Our approach must be comprehensive, and we must always ask the question, "What is it that we want for our children, and how can we accomplish it?" We must develop a national children's policy and we need to act now. The ABC initiative is the first step. Child care in this country is an ad-hoc collection of individual operators who have little connection to each other. Child care is hard to find, costly, and of uneven quality. And yet we have tolerated this non-system and allowed our children to be lost in the shuffle. From all we know about childhood development, young children need stability in their lives to feel secure. low child care provider wages foster a turnover rate of 40-60% How can children feel secure when each week they may have a different care giver? Yet The ABC bill not only makes child care more affordable for parents and encourages their involvement, but also insures minimum standards for providers and looks at ways to improve their wages. It's forward looking and an approach which views the development of children as an investment. The very best investment in our country's future. In the long term, we know that every dollar that is spent on early childhood care and education-such as Headstart-saves over $4 in reduced costs for unemployment, welfare dependency, and crime. And good early childhood programs are the best predictor in achievement, motivation, and commitment to learning. I am proud to say that Minnesotans know the value of an investment in the care and education of children. Since 1983, we have increased our sliding fee child care funds from $4 million to $26 million. Our Early Childhood Family Education Program is statewide and is a national model for parenting education. And last year we joined a handful of other states in commiting state resources to expand our Headstart program. Even with that, we're only meeting a fraction of the nead. The ABC bill will help Minnesota. It will help all states to create an environment where our children grow up safe, secure, supported, and nurtured. Legislative Update 1987 was a good year for Minnesota children Minnesota Extends Medicaid The 1987 Minnesota Legislature voted to give thousands of medically needy children and pregnant women of the state access to medical care. Prompted by the Minnesota Chapter of the AmerIcan Academy of Pediatrics, and the Children's Defense Fund, the Minnesota Legislature took a two-pronged approach to improving financial access to medical care for medically uninsured children. First, funds were appropriated to raise the Medical Assistance (Medicaid) income eligibility level by one-third. Prior to the increase, a family of three with a monthly income greater than 9496 (70 percent of the federal poverty level) could not qualify. Beginning July 1. 1987, such a family can qualify if they have a monthly income (after deductions) up to 8709 (100 percent of the federal poverty level). Pregnant women no longer have to report their assets. Their Medicaid applications will be processed in 15 instead of 60 days, and they can continue to receive Medicaid benefits until 60 days after birth without completing new income forms. About 16.000 children and 4.800 pregnant women will now be covered with this Medicaid expansion. Medicaid provides complete coverage for doctor and hospital bills, dentists. drugs, glasses, and other medical aervices. In contrast to Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). which does not provide health benefits until the seventh month of pregnancy. Medicaid provides health services the moment pregnancy is confirmed. Second, funds were apportioned to establish a new "Right Start" Children's Health Plan. Under this plan, pregnant women and children younger than six years who have gross family incomes less than 188 percent of the federal poverty level (81,434 monthly for a family of three), are eligible for outpatient prenatal and child health services through the Medicaid program. An estimated 5.700 preschool children and 1.000 pregnant women will be eligible for health services when this plan takes effect in July 1988. Users of the "Right Start" Plan must apply and pay an annual enrollment fee of 825 per child or 835 for a pregnant woman. Applications will be available in physicians offices and all local health and human services offices; the entire 20 application process can be completed by mail. Funding for these new initiatives totals approximately 822 million. The state's General Fund will contribute $14 million toward the Medical Assist ance eligibility expansion, and the "Right Start" program will collect one cent from the cigarette tax increase (expected to generate about 88 million). In addition, the legislation will bring about 817 million of federal matching funds to the state. Hungry Children For the first time, Minnesotans will help buy food for hungry children by allocating 81 million of state funds into the Women. Infants, Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program. An additional 1,200 to 1,500 children will be served by this program. Child Care Funding The Legislature appropriated 826 million for sliding fee child care, more than double the previous appropriation, so that 12,500 children per year will get child care subsidies. This program allows AFDC and other low income parents to go to school or work. Child Care Centers Nine community colleges and eleven Vocational-technical schools in the state were given funds by the Legislature to build or improve child care centers. Minnesota Pediatrician Fall 1987 Parental Leave New state legialation will allow parents who work at least 20 hours a week and have been on the job at least 12 months up to six weeks of unpaid leave when a child is born or adopted. Companies with 21 or more employees at a single work site must offer the leave. Minnesota is the first state in the nation to Include fathers in such a plan. Minimum Wage Low minimum wages were a major contributor to child poverty. Under new state legislation. 145,000 to 200,000 minimum wage workers will have wage increases of 13 to 17 percent by 1990. Tax Reform Child poverty will shrink because 125,000 low income Minnesotans will no longer owe Income taxes, and hundreds of thousands more will have taxes reduced. Automobile Occupant New state legislation amended the old Occupant restraint law to impose a 825 fine on any driver failing to buckle children under the age of four years into child restraint seats. |