After a year of making significant progress—investments in a comprehensive early childhood approach, children’s mental health crisis response, and foster care improvements– Virginia faces a $1.5 billion shortfall that puts our progress at-risk. We must fight to protect these investments otherwise, young children in at-risk families will be more vulnerable to abuse and neglect, children with urgent mental health needs will have to wait longer for help, and youth aging out of foster care with no family at age 18 will once again be left on their own.
As a taxpayer and citizen you can share with your representatives what is important to you in the budget at the annual budget hearings on January 4, 2017. We hope that you will join us to share your testimony about access to safe child care, your involvement in the Fostering Futures program, support provided through child psychiatry or crisis response, participation in home visiting, early intervention or other programs.
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017- You may sign up to speak one hour before hearing begins. Beginning at 10:00 AM Fairfax County – Northern VA Community College at Annandale, Ernst Center Theater Abingdon – Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Grand Hall Beginning at NOON Newport News – Christopher Newport University, David Student Union, Ballroom Richmond – General Assembly Building, House Room D If you would like to speak Voices staff will help you with talking points and logistics. As you are preparing to testify, check out these: Tips to Testify at Budget HearingsPlease contact Emily Griffey at emily@vakids.org if you are able to testify before January 2, 2017.
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