Get Involved Action Alerts 2010 4/13/2010 - Send an Email to Help At-Risk Infants and Toddlers
| 4/13/2010 - Send an Email to Help At-Risk Infants and Toddlers |
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Since 1999, the Michigan Child Care Enhancement Program, formerly the Child Care Expulsion Project, has helped thousands of infants and toddlers at risk of being expelled from child care centers. But Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2011 calls for the elimination of the program and the Senate Department of Community Health subcommittee has agreed.
An estimated 7,000 young children under age 5 are expelled from child care centers and preschools every year in Michigan. Forcing these children out of care at such a tender age, rather than addressing their underlying behavioral and mental health issues, only serves to prolong problems, costing more in the long run and putting these children on a trajectory toward failure. You can help protect funding for CCEP by contacting your legislators and the members of the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees for the Department of Community Health and telling them to maintain funding for CCEP! Please cut and paste the following email message: Dear Honorable Representative/Senator, I am writing to express my support of the Child Care Enhancement Program. All Michigan children deserve a great start in life, and this program is an essential part of ensuring the physical, emotional, behavioral and social health of young children in Michigan. An estimated 7,000 infants and toddlers are expelled from child care centers and preschools in Michigan every year. By comparison, fewer than 2,000 K-12 students are expelled each year. The CCEP helps families and care givers address problems early on when the most critical brain development is occurring and setting the course for a lifetime of learning.This is a problem that must be addressed in order to grow the workforce of tomorrow for Michigan’s economic future. I urge you to preserve funding in the Department of Community Health FY 2011 budget for the CCEP. Sincerely, (your name here)Read more in our April 13 Action Alert. Read more about CCEP in Investing in Early Childhood: A Case for the Child Care Enhancement Program Serving At-Risk Infants and Toddlers
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The Senate budget bill includes a $10 million increase for Michigan's Great Start Readiness Program - take Action and contact your legislators and urge them to support the Senate-passed $10 million increase and to set-aside at least 20% of the new money to support young children from birth through age three and their families.
Funding for before- and after-school pilot programs is up for debate as a result of differences between the House and Senate bills - the House reinstated $5 million for the programs, but the Senate failed to include any funding. Take Action and ask your legislators to support the House funding for extended learning opportunities!
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