Goals

What is different because of Voices’ work?

• Vulnerable children, youth and/or their families take action to improve their circumstances, based on information or the persuasion of Voices.
• Key decision makers on public policy, resource allocation, and/or the performance of public systems become more knowledgeable about the issues related to vulnerable children and their families and the most effective strategies to address them.
• Individuals and groups use their increased awareness of issues related to vulnerable children and their families to advocate for and bring about improved results for children and their families.

Intense focus for multiple years on a few key issues is part of our formula for success. This allows us to bring attention to these issues, build coalitions and networks to push for solutions to these issues, and bring our strength as a statewide organization to move the focused agenda forward. Voices is committed to applying core processes and resources first and foremost to the four issues below.

Successes

Early Care and Education

• progress especially on UPK (Gov. Kaine now champions it)
• increased per child funding for targeted pre-K program from, $5400 to $5700
• movement toward implementing quality rating scale
• business leaders involved per Voices' efforts
• updated school readiness indicators published.

Foster Care

• successfully advocated for passage of a bill to stabilize school placement for children in foster care
• worked with the Youth Advisory Committee to provide training in advocacy and accompanied youth to testify and meet with legislators
• helped shape emerging agenda of First Lady Anne Holton

Health

• reduced barriers for enrollment in state children's health insurance program-- over 97% of eligible children enrolled; mental health benefits now included
• voices of parents of children with serious mental health problems heard with Voices' help and influenced policy improvements
• Medicaid reimbursement level for dental care and pediatrics increased
• increased screening for newborn genetic diseases
• gained $1 million state funding for demonstration projects for research-based community mental health programs
• increased by $500,000 funding for early intervention services
• raised eligibility level for prenatal care for low-income pregnant moms to 166% of the FPL from 100%.

Family Economic Success

• sales tax on food sharply reduced

Data and Research

• participants in over 30 training seminars on use of KIDS COUNT data report using information to improve programs and policies for children and attract additional funding.

Continuing Work

Early Care and Education (ece): Voices' work on ece appears to be on the cusp of significant payoff. Governor Kaine has appointed a council, including Voices' Executive Director, to advise him on how to implement universal pre-kindergarten, a highlight of his education agenda during the campaign. Voices also continues to work on implementation of a quality rating scale and professional development ladder as important steps toward improving an early care and education system. As an outgrowth of Voices' efforts, Governor Warner appointed a business leaders council, now the Early Learning Foundation, to increase community-based ece programs and advocacy.

Foster Care and Adoption: Voices is working with First Lady Anne Holton to particularly seek improvement affecting older youth in and aging out of the foster care system. Voices continues to monitor the Program Improvement Plan for the foster care system with particular interest in helping to strengthen both the parents' and youth's organizations in Virginia.

Health and Mental Health work emphasizes improving access to health care, including especially prenatal care, dental care, as well as regular medical homes. Mental health work emphasizes the severe underfunding of the system and its very limited capacity to meet the mental health needs of children and youth.

Family Economic Success is focused on the impact of TANF reauthorization, issues around child support, and increasingly the impact of high housing costs, especially in Northern Virginia.

Other efforts: The Northern Virginia office is leading Voices' emerging work on the impact of immigration policies on children. Our data and research work entails the release of the updated School Readiness Indicators and issue briefs tied closely to our priorities. We also are working particularly on infant mortality and school dropouts, issues raised by our KIDS COUNT report. In communications, we have increased relationships with editors and reporters and also have increased our capacity to respond with op eds and letters to the editor.

Donate to Voices today!
Now easier than ever with
online donations!!

Sign up to receive periodic email alerts from vakids.org.