
Boyd is in a unique position to help Florida's children, and has asked
for assistance from his colleagues in the Florida Congressional
delegation. From his position as a member of the Committee on
Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, Congressman Boyd will attempt to expand the
Afterschool Supper Program to Florida. He is preparing a Florida
delegation letter that should arrive later this week. Because this will
undoubtedly be a competitive endeavor, it will be important to have 100
percent of the Florida delegation sign on.
The Afterschool
Supper Program provides federal funding to serve meals at afterschool
and youth development programs that are located in low-income areas.
Florida has seen more than 400,000 new recipients added to the food
stamp roles - a 29-percent increase. At the end of 2008, Florida
led the nation for this dramatic growth, the largest jump in state
history. There is precedent for doing this through the appropriations
process. Currently, 10 other states receive federal reimbursement. The
effort is being spearheaded by Florida Impact, a statewide organization
working to eliminate hunger and poverty in Florida. The Florida CSC
policy team will be notified when the letter is completed and will
provide more details.
Bill Improves Juvenile Justice Delinquency and
Prevention Act
Congress will soon
reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act, which
has protected youth across the nation for more than 30 years. S. 678 by Sen.
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) strengthens and updates critical components of the
Act and makes meaningful improvements that expand several core
protections contained in the bill. In particular, it allows states to
initiate progressive juvenile justice reforms without jeopardizing
continued federal funding. More information, including a sign-on letter
in support of S. 678 can be found at the ACT 4 Juvenile Justice web
site, www.act4jj.org.
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CSC NEWS
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Dr. Judy Schaechter Named a Health Care
Hero
 Dr. Judy Schaechter,
former Children's Trust board member and past chair of the Health
Committee, was recently recognized as a 2009 Health Care Hero by the
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and its top Health Care
Professional. Schaechter is a pediatrician and Associate Chair for
Community Outreach, Department of Pediatrics at the University of
Miami. An original board member at The Children's Trust, Dr. Schaechter
was instrumental in advancing The Trust's HealthConnect initiative to
expand health care access and care to children in public schools. She
also serves as director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids-Miami, on
Florida's Children and Youth Cabinet, as a member of the governor's
Children's Advisory Council and as a board member of Healthy Kids. Her
work as a researcher and investigator for initiatives ranging from gun
violence prevention to child passenger safety has generated impact both
locally and nationally.
~ Excerpted from The
Children's Trust Bulletin email
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NET DATA
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Report
Projects Millions More Uninsured in 10 Years, Big Cost Increases for
Businesses and Individuals
As key congressional committees prepare to introduce landmark health
reform legislation, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report projects
that - if federal reform efforts are not enacted quickly and decisively
- as many as 65.7 million Americans could be uninsured within 10 years.
Read the report.
Zero to Three Releases Guide to Improving Public
Policies for Young Children
The Early Experiences Matter Policy
Guide is a set of tools for taking action and improving public
policies that impact the lives of infants, toddlers, and their
families. All of the materials in the toolkit are accessible
online, and web site visitors are encouraged to use and disseminate
them widely. The guide offers a wealth of policy options and strategies
to use in efforts to effect policy change for infants, toddlers, and their
families. It is organized into five sections and includes mini
policy briefs, practical tools, in-depth policy papers, and more. Learn more.
Informational Resources Available for Florida Foster
Youth
Florida's Children
First, Inc., has developed a series of resources available online that
can be used by foster youth and foster youth organizations. The
booklets cover a variety of issues faced by today's foster youth.
Topics include:
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EVENTS
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Seminar
Focuses on Early Social and Emotional Development
The Early Childhood Mental Health Committee of the
Pinellas Early Learning Coalition is sponsoring a seminar titled,
"Foundations of Early Social and Emotional Development Birth to
3." The event is scheduled for Friday, July 31, at the All
Children's Hospital Education Conference Center. Participants will
learn how to recognize behaviors that may indicate a mental health
problem in early childhood, identify at least three community resources
for young children with mental health issues, support healthy emotional
development for young children, and integrate infant mental health best
practices into practice settings. To register, or for more information,
visit www.faimh.org.
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