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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
FCSC Board of Directors Meeting
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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Special Session Comes to Abrupt End
Lawmakers
were back in Tallahassee Tuesday for a scheduled four-day Special
Session called by Gov. Charlie Crist. However, this session will go on
record as one of the shortest ever with the House adjourning by 12:51
p.m. Shortly thereafter, the Senate adjourned. The governor wanted
legislators to take up a proposed constitutional ban on offshore
drilling. However, the GOP-controlled Legislature refused to place the
measure on the ballot saying there had not been sufficient time to
fully assess the situation. Instead, House and Senate leadership said
they will wait until early September to hold another session to deal
with economic issues related to the oil spill disaster.
With nearly 30 bills filed as of Tuesday, ranging from
renewable energy to immigration, and yes, even the FCAT, it's clear
that lawmakers had ideas of their own. Rep. Sandy Adams filed a
resolution that called on the Legislature to "censure" the
governor for calling the special session in the first place, which she
said could cost the state $50,000 per day. CFO Alex Sink (and
gubernatorial candidate) also issued a letter listing incentives,
claims changes and environmental initiatives intended "to protect
Florida's economy" that she wanted addressed. Sink suggested the
need for property tax relief for businesses impacted by the oil spill,
as well as a temporary waiver of bed taxes to help the tourism industry
recover.
Judge Removes Redistricting
Amendment 7 from Ballot
Leon County Judge James Shelfer removed
redistricting-related Amendment 7 from the November 2010 ballot. Judge
Shelfer ruled that the Florida Legislature's proposed Amendment 7's
"failure to inform the public [was] clearly and convincingly an
attempt to hide the ball" about the measure's true aims. The
legislature put Amendment 7 on the ballot in response to redistricting
reform measures - Amendments 5 and 6 -- from FairDistrictsFlorida.org.
The citizen-driven amendments would require legislators to design
districts that are compact and do not give an advantage to an incumbent
or someone of a particular political party. Florida lawmakers must
redraw maps for legislative and Congressional districts every 10 years.
The suit against
Amendment 7 focused on the amendment's clarity. The attorney
representing the Florida House argued that Amendment 7 created
"additional standards that [went] with the standards that
presently exist." Opponents of Amendment 7 believe the amendment
would allow the legislature to bypass the provisions of FairDistricts's
proposed amendments. Ron Meyer, attorney for the Florida state NAACP,
argued that Amendment 7 "is nothing if not deceptive, if not
unintelligible...[the state legislature] could have...made [it] a very
simple, straightforward amendment....and they chose not to do that for
the very purpose of being able to hide the impacts." The Florida
Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal on Aug. 18.
FAN
Announces Lights on Afterschool Mini Grants
The Afterschool Alliance
will hold its annual Lights on Afterschool event Oct. 21, 2010. The
nationwide event highlights the importance of quality afterschool
programs in the lives of children and their families, as well as their
communities. To help raise awareness and encourage participation in
Florida, the Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) is again offering
mini-grants to local afterschool programs to help offset their event
costs. Local programs may submit a request for funds to assist in
covering expenses that would help increase the profile of their event.
Applications are due Aug. 27 by 5 p.m. Visit the FAN web site at www.myfan.org
for an application and details.
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CSC NEWS
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Editorial: The One Silver Lining to
Joe Negron's Bill
Let's face it. Kids aren't much of a political lobby. They
make adorable backdrops for speeches and press conferences (and for
certain NBA stars' self-serving career announcements ... LeBron James,
anyone?).
But when it comes to shaping policy in Tallahassee and
Washington, they aren't the ones whispering in our lawmakers' ears. So,
ironically, children were largely left out of the conversation this
spring, when state Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, pushed a bill requiring
Florida's children's services councils to wage political campaigns for
their own existence. Read more on
TCPalm.com.
Children's
Board Campaign Shines Light on Safe Sleep for Infants
Hillsborough
Family Court Judge Tracy Sheehan and Hillsborough County Sheriff's
Dept. Major Rob Bullara recently discussed safe sleeping tips for
infants and toddlers on "Studio 10," a local television
morning show. Their appearance supports a countywide public awareness
and education campaign developed by the Children's Board of
Hillsborough County in partnership with the Department of Children and
Families, Suncoast Region and the Healthy Start Coalition of
Hillsborough County. Click here
to watch the video segment, and others.
St.
Lucie CSC Grant Helps Ensure Children's Health
Grants from the CSC of St.
Lucie County and others are helping St. Lucie children get the
healthcare and screenings they need. St. Lucie HANDS, a nonprofit group
representing a partnership between local charities and health care,
social service and government agencies, started building a clinic in
February. HANDS (Health Access Network Delivery System) expects to open
to patients in October. The clinic is expected eventually to handle as
many as 2,000 patients. Beginning in September, HANDS volunteers will
perform pediatric dental screenings at local schools and preschools
thanks to two portable dental chairs purchased with a $13,000 grant from
the Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County. Read more.
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IN OTHER NEWS
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Rule Promulgation Begins for Early
Learning Bill
The signing of Early Learning bill -- SB 2014 -- requires
AWI's Office of Early Learning (OEL), along with the Department of
Education and the Department of Children and Families, to promulgate 30
new rules in addition to those rules already planned or in process.
During the promulgation process, there are opportunities for public
comment and input to assist with the development of these rules. OEL
has put together information related to the promulgation process, which
also identifies opportunities for public input and how to stay informed
of upcoming rule workshops. Questions related to the rule promulgation
process can go to Matt Guse in the AWI Office of Early Learning at
850-921-3165. Learn more about
stakeholder participation here.
Florida
Dead Last in Receiving Stimulus Funds Per Person
The independent,
non-profit, internet journalism organization Pro Publica has determined
that Florida is dead last among 50 states in receiving federal stimulus
money, when the money is calculated on a per-capita basis.
Pro Publica compiled the latest-available stimulus reports recorded by
the federal government's website www.recovery.gov,
plus thousands more reports on programs that use stimulus money that
doesn't get recorded in that website. The result, Pro Publica put
Florida's stimulus take at $16.8 billion so far. The Sunshine
State has about 18.5 million people according to the latest U.S. Census
estimate. That works out to $915 per person, according to Pro Publica.
That's the worst in the country.
Second worst:
Texas, with $22.6 billion in stimulus money and a population of just
over 24 million people. That's $931 stimulus dollars per person. On the
other end, Alaska easily received the most stimulus money per person.
With more than $2 billion in federal jobs aid awarded a state with just
under 700,000 residents, Alaska's take averaged $3,145 per person. Four
other northern states rounded out the top 5: South Dakota, Montana,
North Dakota and Vermont. The money all comes from the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was intended to funnel
money into state and local programs and projects to save or create
jobs. As with most states, Florida spent most of its money on two
years' worth of schools aid, and most of it went to retain teachers'
jobs. The numbers Pro Publica cited in their new report are all a bit
old, representing the second-quarter stimulus reports, through March
31. The third quarter reports will be released at the end of this
month.
Ballot
Initiatives in the States: The Bad News
In recent years,
Florida has seen its share of anti-tax initiatives that threaten human
services, as well as many other public service functions. A report
from the Citizens for Tax Justice describes how 2010 ballot initiatives
in several states, including Colorado, which repealed their Taxpayer Bill
of Rights, could prove devastating for children and families. Read the report.
State Medicaid Reforms Lead to Fewer Doctor
Visits
Northeast
Florida's Medicaid recipients are making fewer trips to the doctor for
chronic illnesses since state officials outsourced the
government-subsidized health insurance program to private managed care
companies, according to a recent article in Florida Times-Union. But it remains unclear from the
analysis performed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
whether they're healthier for it. Read the article.
Prescription
Drug Epidemic Spreads to Babies
Dr. Mary Newport
sees the symptoms more and more in the babies she treats: oddly stiff
limbs, severe tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, crying that never
stops. The common denominator: Their mothers were taking prescription
drugs, mostly painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin, and antianxiety
drugs like Xanax during pregnancy. Some of the moms had no idea these
medications would hurt their developing babies - after all, it's not
like it's heroin or cocaine, many think. The prescription drug
epidemic, well documented among teens and adults, now is claiming
victims before they are even born. Tampa Bay area doctors and addiction
specialists are reporting a dramatic increase in the number of pregnant
addicts and infants needing treatment for withdrawal from prescription
drugs. Read full story in St. Petersburg
Times.
Healthy
Kids Urges Parents to Add KidCare to Back-to-School List
This year, parents
should add an important item to their back-to-school checklist --
Florida KidCare health insurance for their children. "By adding
Florida KidCare health insurance, parents are providing the most
critical item that can help their children stay healthy and do better
in school," said Rich Robleto, executive director of Florida
Healthy Kids.
Each year, more
than 51 million school hours are lost to dental-related illness. In
addition, it is estimated that nearly 25 percent of school-age children
have vision problems, making it hard to read and understand their
assignments. Mental health disorders can also lead to school
difficulties, with the mental health of children as young as
kindergarten having a drastic affect on their future schooling and
adulthood.
Children enrolled in
Florida KidCare receive comprehensive health coverage including doctor
visits, check-ups, shots, surgery, prescriptions, vision and hearing
screenings, mental health care, dental check-ups, and hospital stays.
Many families pay $20 or less per month, but most pay nothing at all.
Full-pay options also are available for families with higher income
levels. Applying for KidCare is easy. Families can apply online at
their convenience by visiting www.floridakidcare.org.
To request an application by mail or for additional information, call
1-888-540-KIDS (5437).
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FEDERAL WATCH
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Fair Elections TV Ads Come to Florida
A new campaign to get big, special-interest money out of
national politics has made its way to Florida. The new TV ad campaign
features images scrolling on an iPad in support of the "Fair
Elections Now Act." Opponents of the bill say it would likely end
up using taxpayer money to support far-left or far-right candidates
with ideologies that could be offensive to some. Pollsters say
they have found majority support among Democrats, Republicans and
Independents. The bill would allow candidates to run their campaigns on
a blend of Fair Elections funds and small-dollar donations. Five
members of the Florida delegation, all Democrats, are among the 157
co-sponsors in the U.S. House and 21 in the Senate. See the ad at www.fairelectionsnow.org. The bill
is HR 1826 and S 752.
House
Passes Child Nutrition Act
Last Thursday, the
House Education and Labor Committee passed the Improving Nutrition for
America's Children Act by a vote of 32-13. The bill
includes an important expansion provision for the Child and Adult
Care Food Program (CACFP) -- five states will be able to offer an
additional meal or snack for reimbursement under CACFP. The bill also
includes important provisions to address nutrition and wellness, as
well as paperwork and administration of CACFP. For more details about
the bill, go to the Early Care and Education Consortium Federal Legislation web page.
~ Source: Early Care and Education
Consortium E-News
House
Subcommittee Bill Includes Increases for CCDBG and Head Start
The House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and
Education met last week to take the first step in considering funding
for child care and Head Start - programs for which the Administration
requested crucial increases in the Budget Proposal earlier this year. The
bill includes a $700 million increase for CCDBG and an $866 million
increase for Head Start. Even though this is not the full amount
requested by the Administration earlier this year, this is a huge
victory given the very difficult budget landscape in Washington, DC.
Now, the full House Appropriations Committee must meet and pass the
bill agreed to by the Subcommittee. This will likely occur in the
upcoming weeks. The Senate has yet to start work on their version of
the bill, but this is also expected in the upcoming weeks.
~ Source: Early Care
and Education Consortium E-News
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NET DATA
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Governor's Office Releases Child
Abuse and Permanency Plan
The Governor's Office of Adoption and Child Protection has
completed the "Florida Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Plan:
July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2015." The five-year plan for the
prevention of child abuse, abandonment and neglect, the promotion of
adoption, and the support of adoptive families, was developed in conjunction with almost 200
individuals statewide. Plan documents are available online at the Governor's web
site.
Report
Examines Federal Spending on Children
Since its
inception four years ago, Kids' Share, an Urban Institute-Brookings
Institution project, has tracked and forecasted federal investments in
children. The annual review has monitored how children have fared in
the federal budget during times of relative economic success and, in the
newest report,
how they have done during the most severe recession in recent times. A
striking pattern has developed, as the share of spending on children
has declined over the past four years, despite an influx of funds from
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act directed toward children and
their families. The new study continues to spotlight children's issues
at a time when policymakers are increasingly forced to choose between
funding for children and other priorities in the federal budget.
Ten
Ways to Promote Educational Achievement Beyond the Classroom
Many factors beyond the
classroom can affect whether children and youth succeed in
school. A new Child Trends brief, "Ten Ways to Promote
Educational Achievement and Attainment Beyond the Classroom,"
identifies 10 actionable goals involving non-school factors that can
affect educational outcomes. Influencing these goals has been proven
feasible because program evaluation research has found that effective
interventions already exist in each of these areas. Read the brief.
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EVENTS
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DCF Hosts Annual Dependency Summit
in August
Florida's annual statewide Dependency Summit, scheduled
for Aug. 24-26 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 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 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 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 Forum
The 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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