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Family Stability and Child Care

Supporting stable, economically secure families helps develop our children and helps them become contributing members of the community. Generally, those families who are out of the economic mainstream—due to such factors as unemployment, disability, or chronic poverty—face greater challenges to achieving and maintaining stability and being able to meet the basic needs of their children. Public policy should provide assistance to needy families, end dependence by promoting job preparation and work, and enhance economic opportunities for families.

Family Income
Offer incentives for people to work and provide meaningful resources for their own families.

■ Implement a 15% state earned income tax credit (EITC), funded with the investment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and state dollars in a timely manner. The EITC could also be funded by making it first in line for the funds from the income tax reduction fund.

■ Increase the state minimum wage to $6.85 per hour. The current minimum wage in Ohio is $5.15 per hour, well below a livable wage. In fact, a parent working full-time, year-round at minimum wage earns $10,712 annually, less than the federal poverty level for a family of two ($13,200 annually).

Child Support

■ Provide work support assistance to non-custodial parents to increase their ability to work and pay child support.

Food Security
Increased resources must be made available for the growing population in need of food assistance. In any given week, over 207,000 Ohioans receive emergency food assistance through food banks and food pantries. Over 35% of these Ohioans are children under the age of eighteen.* The numbers are growing.

■ Increase state investments in food banks to provide emergency food and groceries to needy families.

■ Expand public and private partnerships which increase participation in federal nutrition programs, such as Food Stamp and Child Nutrition Programs, to promote food security and enhance working collaborations to expand access to additional populations.

Temporary Assistance To Needy Families (TANF)
All state TANF funds in possession of the state should be invested in families that are entitled to them.

■ All existing TANF funds should be invested in the populations they were originally intended for and these funds should be invested in a timely manner.

■ Increase the monthly TANF cash grant to help stabilize families with parents working in low-wage jobs.

■ An increase in the monthly TANF cash grant should be combined with an increase in the Earned Income Disregard in order to ensure that no TANF recipient loses assistance entirely until their income rises above the poverty level ($16,600 annually for a family of three).

■ Increase the number of TANF recipients receiving post-secondary education or job training to enable them to climb the job ladder and better support their families.

Housing
Families’ access to quality, affordable housing is essential to ensure that children grow up in a safe and stable environment.

■ Support the Housing Trust Fund and its housing investments that:
• Increase working capital.
• Increase jobs and wages.
• Involve community-based projects, which bring long-term independent housing, a safe environment, career training, and other core necessities to Ohio’s under-served population.


■ Lift the Housing Trust Fund cap to its maximum $80 to $90 million, which:
• Will benefit an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 low-income Ohioans
• Will provide services such as rent/mortgage assistance, home repair, counseling, or training to the under-served.


■ Eliminate the use of funds above the cap that are currently used for purposes other than to assist low-income and homeless persons.

* Hunger in America 2006, America’s Second Harvest, found on the web at www.oashf.org

Take Action!
Medicaid Enrollment Report
A Proposal to Secure Quality, Affordable Health Care for Ohio’s Children
Let’s Close the Gap for Ohio’s Children:
A Proposal to Secure Quality, Affordable Health Care for Ohio’s Children
New Citizenship Requirement for Medicaid: A Challenge for Ohio's Children and Families
Mobilize
Start a campaign for the children in your community
Events
08-06-2008 9:00 AM
Voices Family Meeting
08-06-2008 9:00 AM
Voices for Ohio's Children Family Meeting
Voices for Ohio's Children will provides a forum for community partners to review, examine and act on legislation to improve outcomes for youth in the juvenile justice system.
08-06-2008 10:30 AM
OAN Network Meeting August 6, 2008

News
04-15-2008
Benefit Bank Assists Ohioans in Claiming Economic Stimulus Payment Through October 15
02-04-2008
President's Budget Ignores Ohio's Priorities
"Our state's leaders know that investing in children and families is prudent, especially in tough economic times," said Amy N. Swanson, executive director of Voices for Ohio's Children. "In contrast, in his FY 2009 Federal Budget, President Bush ignored Ohio's priorities and turned his back on Ohio's children.�
10-18-2007
After School Program Success Stories
08-13-2007
Update on Medicaid Citizenship Verification Activities
07-11-2007
"Making the Grade" Receives an Emmy Nomination
This year's Emmy nominations were released for the Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. "Making The Grade: Helping our Kids Achieve", the third in a series of compelling local specials that focused on our kids and their educational future was nominated.
06-08-2007
Afterschool in Ohio
06-06-2007
Economic Benefits of Investing in Young Children by Art Rolnick and others
05-10-2007
Voices for Ohio’s Children and American Academy Of Pediatrics Ohio Chapter Give Legislative, Media Awards
04-24-2007
Afterschool Legislative Briefing
04-24-2007
Key Message Training
04-19-2007
Testimony Presented Before the State House During State Budget Process
Read the testimony presented by Voices staff and partners on various issues before the State House of Representatives
04-18-2007
What Ohio's Children Need and How We Can Provide It
03-14-2007
Statement in Response to the Governor’s State of the State Address
03-07-2007
Voices for Ohio's Children Adds Two Child Advocates
02-06-2007
Bush Budget Proposal Wrong For Ohio, Wrong For Kids
01-08-2007
2007 Federal Outlook and Budget Timetable
11-29-2006
Closing the Gap for Ohio's Children and Families
Materials from the November, 2006 Covering Kids and Families Conference.

Voices In The News
01-23-2007
Gongwer News mentions Voices for Ohio's Children
On Tuesday, January 23rd, Gongwer News released it's top stories.
01-24-2007
Mary Wachtel quoted in The Toledo Blade
01-23-2007
Mary Wachtel quoted in The Columbus Dispatch
10-03-2006
Voices Advances Effort to Educate Medicaid Recipients, Health Coverage for Kids

White Papers
09-08-2005
Legislative Priorities for the 2006-07 State Budget
09-08-2005
The Access to Better Care Initiative 2005 Recommendations
09-08-2005
Effects of 2006-07 State Budget on Ohio Children's Agenda
Side by side comparison
08-29-2005
Penny is Important: Postcard to Sentors
Penny is Important: Postcard to Sentors
08-29-2005
State Refundable Earned Income Tax Credit
Learn how a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) could help thousands of Ohio families: State EITC Fact Sheet.
08-29-2005
Ohio Fact Sheet EITC
Learn how Ohio in particular would benefit from a state EITC: Ohio EITC Fact Sheet.
08-29-2005
Ohio Tax Repeal Fact Sheet
OHIO TAX REPEAL: HURTING EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE AND JOBS.
08-29-2005
Penny is Important: Postcard to Representatives
Penny is Important: Postcard to Representatives
08-29-2005
Campaign to PROTECT Ohio's Future: Principles
Campaign to PROTECT Ohio's Future: Budget and Policy Principles. Ohio’s public officials make Ohio competitive in the global marketplace by recognizing the interdependence of health and human services, education and economic development.
08-29-2005
Campaign to PROTECT Ohio's Future: Talking Points
Sample Talking Points Regarding Citizens for Tax Repeal Campaign.
08-29-2005
Childcare Fact Sheet
Learn more about subsidized childcare in Ohio: Childcare Fact Sheet.
08-29-2005
Historical Document on Voices' Family Economic Well Being Issues
This is the historical record of Voices for Children (formerly known as Coalition for Greater Cleveland's Children) legislative priorities.
08-29-2005
How a State EITC Works
Learn how a state EITC works
08-29-2005
Campaign to PROTECT Ohio's Future: Endorsement
Campaign to PROTECT Ohio’s Future: Campaign Endorsement Form. In the absence of tax reform and sufficient revenue to fund government services, join the Campaign to Protect Ohio’s Future in opposing efforts to repeal the temporary one-cent sales tax that allows state government to provide vital services that every Ohioan depends on.
08-29-2005
Campaign to PROTECT Ohio's Future: Endorse List

Helpful Publications
Making the Grade: Helping Our Kids Achieve Community Guide
Child Advocacy Glossary of Terms
What Ohio's Children Need Pocket Guide
Community Children's Briefings
An Employers Guide to Behavioral Health Services
Ohio Children's Agenda: To Build A Greater Ohio, We Must Begin WIth Greater Kids

 

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