STRENGTHENING FAMILIES

Prevention and Early Intervention


• Support home visiting, family support, parent education and other prevention/early intervention programs

Early Childhood Education


• Support the implementation of the Quality Rating and Improvement System
• Support an increase in the child care subsidy rate
• Support the Growing Skills for Kids: Child Care Consultants program
• Support the expansion of ECEAP slots and an increase in the rate
• Support family support and parent education as an integral component of early learning

Children’s Mental Health


• Support improvements in the mental health system to ensure the provision of appropriate services to children and families
• Support the expansion of services that effectively prevent children from being hospitalized

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)


• Increase the TANF grant
• Ensure support for families in sanction
• Address new federal regulations

IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN

Keep Kids Safe and Out of Foster Care


• Improve access to services for birth parents
• Improve the dependency and family court system
• Address racial disproportionality
• Increase relative search, placement and support efforts, including the expansion of the Kinship Navigator Program
• Support efforts focusing on the needs of children of incarcerated parents

Support Children while in Out of Home Care


• Support strategies aimed at improving educational outcomes
• Improve access to health and mental health services
• Expand the Mockingbird Family Model

Strengthen the Child Welfare System


• Increase the rate paid to providers of Behavioral Rehabilitative Services
• Ensure that children/caregivers receive caseworker services every 30 days

Improve Services to Youth Transitioning Out of Care


• Expand the availability of Post Adoption Services
• Extend Medicaid to youth up to 21 years of age
• Provide housing assistance for youth up to 23 years of age

SOCIAL SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE

• Support funding for the Community Services Facilities Program projects

Click on icon to view the full document (PDF)	2007 POLICY PRIORITIES (PDF)
	SECTION 1:  Overview (PDF)
	SECTION 2:  Strengthening families (PDF)
	SECTION 3:  Improve the Well-Being of Children (PDF)
	SECTION 4:  Social Service Infrastructure (PDF)