Guaranteeing Children a Strong Start and a Healthy Start
July 2014
Guaranteeing Children a Strong Start and a Healthy Start Children do not come in pieces, but rather are born with a diverse range of needs that must be met comprehensively to ensure a successful passage to adulthood. To build a foundation for future success, our children need caring families and communities to support their comprehensive needs, including health, early childhood development and learning, education and child protection. In the coming months, we have an opportunity to make a major difference for children in two critical areas by supporting the Strong Start for America’s Children Act (S. 1697/H.R. 3461) and extended funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). There is no voice more powerful than that of a mother advocating for her child. With its nationwide network of more than 40,000 mothers and family leaders, Jack and Jill of America can play a crucial role in mobilizing and organizing the advocacy needed to ensure that Congress does the right thing and the smart thing in supporting investments in early childhood development and learning and CHIP, both so crucial for ensuring our children have a strong start and a healthy start to life. Strong Start for America’s Children Act Children’s brains develop more rapidly during the first five years of life than at any other time. That is why children need high-quality engaging experiences from birth through age 5 to support healthy development and positive future outcomes. Children who participate in high-quality early childhood programs are more likely to start school ready to learn and achieve success later in life; however many poor children and children with special needs – those who stand to benefit the most – lack access to these early opportunities. The Strong Start for America’s Children Act would correct this injustice and help place all our children on a path to education and life success. The Act promotes and invests in high-quality development and learning opportunities for children from birth through age 5, including voluntary home visiting, Early Head Start, Head Start, quality child care, pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten starting with the most vulnerable children. Recognizing that children do not come in pieces, it also offers comprehensive services and emphasizes parent engagement. Children’s Health Insurance Program CHIP provides health coverage to more than 8 million children in low- and middle-income working families across the United States. CHIP is a success story. Since its bipartisan creation in 1997, the percentage of uninsured children in America has been cut in half. Today the number of uninsured children is at a record low. Unless Congress acts soon to extend funding for four more years for this highly effective program, millions of children could lose coverage or pay more for less comprehensive coverage.
25 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
p (202) 628-8787
f (202) 662-3510
www.childrensdefense.org
How You Can Make a Difference for Children NOW! Both of these proposals currently rest in the hands of Congress, so it is important to let your Senators and Representatives know how important these investments are to you and your families. Below you will find step-by-step instructions for reaching out to your member of Congress and asking them to support the Strong Start for America’s Children Act and extended funding for CHIP. Step 1: Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative, and then both of your Senators. Check www.childrensdefense.org/MakeADifference to learn the names of you members of Congress. Step 2: Tell them how important you think it is that they invest in crucial children’s programs. Example scripts for Strong Start and CHIP are below. “Hi, my name is ________ and I am a constituent. I am calling because I care about guaranteeing all children access to high-quality early childhood development and learning opportunities. All young children, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, need access to these opportunities to ensure healthy brain development. These investments pay off in dollars and cents. Children who receive early high-quality opportunities are more likely to succeed in school, find better-paying jobs, and remain healthy and less likely to wind up in prison or to need public assistance when they are older. I want Senator/Representative ________ to co-sponsor the Strong Start for America's Children Act and help ensure all children have access to high-quality early childhood experiences. (If the Member you are calling is already a cosponsor, instead thank them for their support) Hello, I am calling from (hometown). I am deeply concerned that the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be in jeopardy if Congress doesn't act this year to extend CHIP funding for four more years. Please ask Senator/Representative ________ to extend funding for CHIP this year. All children in America deserve a healthy start and CHIP is a lifeline for 8 million children in working families nationally. But unless Congress extends CHIP funding for four more years, its federal funding will end on September 30, 2015. This would result in millions of children losing health coverage and millions of families paying significantly more for less comprehensive coverage. Please ask Senator/Representative ________ to extend CHIP funding for four more years now. Step 3: Spread the word. Share this message with your local Jack and Jill chapters and other networks, and ask them to join you in being a voice for children.
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Guaranteeing Children a Strong Start and a Healthy Start Children do not come in pieces, but rather are born with a diverse range of needs that must be met comprehensively to ensure a successful passage to adulthood. To build a foundation for future success, our children need caring families and communities to support their comprehensive needs, including health, early childhood development and learning, education and child protection. In the coming months, we have an opportunity to make a major difference for children in two critical areas by supporting the Strong Start for America’s Children Act (S. 1697/H.R. 3461) and extended funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). There is no voice more powerful than that of a mother advocating for her child. With its nationwide network of more than 40,000 mothers and family leaders, Jack and Jill of America can play a crucial role in mobilizing and organizing the advocacy needed to ensure that Congress does the right thing and the smart thing in supporting investments in early childhood development and learning and CHIP, both so crucial for ensuring our children have a strong start and a healthy start to life. Strong Start for America’s Children Act Children’s brains develop more rapidly during the first five years of life than at any other time. That is why children need high-quality engaging experiences from birth through age 5 to support healthy development and positive future outcomes. Children who participate in high-quality early childhood programs are more likely to start school ready to learn and achieve success later in life; however many poor children and children with special needs – those who stand to benefit the most – lack access to these early opportunities. The Strong Start for America’s Children Act would correct this injustice and help place all our children on a path to education and life success. The Act promotes and invests in high-quality development and learning opportunities for children from birth through age 5, including voluntary home visiting, Early Head Start, Head Start, quality child care, pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten starting with the most vulnerable children. Recognizing that children do not come in pieces, it also offers comprehensive services and emphasizes parent engagement. Children’s Health Insurance Program CHIP provides health coverage to more than 8 million children in low- and middle-income working families across the United States. CHIP is a success story. Since its bipartisan creation in 1997, the percentage of uninsured children in America has been cut in half. Today the number of uninsured children is at a record low. Unless Congress acts soon to extend funding for four more years for this highly effective program, millions of children could lose coverage or pay more for less comprehensive coverage.
25 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
p (202) 628-8787
f (202) 662-3510
www.childrensdefense.org
How You Can Make a Difference for Children NOW! Both of these proposals currently rest in the hands of Congress, so it is important to let your Senators and Representatives know how important these investments are to you and your families. Below you will find step-by-step instructions for reaching out to your member of Congress and asking them to support the Strong Start for America’s Children Act and extended funding for CHIP. Step 1: Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative, and then both of your Senators. Check www.childrensdefense.org/MakeADifference to learn the names of you members of Congress. Step 2: Tell them how important you think it is that they invest in crucial children’s programs. Example scripts for Strong Start and CHIP are below. “Hi, my name is ________ and I am a constituent. I am calling because I care about guaranteeing all children access to high-quality early childhood development and learning opportunities. All young children, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, need access to these opportunities to ensure healthy brain development. These investments pay off in dollars and cents. Children who receive early high-quality opportunities are more likely to succeed in school, find better-paying jobs, and remain healthy and less likely to wind up in prison or to need public assistance when they are older. I want Senator/Representative ________ to co-sponsor the Strong Start for America's Children Act and help ensure all children have access to high-quality early childhood experiences. (If the Member you are calling is already a cosponsor, instead thank them for their support) Hello, I am calling from (hometown). I am deeply concerned that the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be in jeopardy if Congress doesn't act this year to extend CHIP funding for four more years. Please ask Senator/Representative ________ to extend funding for CHIP this year. All children in America deserve a healthy start and CHIP is a lifeline for 8 million children in working families nationally. But unless Congress extends CHIP funding for four more years, its federal funding will end on September 30, 2015. This would result in millions of children losing health coverage and millions of families paying significantly more for less comprehensive coverage. Please ask Senator/Representative ________ to extend CHIP funding for four more years now. Step 3: Spread the word. Share this message with your local Jack and Jill chapters and other networks, and ask them to join you in being a voice for children.
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