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Dates
to Watch
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July
26, 2010
Voter registration
deadline
Primary Election
July
29, 2010
Children &
Youth Cabinet Meeting
Clearwater
August
10, 2010
FCSC Executive
Board Meeting
Broward CSC
August
24, 2010
Primary Election
Voter registration
deadline
General Election
November
2, 2010
General Election
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Send Me More
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CSCs
strategically invest in primary prevention and early intervention
programs and services.
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DCF Launches New Online Course
Based on FAN Standards
The
Department of Children and Families Child Care Services Program Office
is offering a new four-hour course, Quality Self-Assessment and
Improvement for Afterschool Programs. The course, based on standards
developed by the Florida Afterschool Network (FAN), provides
afterschool programs with the tools needed to evaluate the quality of
their operations and develop effective program improvement plans. To
access the course,
go
to www.myflorida.com/childcare
and select "Training Information."
FAN
is a grant project funded by the Stewart Mott Foundation with matching
funds from Children's Services Councils across the state.
Congratulations to FAN for this outstanding achievement, and continuing
to improve the quality of afterschool programs in Florida.
Florida
Awaits BP Budget Fallout
Florida could
become the first of the Gulf states to call a special legislative
session to address problems caused by the BP oil spill. State leaders
appear increasingly supportive of meeting next month to discuss
emergency response measures, including property-tax relief for those
affected by the disaster and a possible constitutional amendment to ban
offshore oil drilling. Read more at stateline.org.
State
Budget is Dependent on Lost Funding
For the state budget, it
might be all downhill from here. The $70-billion spending plan for the
coming fiscal year, which started July 1, relies in part on billions of
dollars of federal stimulus money that might not be available next
year. It also doesn't account for the potential sales and property tax
fallout from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or other financial
challenges that could squeeze the budget lawmakers will wrestle with
after this year's elections. In all, the state's revenues could fall as
much as $6 billion short of funding "critical needs," that
is, the natural growth in state programs, as well as other
high-priority items. One advocacy group calls the possible shortcoming
a "perfect storm." Read more in the Florida
Times-Union.
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CSC NEWS
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Palm Beach CSC Announces Quality
Child Care Campaign for Local Children
The CSC of Palm Beach County and its partners have
launched a campaign highlighting Quality Counts, a star-rating system for child care
providers that gives parents the information they need to choose a
program that's right for their family. The voluntary early care and
education system works with local providers to enhance child care so
children are eager and ready to learn when they enter kindergarten.
Child care providers are given incentives to join the program and are
supported by a cadre of early childhood education experts. Today, more
than 160 Palm Beach County providers, with the capacity to serve
13,300-plus children, are part of Quality Counts. Of those, 95 percent have earned a 3-star
designation or above. Twenty
percent of the sites have achieved the prestigious 5-star status. Learn more.
Also, as part of the local launch, a television PSA has also been
created. To view the television PSA, click here.
~ Submitted by Palm Beach CSC
Palm
Beach CSC Staff to Present at Statewide Dependency Summit
Three Palm Beach
CSC staff members will be presenters at a summit in Orlando hosted by the
Florida Department of Children and Families. Lisa Williams-Taylor,
Lance Till and Bryan Lindert will present, "Feel Good or Do Good?
Choosing Programs that Work," at the 2010 Dependency Summit,
Aug. 24-26. Williams-Taylor is a planning and policy analyst; Till,
systems manager; and Lindert, child abuse prevention manager. Florida's
annual statewide Dependency Summit provides an opportunity for child
welfare professionals throughout the state to share best practices and
continue the advancement of child welfare practice in Florida. Upward
of 1,000 attend the annual conference.
~ Submitted by
Palm Beach CSC
 Broward
CSC Helps Youth in Foster and Relative Care Build on Their Dreams
Anthony Smith
never imagined it would "go down" this way. After struggling in
school, he entered Broward's successful Drop Back In program. It took
lots of hard work, but after several years, he received his GED
certificate along with valuable life skills. He never doubted his
abilities, but what he didn't count on was the pomp and circumstance.
Last month,
Anthony was one of more than 50 students from relative and foster care
-- many of whom participate in the CSC of Broward County-funded Future
Prep programs -- who strode across the stage at the Broward College
South Campus Auditorium during the annual Build on Your Dreams
ceremony. The event honors middle, high school, college, voc/tech
graduates in addition to GED recipients. Sen. Nan Rich and Rep. Ari
Porth led a crowd of friends, case workers and supporters who cheered
as each graduate received a diploma honoring their extraordinary
accomplishments.
~ Submitted by Broward CSC
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IN OTHER NEWS
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Florida Ranks Second Among States
with Most Uninsured
Florida ranked second in the nation for the number of
residents lacking health insurance in 2009, according to a survey by
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The National Health
Interview survey found that 19.3 percent of Floridians had
no health coverage at the time of the survey, compared to a 15.4
percent national average. Only Texas was higher, at 24.6 percent.
Of the insured
Floridians in the under-65 age group, 21.1 percent were covered by
public plans, such as Medicaid or Healthy Kids. Florida's rate of
uninsured kids wasn't as bad, at 13.1 percent, but it was still far
below the national average of 8.2 percent and the third-worst in the
nation. With so many children covered by public programs, less than
half of Florida's children had private health insurance. Read more in
the Tampa Bay
Business Journal.
Florida
Gets $11.5M Bonus for Food-Stamp Program
Florida was again
named the best in the nation for food stamp payment accuracy and also
earned the distinction for the most improvement in correctly handling
benefit denials and closures. The U.S Department of Agriculture
announced that the diligent work of Florida Department of Children and
Families (DCF) employees has earned the state a bonus of more than
$11.5 million. Florida's bonus was the highest of any state, accounting
for 39 percent of the awards nationally. It is the largest bonus ever
awarded to a state for such excellence since the USDA bonus program
began in 2003.
"Today's
federal bonus announcement recognizes the meaningful and significant
efforts our Department is making to ensure Floridians are provided the
service and attention they deserve," DCF Secretary George Sheldon
said. "It is a tremendous honor to hold the number one spot
two years in a row in such a complex program, and it is a true
reflection of the tireless efforts of our employees." Read more.
Jim
Stringfellow: By Kindergarten it's Too Late to Save At-Risk Children
I wish that every
local taxpayer could read K.C. Walpole's May 17 Speaking Out. Walpole,
who knows whereof he writes, makes a clear case correlating our area's
growing crime and incarceration rates with our high school failure
rates.
Like you, I open
the paper every day to section B and read of the latest local young
adults who are in serious trouble. Recently, a team from the Department
of Juvenile Justice, Department of Children and Families and the school
administration met to analyze the school experiences of 102 of the most
recent young criminal offenders. The results of the study showed that
these offenders, as elementary school children, could have been picked
out of school and tagged as "doomed to fail." Read more in
the Gainesville Sun.
OPPAGA
Report Says Redirection for Juvenile Offenders Saves Florida Millions
A report issued by the
Office of Program and Policy Analysis says that the Redirection
Program, a community-based, family-centered alternative, has saved
Florida $51 million by operating at a lower cost than residential
juvenile delinquency programs. Redirection also has achieved better
outcomes. Youth who successfully completed the program were
significantly less likely to be subsequently arrested for a felony or
violent felony, adjudicated or convicted for a felony, or sentenced to
prison after treatment than similar youth who completed residential
commitment programs. The Redirection Program receives just a fraction
of the funding spent on incarceration of youth at commitment centers -
and funding for the program is unlikely to increase any time soon. Read the full
report.
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FEDERAL WATCH
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Feds
Launch HealthCare.gov Web Site, Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
Also Available
Last week, the federal government launched HealthCare.gov,
a "one-stop shopping place for health insurance." The web
site is meant to guide consumers through the process of securing
health insurance. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) announced the establishment of a Pre-existing
Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) that will make available coverage to
uninsured Americans (including children) who have been unable to
obtain health coverage because of a pre-existing health
condition. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, or High
Risk Insurance Pool, will be administered either by a state or by the
HHS, and will provide a new health coverage option for Americans who
have been uninsured for at least six months, have been unable to get
health coverage because of a health condition, and are a U.S. citizen
or are residing in the United States legally.
Florida is one
of 20 states that will not administer its own high-risk pool. Gov.
Charlie Crist, expressing concern that it might cost Florida money to
set up its own plan, opted to leave it to the federal government. HHS
has contracted with the Government Employees Health Association --
the longtime insurer for federal employees -- to administer the plan.
Florida residents can go to healthcare.gov to get more
information, and be linked to a sign-up page. A phone number will be
available later for those lacking Internet access. Those who apply by
July 15 will get coverage starting Aug. 1.
HHS
Announces Funding for the Support of Pregnant and Parenting Teens and
Women
The Department
of Health and Human Services' Office of Public Health and Science
announced that it will begin accepting applications for the Pregnancy
Assistance Fund. Created by the Affordable Care Act, the competitive
grant program will provide pregnant and parenting teens and women a
seamless network of supportive services to help them complete high
school or postsecondary degrees and gain access to health care, child
care, family housing, and other critical support. In addition,
states can use the funds to combat violence against pregnant women.
This $25-million-per-year program will provide much needed financial
assistance for states and communities across the country to provide
supports for pregnant women and teens.
Key
stakeholders, such as institutions of higher education, high schools,
community organizations, and State Attorneys General offices, are
identified in the legislation as potential partners for program.
Programs will be tasked with connecting families to the supportive
services they need and ensuring a focus on important outcomes such as
graduation rates, maternal and child health outcomes, and parenting
skills.
The Act
appropriates $25 million for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2019
for the purpose of awarding competitive grants to states and Indian
tribes or reservations. It is anticipated that up to 25 grants
in the amounts of $500,000 - $2 million per year will be awarded. The
application deadline is August 2, 2010. For more information on this
funding opportunity announcement, visit: www.hhs.gov/ophs/oah/prevention/grants/announcements/index.html.
ZERO
TO THREE Releases Policy Brief on TANF Program
As Congress
considers reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program, knowledge about early childhood and brain
development can help to shape a new course for public policy affecting
young children and their families who are in poverty. Programs and
policies targeted to families in poverty have the potential to not
only raise families out of poverty, but also effect lasting change on
the developmental trajectory of a young child. With TANF scheduled to
be reauthorized this year, there is an opportunity to refocus the
lens on this program and place greater emphasis on healthy
development and better, longer lasting outcomes for both parents and
children. Read the policy
brief.
Federal
Policy Update
The House of
Representatives is now providing direction for next year's federal
budget, with troubling implications for important infant-toddler
programs. Instead of the usual five-year Budget Resolution, the House
is planning to move a measure setting discretionary spending levels
only for FY 2011. Responding to the concern over the federal budget
debt and deficit, House leaders are projecting that total
discretionary funding (funds available for annual domestic appropriations)
will be $15 billion below the amount in the President's budget, which
already capped total spending at the FY 2010 level.
While the budget
blueprint merely sets the top line amount for all spending, not
individual program allocations, such a cut in total funds could have
negative ramifications for maintaining the increases included in ARRA
for programs such as Head Start/Early Head Start and child care. The
Senate is expected to adopt the House's tactic of a one-year
resolution (referred to as a "deeming resolution"),
although not necessarily with such deep cuts. The Senate previously
reported a Budget Resolution out of Committee with a funding cap $4
billion below the President's proposal.
Funding levels
notwithstanding, the upcoming midterm elections means final action on
appropriations may not take place until well after November. Members
of Congress will need to hear about priorities from their
constituents as they campaign. Broad-based and vocal public support
for investments in early childhood services is critical to
maintaining gains from ARRA funding.
~ Source: ZERO TO THREE, The Baby
Monitor
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NET DATA
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Fiscal Policy
Group Publishes Primer on Florida Budget
The Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy has
published a primer on Florida's state budget to provide Floridians
with a better understanding of the budget and tax policy that
provides the revenue for the budget. The primer is intended to make
complicated fiscal information understandable to the average citizen
and help them become more engaged in the policymaking process. Download the
26-page report here.
Early
Learning Guidelines and School Readiness
Child Trends' new paper, A Review of
School Readiness Practices in the States: Early Learning Guidelines
and Assessments, discusses state Early Learning Guidelines
and statewide school readiness assessments administered in
kindergarten. The brief emphasizes the importance of early learning
for children's development, and provides policy considerations for
developing and utilizing school readiness assessments at the state
level.
Linking
Early Childhood and a Productive Workforce
The Society for Human Resource Management and the Partnership for
America's Economic Success published a new brochure, Meeting the
Workforce Needs of the Future Means Meeting the Developmental Needs
of Young Children Today. The brochure includes data that
reinforces the fact that the current labor force does not meet
today's business needs. It also provides evidence that investment in
early childhood education is the best way to improve the nation's
workforce and economy.
Health Reform:
How Children Will Be Affected
A new series of brief reports funded by the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation explores the effects health reform will have on
consumers, state governments, the economy and health care costs. The
latest reports look at how different groups of health care consumers
will be affected, including children. Read the brief
about children. See the complete series.
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EVENTS
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One Goal Summer
Conference Celebrates 24 Years, Set for July 21-23
The
annual One Goal Conference is scheduled for July 21-23, 2010, at the
Hyatt Regency Tampa City Center. The conference brings together more
than 1,000 early education and care providers and leaders from around
the state. It is designed to share information on best practices in the
field and to build common frameworks of knowledge and understanding to
assist in unified planning for young children and their families. In
addition to getting up-to-date information on best practices and access
to outstanding workshops, participants can network and exchange ideas
with their peers. To learn more, or to register, go to: www.onegoalsummerconference.org.
DCF Hosts Annual Dependency Summit in August
Florida's annual statewide Dependency Summit, scheduled
for Aug. 24-26, 2010, in Orlando, is an exciting opportunity for child
welfare professionals to share best practices and continue the
advancement of child welfare practice in Florida. At the Summit, child
protective investigators, Community-Based Care administration and case
management staff as well as judges, general magistrates, Children's
Legal Services attorneys, law enforcement, medical and mental health
providers and child advocates join together to benefit from increased
coordination, communication and creativity amongst their fields. The
event is structured to allow for multidisciplinary workshops, meetings
by profession and planning sessions for local child welfare
representatives. Last year, the Dependency Summit set the record for
convening the largest number of child protection professionals for
basic and advanced training in serving children at risk and families in
crisis. To learn more, or to register, go to: www.dcf.state.fl.us/initiatives/dependency.
23rd Annual National Independent Living Conference -
Growing Pains 2010
Scheduled for Sept. 7-10, 2010, in National Harbor, MD,
"Growing Pains 2010" is a must-attend event for youth service
professionals, independent living professionals and youth ages 15+.
Presenters include top leaders and experts in the field of independent
living. The national youth conference consists of special sessions
dedicated to the needs of youth who are currently in care. These
include training sessions, workshops, panel discussions and
leadership/team building activities. Click
here for more information.
11th International Conference on Shaken Baby
Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma
The 11th International Conference on Shaken Baby
Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma has been set for Sept. 12-14, 2010, in
Atlanta, GA. The highly successful conferences held every other year
focus on four areas of expertise; legal challenges in SBS cases,
evidenced and creative prevention programs and initiatives, the latest
medical information and research, and support and rehabilitation for
families and victims of shaken baby syndrome including rehabilitation
and continuum of care issues. For questions regarding the conference,
please contact Danielle Vazquez, Conference Coordinator, at (801)
627-3399 or email her at dvazquez@dontshake.org.
Fourth Annual Kinship Care Conference
Conference dates are set for Sept. 17-18, 2010, in Ocala.
The conference will focus on raising awareness of the complex issues
faced by relative caregivers including discipline, substance abuse,
grief and loss, legal issues, mental health, and domestic violence.
Registration and information is available on the web site: www.kidscentralinc.org.
Chamber Hosts Future of Florida ForumThe Florida Chamber
of Commerce and the Florida Chamber Foundation will host the
2010 Future of Florida Forum October 11-13 at Walt Disney World's Yacht
& Beach Club in Orlando. The forum provides a tremendous
opportunity for child advocates to collaborate with Florida's business
leaders on making strategic investments in children - Florida's future
workforce. Sessions will be led by members of the newly formed caucuses
focusing on the Six Pillars of Florida's Future Economy - Talent Supply
& Education, Innovation & Economic Development, Infrastructure
& Growth Leadership, Business Climate & Competiveness, Civic
& Governance Systems, and Quality of Life & Quality Places. Learn
more.
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