Voices applauds child investment in Obama’s budget

President Obama today released his proposed federal budget, and Voices was pleased to see many investments in child well-being, particularly in education. Obama’s blueprint includes $30 billion to modernize at least 35,000 schools and another $30 billion to help states and localities retain and hire teachers and first responders, proposals that first appeared in the administration’s American Jobs Act. We’re also happy to see increases of $85 million for Head Start and $825 million for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, which helps low-income families afford child care.

Given the political climate now and the fact that this is an election year, this budget will probably find little traction on Capitol Hill. But Voices is eager to weigh in on the child investments in the Obama budget nonetheless. This is a key time for deciding the future of the increasingly strapped federal budget, and we must speak up now to protect our investments in the next generation and bolster families still struggling in the wake of the recession. Read our press release.

“Strong Start” aimed to prevent premature births

A new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services program aimed at reducing the number of preterm births will offer up to $43 million to agencies and organizations to develop enhanced prenatal care programs, the Department of Health and Human Services announced this week.  The “Strong Start” initiative is designed to fund services for 90,000 Medicaid beneficiaries over three years.  It will test three approaches, including group prenatal care, case management at birth centers and coordinated services at maternity care homes.

Premature birth is defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation.  Babies born prematurely are a growing public health problem with significant consequences for families and an estimated cost to society of at least $26 billion each year.  HHS claims that more than 500,000 infants are born prematurely in the United States, “a trend that has skyrocketed by 36 percent over the last 20 years.”

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Kids chat on Twitter today!

Join others who care about child well-being today in a chat about kids’ issues on Twitter! Our friends at Common Sense Media will host a Twitter chat on how the election season has neglected child and family issues, and what we can do. Click here to join the chat at 11:00 am PT!

Our recent report shows that while the candidates are always talking about “a better future for our kids,” only 2 percent of the discussion at the presidential debates has been on kids’ issues. What should the candidates be talking about? Tell us by signing into the tweet chat, or simply drop by and see what others are saying!