{"id":116905,"date":"2022-05-18T18:17:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T22:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/english-the-first-5-network-responds-to-governor-newsoms-may-budget-revision\/"},"modified":"2022-05-18T18:17:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T22:17:00","slug":"english-the-first-5-network-responds-to-governor-newsoms-may-budget-revision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/english-the-first-5-network-responds-to-governor-newsoms-may-budget-revision\/","title":{"rendered":"The First 5 Network Responds to Governor Newsom&#8217;s May Budget Revision"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><![CDATA[\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><i>May Revision Provides an Opportunity to Advance a Whole-Child, Whole Family Agenda<\/i><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">ALAMEDA, Calif.<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">May 18, 2022<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; The First 5 Network, comprised of First 5 California, the First 5 Association of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span>, and the 58 local county First 5s across the state, applauds Governor Newsom&#8217;s May Revision proposals centered on supporting a whole-child, whole-family framework to address the pressing needs of <span class=\"xn-location\">California&#8217;s<\/span> youngest children and their families. <span class=\"xn-location\">California&#8217;s<\/span> <span class=\"xn-money\">$97 billion<\/span> surplus has provided an unprecedented opportunity to reconstruct and build a robust early childhood system for the long term.<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpg8832left\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"prnejpg8832left\" title=\"First 5 California\" src=\"https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/1812730\/Enter_a_title_Logo.jpg\" alt=\"First 5 California\" align=\"middle\"\/><\/div>\n<p>Critical investments in healthcare, early literacy, early intervention, and transitional kindergarten were among the most prominent in the Governor&#8217;s revised budget plan. The May Revision also provides funding to support redetermining eligibility for Medi-Cal enrollees if the federal public health emergency ensuring uninterrupted coverage ends, as expected on <span class=\"xn-chron\">July 15, 2022<\/span>. Additionally, the inclusion of Early Start eligibility threshold changes demonstrates a clear commitment to, identifying and addressing developmental delays in our youngest children at the earliest moments possible.<\/p>\n<p>However, the First 5 Network was disappointed to see that the Governor did not adopt our priority to maintain continuous eligibility for children until their 5<sup>th<\/sup> birthday without need of an eligibility review. This could mean that thousands of <span class=\"xn-location\">California&#8217;s<\/span> youngest children will lose coverage for well-child visits and preventive services, including immunizations and critical developmental screenings.<\/p>\n<p>The First 5 Network encourages the Governor to build upon the Senate&#8217;s &#8220;Putting Wealth to Work Plan&#8221; priorities, which includes <span class=\"xn-money\">$10 million<\/span> for\u00a0continuous Medi-Cal Eligibility for children from birth to age 5, that is part of AB 2602 by Assemblymember <span class=\"xn-person\">Blanca Rubio<\/span>, a co-sponsored legislation by the First 5 Association of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We know that <u><a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=1261733909&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.box.com%2Fs%2Fo2cmc5h6y3qml8cn2yvr15t8a9tixk84&amp;a=50+percent+of+the+time+children+lose+Medi-Cal+coverage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">50 percent of the time children lose Medi-Cal coverage<\/a><\/u> the reason is a catch-all category called <i>failure to respond<\/i>&#8221; noted <span class=\"xn-person\">Kitty Lopez<\/span>, President of the First 5 Association of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span>. &#8220;We also know that 90 percent of brain development happens before the age of five. Ensuring young children maintain regular access to prevention and screening, without facing bureaucratic barriers, is an investment in their long-term health and well-being.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The May Revise also includes new investments in behavioral health services for children and youth, such as vital funding for youth suicide prevention, but did not direct funding for children 0-5. &#8220;First 5 Association will continue to advocate for <u><a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=3372274319&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.box.com%2Fs%2Fgrx42s6qe6skbylrsy0gc68wlx3yb6qj&amp;a=dedicated+new+funding+for+mental+health+prevention+and+early+intervention+for+our+youngest+children\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">dedicated new funding for mental health prevention and early intervention for our youngest children<\/a><\/u> so they can thrive and be ready to succeed in life and in school,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Deborah Kelch<\/span>, Interim Executive Director of First 5 Association of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>As the First 5 Network, we continue to support the Governor&#8217;s January Budget proposal to fund <u><a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=111524402&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.box.com%2Fs%2F4vy4n7b9loc68qcuwvak2l4r1bx887s5&amp;a=Home+Visiting+programs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Home Visiting programs<\/a><\/u> and early literacy investments.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are grateful for Governor Newsom&#8217;s leadership in support of whole child investments and are particularly excited for his commitment to expand early literacy efforts starting with the <span class=\"xn-money\">$10 million<\/span> in the January budget and other investments in May Revise to support literacy.\u00a0 Building upon this partnership, the First 5 California Commission has dedicated an additional <span class=\"xn-money\">$18 million<\/span> to the Early Literacy Program to reach many more families through partnerships and complement the Administration&#8217;s vision.&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Jackie Thu-Huong Wong<\/span>, Executive Director for First 5 California.<\/p>\n<p>The May Revision also does not address two additional components of our whole-child, whole-family agenda: 1) the reimbursement rates for childcare providers to acknowledge rising inflation and operation costs, which affects providers&#8217; ability to remain open, and 2) the challenges that prevent low-wage earners from utilizing the state&#8217;s Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance (SDI) programs. These priorities are part of the Senate&#8217;s plan. &#8220;<span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span> can lead by making our family paid leave program the most equitable in the nation by addressing the shortfalls in these programs that prevent parents and caregivers from bonding with their newborns and young children,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Jackie Thu-Huong Wong<\/span>. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;As California experiences a second straight year of extraordinary budgetary surpluses, many families continue to face challenges from the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. First 5 LA appreciates the Governor&#8217;s continued commitment in the May Revise to making health care more accessible, expanding home visiting programs and increasing support for black infant health programs,&#8221; said Kim Belsh\u00e9, Executive Director at First 5 LA. &#8220;However, the proposal to extend family fee waivers by only one year and not reimburse childcare providers for the true cost of care fails to support our state&#8217;s most vulnerable. Prioritizing young children cannot be a one-time commitment, but requires an ongoing investment. We need to provide every child the opportunities of quality early learning experiences by committing to ongoing investments that support families in their child&#8217;s earliest moments.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The First 5 Network commends Governor Newsom for prioritizing the following proposals which align with our <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=2997654249&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.box.com%2Fs%2Fds5ttyd2zh52cr1ivex87vjak6siasiz&amp;a=Whole+Child%2C+Whole+Family+Policy+Agenda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Whole Child, Whole Family Policy Agenda<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li><span class=\"xn-money\">$73 million<\/span> General Fund over 2 years to complete Medi-Cal redeterminations once the federal COVID-19\u00a0public health emergency continuous eligibility requirement ends on <span class=\"xn-chron\">July 15, 2022<\/span>. When the federal requirement expires, the state will have 14 months to initiate and complete eligibility reviews.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-money\">$6.5 million<\/span> General Fund in 2022-23 to support adjustments in identifying children with qualifying signs of developmental delays.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-money\">$290 million<\/span> to support children&#8217;s mental health and community-based youth suicide prevention and outreach programs.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-money\">$157 million<\/span> to waive childcare and preschool family fees for about 400,000 low-income families from <span class=\"xn-chron\">July 1, 2022<\/span> to <span class=\"xn-chron\">June 30, 2023<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-money\">$200.5 million<\/span> for minor renovation and repair projects for childcare facilities in low-income regions and areas with minimal access to services.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-money\">$114 million<\/span> to hold harmless voucher-based childcare providers and preschool providers reimbursement for authorized hours of care, from <span class=\"xn-chron\">July 1, 2022<\/span> to <span class=\"xn-chron\">June 30, 2023<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About First 5 Association<br \/><\/b>First 5 Association of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span> is the voice of the 58 First 5 county commissions, which were created by voters in 1998 to ensure our young children are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. Together, First 5 touches the lives of more than one million kids, families, and caregivers each year, and strengthens our state by giving kids the best start in life. Learn more at <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=334081985&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.first5association.org%2F&amp;a=www.first5association.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.first5association.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>About First 5 California<br \/><\/b>First 5 California was established in 1998 when voters passed Proposition 10, which taxes tobacco products to fund services for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. First 5 California programs and resources are designed to educate and support teachers, parents, and caregivers in the critical role they play during a child&#8217;s first five years\u2013to help <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span> kids receive the best possible start in life and thrive. For more information, please visit <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=2040869872&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ccfc.ca.gov%2F&amp;a=www.ccfc.ca.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.ccfc.ca.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>About First 5 LA<br \/><\/b>As the state&#8217;s largest funder of early childhood, First 5 LA works to strengthen systems, parents and communities so that children are ready to succeed in school and life. An independent public agency, First 5 LA&#8217;s goal is to support the safe and healthy development of young children so that by 2028, all children in L.A. County will enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and life. Learn more at <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=3204626691&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.first5la.org%2F&amp;a=www.first5la.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">www.first5la.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Logo &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3541765-1&amp;h=2459993180&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F1812730%2FEnter_a_title_Logo.jpg&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F1812730%2FEnter_a_title_Logo.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/1812730\/Enter_a_title_Logo.jpg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>SOURCE  First 5 California<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><i>May Revision Provides an Opportunity to Advance a Whole-Child, Whole Family Agenda<\/i><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">ALAMEDA, Calif.<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">May 18, 2022<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; The First 5 Network, comprised of First 5 California, the First 5 Association of <span class=\"xn-location\">California<\/span>, and the 58 local county First 5s across the state, applauds Governor Newsom&#8217;s May Revision proposals centered on supporting a whole-child, whole-family framework to address the pressing needs of &lt;span&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":116906,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gobierno-y-politica"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116905\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}