MISSOURI NEWS

Partnership for Children’s 2009 Policy Agenda

We’ve made our list. We’ve checked it twice. And in 2009, nothing but making children and youth Missouri’s highest priority will suffice!

Partnership for Children’s MO policy agenda for 2009 includes several legislative and budget initiatives to promote children’s health, safety, and education, including:

• outreach for the state children’s health program;
• promoting healthy lifestyles to combat childhood obesity;
• expanding access to safe, quality, and affordable child care;
• and reducing high school drop-outs.

View PFC’s complete 2009 agenda online.

KANSAS NEWS

State looks at new ways to ensure equal treatment for Kansas children

Last week, Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced a new effort, under the direction of the Health and Human Services Subcabinet team, to assure racial and ethnic equity is a standard outcome across all Kansas child welfare and juvenile justice programs. Don Jordan, Subcabinet Chair and Secretary of Social and Rehabilitation Services, will lead this initiative.

Governor Sebelius stated that, “Kansas must determine what is necessary to reduce the over representation of African American and Hispanic children and youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Regardless of their racial background, children must receive the services needed to ensure safety in their home, timely permanency when removed from the home and positive well-being at every service point.”

Sebelius also indicated that efforts to reduce poverty and provide supports for low-income working families would also have an added benefit of reducing contact with law enforcement and the courts. 

The Governor’s Health and Human Services Subcabinet team will be comprised of representatives from the Departments of Social and Rehabilitation Services; Health and Environment; Aging; Corrections; the Juvenile Justice Authority; Kansas Health Policy Authority; and the Federal Grants Office. The team will partner with agency officials, community leaders, experts and advocates to:

• Understand the nature and causes of disproportionality in our state;
• Understand the role poverty plays in contact with the child in need of care and juvenile justice systems in Kansas;
• Identify jurisdictions that face particularly large issues of racial inequality in child welfare and juvenile justice programs;
• Identify approaches to address these issues.

The Subcabinet team plans to work closely with Representative Melody McCray-Miller (D-Wichita) and other legislative leaders who have been working on this issue specifically within the juvenile justice system, and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor’s office in the fall of 2009.

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NATIONAL NEWS

New Federal Rule Allows States to Charge Medicaid Beneficiaries Premiums, Higher Copayments

A new federal rule allows states to charge Medicaid beneficiaries premiums and higher copayments for physicians' services, hospital care and prescriptions drugs.  The rule implements a law signed by President Bush in 2006.

The rule allows states to implement a sliding scale for premiums and co-pays, the total of which cannot exceed 5% of a family's income. For Medicaid beneficiaries with incomes at or below the federal poverty level ($17,500 for a family of three), states can require co-pays of up to $3.40 for a physician visit or other services. For Medicaid beneficiaries with incomes between 100% and 150% of the poverty level, states can require beneficiaries to contribute up to 10% of what the state pays for a service. States can require beneficiaries with incomes above those levels to contribute up to 20% of what states pay for a service.

The Bush administration estimated that over five years Medicaid beneficiaries will pay more than $1.3 billion in co-pays. Estimated five-year savings will total $1.4 billion for the federal government and $1.1 billion for states as a result of the co-pays and reduced services. According to the Congressional Budget Office, about 13 million low-income U.S. residents, or about 20% of Medicaid beneficiaries, will encounter new or higher co-pays.

The Bush administration noted that "some individuals may choose to delay or forgo care rather than pay their cost-sharing obligations."  The administration notes that this rule will allow states greater flexibility that will protect programs from cutbacks in times of tight state budgets.  Center on Medicaid & Medicare Services spokesperson Jeff Nelligan stated that “states are in the best position to determine the appropriate levels of cost sharing. This rule gives states more tools to help slow spending growth, while maintaining needed coverage, which was the intent of Congress." 

However, opponents of the new rule say that if low-income individuals delay or forgo care it could result in more serious and costly health problems in the future.  The rule has been opposed by such groups as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association for Home Care and AARP who say that higher copayments will make it increasingly difficult for low-income children, homebound people and older U.S. residents to receive necessary care.

Too Many Children Still Lack Health Coverage

Last week, Families USA released a report entitled, “Left Behind:  America’s Uninsured Children.” This report highlights that 8.6 million children lack health coverage in the United States.  

The new report spotlights the following facts about uninsured children:

• One in nine children in America is uninsured.
• Uninsured children come from working families. The vast majority of uninsured children—88.2 percent—come from families where at least one parent works.
• The five states with the largest number of uninsured children are Texas, California, Florida, New York, and Georgia. Together, the uninsured children in these five states account for nearly half of all uninsured children in the country (48.3 percent).

According to Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, SCHIP expansion legislation vetoed last year by President Bush "would have provided much-needed relief to uninsured children across the nation." Pollack added that Congress should pass a proposed economic stimulus package that includes additional money for state Medicaid programs because states "need to expand health coverage at a time when their budgets are increasingly precarious, so increased federal help is essential"  In addition, Pollack said Congress should reauthorize SCHIP, which is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009.

Both Missouri and Kansas saw an increase in the number of uninsured children over a three year period.  In Missouri, the number of uninsured children spiked from 122,000 between 2004-2006 to 135,000 between 2005 -2007.  In Kansas, 51,000 children lack access to health care, up from 49,000 during the previous time period. 

For more specific data related to Kansas and Missouri, visit:  http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/publications/reports/left-behind-report-intro.html

Ten Years Later:  Tobacco Settlement Spending on Prevention Programs

It has been 10 years since the states reached more than $246 billion in legal settlements against the tobacco industry. Since then, the states have failed to keep their promise to spend a significant portion of funds on programs to protect kids from tobacco and help smokers quit, according to a report released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

According to the report, A Decade of Broken Promises, the states have received $203.5 billion in tobacco-generated revenue, but have spent only $6.5 billion on tobacco prevention and cessation programs.  Among the other key findings of the report:

• This year, no state is funding tobacco prevention programs at the level recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Only nine states are funding tobacco prevention at even half the CDC-recommended amount, and 27 states are providing less than a quarter of the recommended funding.
• The tobacco industry continues to aggressively market its products. The tobacco companies spend nearly $19 to market tobacco products for every $1 the states spend to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.

Missouri is currently ranked 49^th, spending just 3.7% of the amount recommended by the CDC in this year’s budget on tobacco cessation programs.  In 2009, the Missouri General Assembly appropriated $2.7 million towards tobacco prevention programs.  The CDC recommends $73.2 million dollars.  Kansas appropriated just $2.0 million to tobacco prevention programs or 6.2% of the share recommended by the CDC.  Kansas ranks 42^nd.

The report calls on Congress and the states to follow the recommendations of recent reports by the Institute of Medicine and the President's Cancer Panel, including enacting legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. Additionally, the states should further increase tobacco taxes, enact comprehensive smoke-free workplace laws, and fund tobacco prevention programs at CDC-recommended levels.

UPCOMING EVENTS

State of the State Regional Budget Summit – TOMORROW

With a greatly weakened national financial system, and states throughout the country reporting serious budget shortfalls, how is Missouri positioned to weather the current economic storm?  Is our state’s budget and tax system built on a solid foundation or on sinking sand?  What can our state’s leaders do in 2009 to ensure that Missouri is on the path to long-term prosperity?

Please join the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Budget Project, the Missouri Municipal League, AARP, Partnership for Children and other cosponsors for a Budget Summit in Kansas City focusing on Missouri's budget in these troubling economic times.

Kansas City ~ December 4, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

MCC-Penn Valley Community College, Education Center Building, Room 019

The focus of the Summits: The state's budget outlook, and how all interests - from transportation and health care to education and small businesses - can work together to ensure a healthy state economy. This is a premier opportunity for lawmakers to engage with Missouri’s civic and business leaders in a conversation on long-term solutions for Missouri’s fiscal health that will guarantee investment in services and infrastructure over time.

The Summits are free and open to the public. Reservations are required.

Please RSVP at www.mobudget.org

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Breaking Down Barriers to Quality Pre-K: National Telecast Viewing in Kansas City

On December 10^th, pre[k] now’s annual conference will be telecast live to viewing sites across the country to engage advocates in a discussion of  local, state, and federal strategies to increase access to quality voluntary pre-k.

Advocates in Kansas and Missouri are invited to attend this free satellite viewing in Kansas City, hosted by the Kansas Coalition for School Readiness, the Metropolitan Council on Early Learning, and Partnership for Children. In addition to the 1.5 hour satellite conference, the Kansas City event will feature panelists from Kansas and Missouri to report on the state landscape and outlook for pre-k in 2009. 

The conference will feature examples and strategic advice for:

• How community- and home-based early childhood programs, Head Start, and schools can collaborate to provide all families with high-quality pre-k options;
• How states can build professional development systems that help pre-k teachers in all classroom settings improve their skills and advance their careers; and
• How we can make the case to policymakers that these vital investments in children must be made despite the tough economic climate. 

Questions? Contact Jennifer Crow at the Kansas Coalition for School Readiness: jennifer.crow@kansasschoolreadiness.org or (913) 219-3472

Please RSVP Online by Monday, December 8th

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Hearings Scheduled for MO Senate Appropriations Committee

The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold hearings at the state capitol on December 9, 10, and 11 on budget items for the next Fiscal Year 2010. 

On December 9^th, public testimony will be heard on matters related to all Departments except the Departments of Mental Health and Social services, beginning at noon in Senate Committee Room 2.

Public testimony related to the Departments of Mental Health and Social Services will be taken on December 10, beginning at 8:30 AM in Senate Committee Room 2, and may continue on Thursday, December 11 at 8:30 AM in SCR2.

Individuals or organizations wishing to testify may call 1.866.475.6083 or email public.testimony@senate.mo.gov by December 3.  Each individual will be given 3 minutes to testify and only one person per organization is allowed.

Partnership for Children encourages child advocates to submit written testimony on behalf of funding for children’s services in 2009, including funding for the child care assistance program, foster parent reimbursement rates and adoption subsidy, and health coverage for children and families.

Written testimony should include the testifier’s name, organization, and contact information and can be emailed to public.testimony@senate.mo.gov. You may also contact Carrie Shapton at Partnership for Children, shapton@pfc.org, for tips on writing testimony.

Online Webinar to Discuss Missouri Quality Rating System

If you missed yesterday’s briefings on the Missouri Quality Rating System in Kansas City, the MO Head Start Association is offering a webinar in January so you can still learn everything you need to know about QRS! The webinar will take an in-depth look at the QRS state approved models and discuss how child care program staff can prepare for future participation in QRS.

Webinar on MO Quality Rating System

January 8, 2009

9:30 – 11:30 am (CST)

Presenters: Denise Mauzy, OPEN Initiative and Kathy Thornburg, Center for Family Policy and Research

Space is limited, so register to participate in this online webinar today.

Missouri is moving forward with a 5-star Quality Rating System to rate early childhood and school-age programs. QRS will provide families with an additional method to choose quality child care, it will provide legislators and community partners with an accountability mechanism, and it will give professionals a comprehensive assessment of their program with clearly identified strengths and areas for improvement.

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RSVP for Child Advocacy Day – January 27th

Join hundreds of child advocates in Jefferson City on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 for the 27th annual Child Advocacy Day. Come show your support for better public policies to support children, youth, and families! Participate in advocacy workshops, visit exhibit booths to learn about new services and programs, discuss critical issues affecting children with legislators, and network with other advocates.

Whether you’re planning on attending by yourself or in a group, RSVP online, so we can better plan for the day’s activities and keep you informed! 

For more information, visit the Child Advocacy Day website, or for bus transportation from Kansas City, check out the Kansas City Local Investment Commission.