Take Action: States' Abilities to Provide Health Coverage to Children Is at Risk!

Throughout 2007, Congress and the Bush Administration battled over the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program that provides health coverage to more than six million lower-income children. Now the Bush Administration is making changes to limit children's access without Congressional approval. Over the last several months, the Bush Administration has issued new regulations that will force states to make significant changes to their Medicaid programs. Medicaid provides critical health coverage to millions of children, including low-income children, disabled children, children with special health needs, and foster youth. Without Congressional action, these harmful Medicaid regulations will start going into effect over the next few months, putting the health and well-being of our nation's most vulnerable children at serious risk.

Learn more and email your Members of Congress today — tell them to stop these harmful Medicaid regulations from being enacted!

President Bush's Priorities in His Last Federal Budget Request

President Bush proposes to eliminate:

• 47 programs in the Department of Education
• Grants that provide important social services to protect children from abuse and neglect
• Programs that provide hearing screenings to newborns and emergency medical services for children

President Bush requests to cut funding for:

• Mental health and substance abuse programs for children and their parents
• Housing assistance
• Job training programs
• Energy assistance for low-income families

Amount President Bush is requesting for military spending: $675 billion (an increase of $68 billion from the year before)

Cost of President Bush's request to make his tax cuts permanent for wealthy Americans: more than $2 trillion

Learn more about President Bush's legacy of failure in CDF's recently released analysis of his FY2009 budget request.

Youth PROMISE Act

On January 18, CDF sent a letter to Members of Congress (.pdf) urging them to co-sponsor the Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education Act (Youth PROMISE Act), H.R. 3846, introduced by Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott. The Youth PROMISE Act is designed to assist communities facing the greatest youth gang and crime challenges by developing and implementing comprehensive, evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to make communities safer, reduce victimization, and help at-risk youth lead productive lives that are free from criminal involvement.

There are approximately 97,000 youth incarcerated in secure detention facilities across the country — the Youth PROMISE Act offers a comprehensive approach to reducing youth incarceration. Prevention and intervention, rather than the too often first choice of punishment, is a major goal of CDF's Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Campaign. CDF continues to actively support Representative Scott's legislation and has participated in several briefings on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the Youth PROMISE Act and CDF's Cradle to Prison Pipeline Campaign including our America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline^SM report.

Application Deadlines for Scholastic CDF Fellows Program

Scholastic Children's Defense Fund Fellows Program
The Scholastic Children's Defense Fund Fellows program is an initiative designed to reach out to a diverse college population to increase interest in children's publishing. Scholastic believes that having a workforce that reflects our diverse and culturally rich society is essential to the publishing industry's growth and success. Each summer, the program introduces five college students to the publishing world through an intensive internship at Scholastic's corporate headquarters in New York City. In addition to providing the fellows with a rich publishing experience, the program equips the participants with knowledge of the broader child advocacy field and empowers them to make a difference for children as they embark on a career in publishing or in whatever field they choose to pursue. Learn more about the Scholastic Children's Defense Fund Fellows program. Applications are due by March 3, 2008.

Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty

In April 2008 the Global Women's Action Network for Children will participate in the Breakthrough Summit of the Women, Faith and Development Alliance. Co-chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and other world leaders, Breakthrough will serve as a forum for international leaders from faith communities, governments, donors and NGOs to convene and announce new commitments to engender global poverty alleviation efforts. The Summit will also serve as a launching platform for the Women, Faith and Development Alliance's multi-year advocacy and action campaign for increasing investments in women's and girls' empowerment worldwide. Find out more about the Summit and ways to get engaged.

Third National GrandRally for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children

On May 7, 2008, hundreds of grandparents and other relatives raising children will gather at the U.S. Capitol for the Third National GrandRally to highlight their important role in raising children and the help they need from family, friends, their communities, states, national organizations and agencies and elected officials. Please come and help relative caregivers in your state! CDF is co-sponsoring the GrandRally with AARP, Child Welfare League of America, Generations United, GrandFamilies of America and the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights. Learn more about the GrandRally and register today!