The organizational session messages from Florida House Speaker Danny Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton were more populist in tone as noticed by the American Children’s Campaign and reported widely in the media.
Perez’s speech was peppered with references to meeting the needs of everyday Floridians, with comments such as “… my priority…is to serve the people. The actual people of Florida. Not the online social media activists, not the lobbyists or interest groups, not the institutions that dominate our political conversations. “ He also stated, “… we should pass laws that really matter to the lives of real people facing real problems.”
Senate President Ben Albritton called for a “rural renaissance” framing his message around his six generations deep roots in the Heartland of Florida. Among the seven tips of wisdom he shared, the following especially caught our attention: “It’s easier to fool someone than it is to convince them they were fooled – truth matters, seek it.”
So how will policymakers find this truth? It’s up to the advocates to provide information and inspiration on which policymakers can act. We’re talking about the full range of children from pre-birth to caregiving youth, kids aging out of foster care or, sadly, charged as adults for a criminal offense.
American Children’s Campaign will rely on our Team Future Leadership Council, associations, and our platoon of supporters to help provide this information. Leadership has warmed up the tone of dialogue. The ball so to speak is in our court.
The timing is good. While it may appear Floridians are divided after a contentious election season, a unifying message about putting Floridians’ needs over that of special interests from Florida House and Senate leaders is a breath of fresh air.
Such populist values are aligned with statistically valid polls by Mason-Dixon of civically-engaged Floridians commissioned by American Children’s Campaign in 2023 and 2024. Most notably, when it comes to children, our polls show there is a surprising degree of agreement across the political spectrum regarding the well-being of children and the importance of family life. These polls validate that Floridians are not hopelessly divided on a wide range of needs of children.
Shared Values Among Floridians
Child Welfare: Floridians find common ground in the safety and well-being of children. They share a collective desire to protect children from harm, provide them with nurturing environments, and ensure their basic needs are met. This unity was reflected in previous bipartisan efforts to address the horrors of child sex trafficking, banning child marriage, and expunging juvenile records. Opportunities exist to dive deeper.
Prevention over Punishment: Floridians generally agree that it’s more fiscally responsible and better for kids to stop children from going down the wrong path by utilizing investments in prevention services rather than sending children away to for-profit barbed wire surrounded properties and the chronic problems and neglect by staff and management portrayed in media story after media story. Then, when children are released, there are few if any ‘re-entry” programs and services. Failure is predictable.
Expanding Access to Basic Dental Care: Floridians believe access is the best solution – that’s why many support dental workforce reform. Florida is the worst state in the nation for individuals relying on expensive emergency room care for providing temporary relief from preventable dental pain. It costs over a half-billion dollars annually ($550,000,000) and only provides temporary relief. Once the antibiotics are completed, dental pain returns. To answer Senator Albritton’s point, it will be very difficult to generate a renaissance if dental care is unavailable in rural areas, leaving children and adults in pain or suffering from chronic oral health maladies that lead to serious health problems and even morbidity.
Family Support: Families are recognized as the cornerstone of society, and there is a consensus on the need for policies and programs that support family stability. Communities also play a vital role in supporting families, and there is widespread agreement on the importance of community involvement in family life. From local schools to neighborhood organizations, the networks that provide support and resources to families in need are highly valued.
Are Children’s Needs Notably Displayed in Legislative Budget Requests?
In a word, NO. A scan of LBR’s submitted by the state agencies to the Governor’s Office fall far short in informing policy-makers of needs. ACC pored over a number of them and noticeably absent are the gaps reflected for mental health, child welfare services, re-entry programs, special needs populations and the rest. It’s as if all is good in Florida and we know it’s not. Legislative speeches reflected areas where Florida shines. They did not reflect where Florida is failing, ranked in the high forties nationally out of 50 and children who are hungry and fearful. How are policymakers to know if not reflected in official documents from the heads of the systems of care?
Bridging the Divide
Focusing on shared values related to children and family can build bridges – especially with stories told by the vulnerable and impacted. Adding faces to the facts is powerful. By emphasizing common goals, we’re confident Floridians can work together to create policies and initiatives that benefit all families.
Legislative leaders have cast a more open call for action. It’s up to us to take advantage of the invitation.
Have faith.