Session 2007
April 16th – April 20th
The final budget numbers are being negotiated as we are writing Legislative Update. Conferees in the Florida Senate and House met through the weekend and continue in two-a-day sessions to iron out their differences. Your advocate team in Tallahassee stayed focused throughout the long and intense process, alerting stakeholders by phone and email to make a difference where we could. It hasn’t been easy.
It’s as if an invisible hand is guiding the budget outcomes. Upon closer inspection, there is. The hand bearing much of the influence belongs to the previous administration even though they left office in January.
This is so because there is a shortage of available revenue which results in continuing many of the budget decisions made in previous years. Therein lies the damage. Two consecutive years of record surpluses, $5-billion in 2006 alone, rarely found their way into the state budget base to provide for the families who are increasingly desperate to find affordable housing, support juvenile justice services that are drying up and going away, or make improvements to Florida's early learning programs. Kids age out of foster care and many drift off to a life on the streets due to the lack of preparation and support, and children who need before and after school services are exiled to a waiting list that grows longer everyday.
In fact, $50-million plus was shaved from Kidcare in 2006 at time of financial bounty instead of being used to increase enrollment. Now are we stuck? It is as frustrating as it is defenseless.
The budget crunch in Tallahassee is being felt hardest by those vulnerable Floridians with the most challenges and the least resources. The show of resolve this past week by Florida's developmentally disabled was as encouraging in terms of citizen advocacy as it was heart-wrenching. 600 people in wheelchairs, on oxygen, or moving ever so gingerly across the capitol grounds with walkers and leg and arm braces came to ask the state to not balance the problems with a state agency responsible for their care on the backs of the afflicted. Several floors above them, Kidcare advocates were staring at the prospect of a most hallow victory -- better legislation to enroll Florida children but a paltry appropriation to actually increase enrollment. Juvenile justice advocates appear close to the finish line to save the Girls Advocacy Project thanks to a huge late push from the Department of Juvenile Justice and outstanding action by a couple of key legislators spurred onward by advocates of gender specific services. The rate increase sought by providers who are on the brink won’t happen but there is still hope for some non-recurring dollars to shore up the programs temporarily.
Here is the latest broken down by promise.
Promise 1:
Healthy Start
Parity funding of $3-million plus for Healthy Start Coalitions is currently in the Senate Budget. The increased funding is not in the House budget, but the House and Senate are in conference on Monday, April 23 at 5pm to discuss the issue.
KidCare
On Thursday, April 19th a coalition of health care advocates and children’s organizations, including Children’s Campaign, Inc., First Coast Coalition for the Uninsured, Florida CHAIN, Florida Child Healthcare Coalition, Florida Children’s Services Council, Florida Pediatric Society/Florida Chapter, March of Dimes Foundation – Florida Chapter, and the United Way of Florida, called for appropriate funding to follow the governor’s and legislature’s progress on KidCare reform.
The current budget recommendation of $18-million in new state money above last year’s allocation only allows an enrollment increase of about 10,000 children. This would raise the overall enrollment total to 240,000 in Florida, still well below the high of 360,000 when changes to the program resulted in a precipitous decline. Florida has 500,000 income eligible, but uninsured children.
An additional $32-million, as requested by the coalition (added to the $18-million already reflected in the House and Senate budget today), would do the following:
- $2-million would enable approximately 3,800 children per month, or 45,600 to retain their coverage based on fixes to enrollment that are proposed in the legislation. This money would allow the children to continue to participate in the program, without it 45,600 children will be cut
- $10-million would enable 8,000 children to enroll who are currently prohibited (including, state employees and legal immigrants), which is projected based on the fixes proposed in the pending legislation.
- $16-million would allow approximately 27,500 new children to enter the program, and draw down an additional $27.4 million in federal funding.
- $4-million would be used to reach those eligible but not enrolled. The amount currently earmarked in one of the KidCare bills is only $1-million.
Advocates warned that the lower amounts currently in the Florida Senate and House budgets would continue the disturbing trend of redirecting federal dollars to other states that should remain in Florida to improve the health of its children.
Governor Crist, along with Senator Dawson and Senator Peaden held a press conference the same day in support of adding state employee children and immigrant children to the list of those eligible.
Promise 2:
Independent Living
Legislation that would limit the liability of a caseworker who signs application for driver's license for minor who is in foster care; revise the eligibility criteria for independent living transition services & for Road-to-Independence Program; increase the age limit for eligibility for certain persons to qualify for medical assistance payments; and provide for removal of disabilities of certain minors for purposes of securing depository financial services is moving through the House and Senate. Rep. Glorioso’s (R – Plant City) bill (HB 1215) passed the HealthCare Council unanimously this week, and Sen. Rich’s (D – Broward) bill (SB 2114) will be heard next week on Tuesday in Senate Heath and Human Services Appropriations.
Funding for Independent Living is not having as easy a time. Currently there is only $500,000 in the House budget for Independent Living Services, and nothing in the Senate Budget
Developmental Disabilities
People with developmental disabilities are facing a catastrophic storm of circumstances. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is facing capping of costs and services, including those provided by the a state program meant to help people care for disabled family members at home rather than sending them to institutions. The budget caps cuts critical and vital services for some of the states most vulnerable citizens, and lowers services options without regard to individual needs. According to an Associated Press article, these changes would affect 8,500 people if the House version is adopted, and still more if the Senate has its way.
Promise 3:
Universal Pre-Kindergarten
Leadership on degreed teachers continues to come more from Governor Crist and other highly visible members of the executive branch and education organizations than from legislators, with a few notable exceptions.
Vocal and well organized industry opponents are spreading several myths about the requirement. Children’s Campaign, Inc. in response has published it’s “myth-busters” and is using a Fact v Fiction hand-out to set the record straight.
Promise 4:
After-school
The Senate Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Bill (SB 7106) currently includes proviso language calling for an Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study of the demand, affordability, and availability of high quality after-school programs thanks to the hard work of the after-school advocates. Language still needs to be included in the House.
Promise 5:
Girls Advocacy Project (GAP)
The only comprehensive intervention education project in the State of Florida that specifically serves girls while they are detained in a juvenile detention center is facing elimination in each of its expansion sites, Orlando, Fort Myers, and West Palm Beach unless an extra $500,000 is found in the budget. On Monday morning a break-through took place when the House conferees proposed that dollar amount to the Senate, upping the original offer of $100,000.
GAP’s successes include national recognition, girls who are more receptive to treatment in residential programs, girls who are better prepared to reject unhealthy relationship, substance abuse, and future criminal activity. Without the extra $500,000 not only will the state loose a unique and successful program for a population that continues to be underserved, but it will have wasted the $775,000 spent of expansion last Session.
For up-to-date information please contact Children’s Campaign, Inc.
Roy Miller- President
Amanda Ostrander - Coordinator of Communications
Promise 1 - Pre-natal, Infant, and Child Health Care -
http://www.iamforkids.org/info/promise1/current_legislation
Promise 2 - Safety, Permanence, and Services to Children in Out-of-Home Settings - http://www.iamforkids.org/info/promise2/current_legislation
Promise 3 - High Quality Pre-K, Child Care, and Early Learning Opportunities - http://www.iamforkids.org/info/promise3/current_legislation
Promise 4 - Safe and Enriching Before and After-School Experience - http://www.iamforkids.org/info/promise4/current_legislation
Promise 5 - Delinquency Prevention Programs and Services to Treat Children with Problems - http://www.iamforkids.org/info/promise5/current_legislation