Accomplishments 2006 - 2007

Health Care

VOICES educated lawmakers about the urgent need to make health care available to all of Ohio’s children. A bill signed by Gov. Ted Strickland in June extends access in many essential areas, including raising the Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women, raising the Medicaid/SCHIP eligibility, allowing Ohio children aging out of the foster care system to keep Medicaid coverage until age 21 and creating a program that allows more uninsured families to buy public health coverage for their children on a sliding fee scale. These measures are expected to collectively benefit nearly 40,000 young people, giving nearly all Ohio children access to the coverage they need to grow up healthy and strong.

After School Programs

VOICES supported the work of Ohio Sen. John Carey and the Ohio Afterschool Network to secure $20 million for much-needed quality summer and afterschool programs. This is a big step to help ensure that kids are safe and making the best use of their time away from school. The Ohio Afterschool Network is comprised of more than 400 afterschool providers, partners, parents, educators and others who support investing in quality, affordable afterschool programs.

Early Childhood Care and Education

VOICES worked with several partners to improve state support of early childhood care and education, such as increasing eligibility for the Early Learning Initiative, expanding early childhood education for 3- and 4-year olds and allowing school districts to spend their poverty-based assistance on preschool programs. Additionally, Help Me Grow’s budget was expanded by $24 million and more funding was secured for mental health consultations and treatment, all-day kindergarten in 10 more districts and the Reach Out and Read program.

Making the Grade

VOICES’ third television program, “Making the Grade: Helping Our Kids Achieve,” received an Emmy for Public Affairs Programs—Special category. This program spotlighting grassroots efforts that are really working for children in Northeast Ohio was seen by more than 200,000 households. Our partners on this include WKYC-TV3 and KidsOhio.org, the Center for Families and Children, Invest in Children, Chuck and Ilana Horowitz Ratner and Forest City Enterprises. The Emmy is the highest award given in television.

Legislative, Media Awards

VOICES and the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics gave awards to four legislators and one reporter to spotlight their work for Ohio’s children when more than 120 child advocates gathered at the Ohio Statehouse in May to highlight children’s issues in the state budget debate. Leaders from both organizations presented awards to Columbus Dispatch reporter Cathy Candiskey for her coverage of Ohio’s programs for children without health care; Sen. Tom Niehaus-R, New Richmond, for his work to strengthen Ohio’s child welfare system; Rep. Mike Skindell-D, Lakewood, for his bipartisan work to support increased investments in early care and education and health care expansion for children and parents; Rep. Jimmy Stewart-R, Albany, for introducing a bill to expand Medicaid coverage; and Rep. Fred Strahorn-D, Dayton, for his commitment to public education, including preschool and all-day kindergarten.

Champion for Children Event

VOICES held the Third Annual Champion for Children breakfast celebration in June 1. Attended by more than 300 people, the event featured a keynote address by Arthur Rolnick, Senior Vice President and Director of Research of The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. He stressed the positive economic benefits of investing in early childhood, stating that communities will see stronger economic returns on investing in high quality early care and education programs than from building stadiums and arenas.

Also at the event, Goldie Alvis, who retired in 2006 as a program officer at The Cleveland Foundation, received the 2007 Champion for Children Award. Ms. Alvis, along with leaders from Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and many community leaders, was involved in the formation of Voices.

Juvenile Justice Initiative

VOICES’ Juvenile Justice Initiative, committed to ensuring a sound juvenile justice policy agenda, now has more than 30 partners. The Juvenile Justice Initiative Steering Committee is working to increase effective community-based alternatives to institutionalization, help youth who have special needs, improve access to legal advocates and ensure all youth have access to treatment and care. The group has prepared legislative briefings on Ohio’s juvenile justice system; provided resources to affect policy change; and held site visits and educational sessions.

The Juvenile Justice Initiative also partnered with the Ohio Department of Youth Services to enhance the involvement of families of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Six confidential focus groups were held in June to secure these families’ attitudes and opinions about the system and ways to make it more effective. Their input will help improve our efforts in this area.

Transitional Youth

VOICES worked to help transitional youth (children aging out of the foster care system with no families) begin productive and independent adult lives. Our efforts have resulted in a new project that involves leaders from all fields. The Cuyahoga County Transitional Youth Project (TYP) is working to better understand the issues facing these youth and find ways to help them on their journey. This project is expected to become a model for similar programs throughout the state.