Covenant Membership News

Originally Submitted by Rob Thompson, Executive Director of the Covenant with North Carolina's Children

Hey Folks,

Below is our 2010 Legislative Agenda. Please follow this link (https://ssl.capwiz.com/cwncc/attachments/1_2010_leg_agenda.pdf) to access a formatted PDF version.

Preamble:

Despite facing profound challenges stemming from the recession, North Carolina's children and families have the ability to bounce back and grow strong, so long as we pull together and maintain investments in public structures like education, public safety, and health services. Now is not the time to be short-sighted or overly-cautious--our state's leaders must play an active role in supporting our children, families and communities to ensure long-term success and stability.

Child Welfare

1. Assure the safety and health of North Carolina's most vulnerable children by protecting existing child welfare services from further cuts.

2. Appropriate $2.8 million to the NC Division of Social Services for family preservation services and $6.6 million for facilitators of child and family teams.

Early Childhood

1. Sustain funding for all early childhood education programs including Smart Start, More at Four, subsidy and TEACCH®.

2. Support the bills developed by the Joint Legislative Task Force on Consolidation of Early Childhood Education and include expanded membership of the study committee.

Economic Security

1. Maintain funding for the state refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

2. Sustain and, if possible, increase funding for the NC Housing Trust Fund, Home Protection Program, and State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project.

Education

1. Ban the use of corporal punishment on children with disabilities.

2. Preserve the integrity of the public school classroom and the services and supports that students and teachers need to be successful.

Health

1. Ensure that all foods sold in NC public schools meet minimum, science-based nutrition standards.

2. Protect Medicaid/Health Choice funding and raise the Health Choice enrollment cap so all eligible children can access affordable, quality healthcare.

Juvenile Justice

1. Preserve the current $23 million allocation to county Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils (JCPCs).

2. Avoid additional cuts/reductions to DJJDP facilities and personnel, which were subjected to disproportionate cuts in the 2009 -2010 budget.

MH/DD/SA

1. Continue and expand funding for early screening and intervention for mental illness and developmental disabilities.

2. Develop and fund a continuum of research supported, community-based services for children and adolescents to prevent harmful confinement in hospitals and detention centers.

Safety

1. Preserve current funding for proven Infant Mortality Prevention Programs.

2. Recognizing that 63 percent of intimate partner violence child homicides are firearm related, prevent passage of Senate Bill 928 (Castle Doctrine).