2019 Legislative Agenda Issue Update

Children's Integrated Services Funding and Parent Child Center Network Master Grant

Increasing funding for Children's Integrated Services and providing adequate funding for Parent Child Centers through their Master Grant are two of the issues on the Alliance's 2019 Legislative Agenda, along with two additional issues being monitored. This issue newsletter is part of a series that provides more information on each priority issue on the Agenda. This Agenda is crafted by the Alliance Steering Committee annually in partnership with early childhood organizations that are advancing policy solutions through the legislative process.

Continue reading for more information on these priority issues, including data and talking points, connections to the lead organizations and other partners, and advocacy tools.

Children's Integrated Services

Data and Talking Points

"Children's Integrated Services is Vermont's signature early childhood initiative and was designed to maximize children's health, development, and learning by providing individualized support to families and child care programs."

The intent of integrating services for children and families is to save money while improving outcomes. Children's Integrated Services (CIS) has shown to be effective in mitigating the effects of early childhood trauma for thousands of Vermont families. Unfortunately, CIS has been chronically underfunded while the actual costs of providing these services have steadily increased. Due to level funding since 2009, Vermont is coming up short in meeting its obligations to its youngest learners.

The Alliance supports the lead organizations' work to secure increased funding to support CIS, which will allow the agencies delivering essential CIS services to meet increased demand for services that support resilient children and families and prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Lead Organizations: Parent Child Center Network, Vermont Family Network, and Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development

Parent Child Center Network Master Grant

Data and Talking Points

"Parent Child Centers deliver critical and essential state services to families with young children."

Parent Child Centers (PCCs) deliver services through a Master Grant agreement with the Department for Children and Families. However, PCCs have not had an increase in state funding for approximately 20 years, except for a very small increase in FY17. If PCCs are expected to continue to provide high quality state services, enough funding must be provided so that PCC wages and benefits can sustain the highly skilled people who do the work.

The Alliance supports the PCC Network's request that the state increase their Master Grant funding by $8 million, to a total of $10 million for the statewide network of 15 PCCs. The PCC Network (PCCN) also requests that future appropriations be adjusted to consider inflationary pressures and any services added to the Master Grant agreement.

Lead Organization: Parent Child Center Network

Resources and Advocacy Tools 

Three Women's Stories: PCCN Case Studies

Addison County Parent/Child Center participants submitted essays to Senator Bernie Sanders' "State of the Union" essay contest in January 2019. In their essays, they poignantly reminded readers that the "state of the union" is a daily concern for them and their families. Their testimony also reflected the mission of the Parent Child Center; learning and working together to improve the lives of adolescents, their children and families, and in turn the larger Addison county community. A PDF document sharing their stories is available to download on the Alliance's website. 

2019 Legislative Platform: PCCs are the Answer

Parent Child Centers (PCCs) are essentially the hub of services for families with young children – an actual place in the local community where families are always welcome and can always get the support they need, regardless of economic status or family status. See the Vermont Parent Child Center Network's 2019 Legislative Platform, which is available to download from the Alliance website. 

Attend a State Budget Hearing

Advocates are encouraged to attend one of the state budget public hearings on the evening of Monday, February 25 in locations around the state. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees are seeking public input on the Governor's Recommended FY20 State Budget.

Find locations and times in the upcoming events listing on the Alliance website. Contact Matt Levin with the Alliance for testimony support by emailing matt@vecaa.org. 

Schedule an Advocacy Training on Legislative Issues 

Schedule an Alliance training for parents and professionals interested in strengthening advocacy techniques and communication skills. Be informed and ensure your voice is heard on issues impacting Vermont's young children, families, and the early childhood workforce.

Early Childhood Day at the Legislature - 3/13/19

Registration has opened for this important annual day of advocacy and skill-building workshops. 

Early Childhood Day at the Legislature (ECDL) is an annual day of advocacy, education, and networking co-hosted by the Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance, Let's Grow Kids, and Building Bright Futures, that brings together early childhood professionals and providers, parents, employers, business owners, and policymakers to engage on early childhood issues.

The agenda for this 25th annual event includes issue and advocacy workshops, lunch with Legislators, state house tours, a rally, a birthday party celebrating 25 years of ECDL, and more. 

Register online, find a detailed agenda, and download the registration flyer to share with your networks (all at the link). 

The Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance is a statewide advocacy coalition formed in 2000 of early childhood professionals and providers, parents, and employers committed to improving public policies that impact young children from birth to age eight on issues of health, safety, food security, economic security, and early care and education.

The Alliance crafts an annual Legislative Agenda in partnership with early childhood organizations, provides year-round advocacy support, and facilitates meaningful interactions with policymakers at key times during the decision making process.

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The Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance is a program of the Vermont Community Loan Fund.

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