Advocacy

Advocacy in child care issues continues to be a high priority for Child Care Resources. Here is some of the current legislation that affects the early childhood industry.

Children’s Nutrition Programs Reauthorization

Every five years, the window of opportunity opens on Capitol Hill as lawmakers and their staff work together to improve and reauthorize the Federal Children’s Nutrition Programs: WIC, School Nutrition Programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

The Senate Agricultural Committee approved the Reauthorization with a $4.5 billion appropriation. President Obama has recommended a $10 billion appropriation. This appropriation would expand the number of eligible children participating in the Children’s Nutrition Programs, helping to ensure that no Montana child goes hungry.

Child Care Resources has received a grant from the Child Leadership Council (CLC) to coordinate Children’s Nutrition Programs Reauthorization efforts in Montana.

For the CACFP, the larger appropriation would allow:

• Lowering the income eligibility from 50% to the 40% threshold so more children are eligible in centers, and more homes would receive a higher reimbursement.
• Restoring the reimbursement for a third meal in child care.
• Streamlining program requirements, such as reduced paperwork by allowing the CACFP sponsors to plan multi-year administrative budgets, using carryover funds to eliminate Block Claiming.
• Improving the nutritional value of the meals and snacks by updating the CACFP meal pattern and issuing guidance from the USDA that is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines.
• Increasing the CACFP reimbursements to stem declines in participation and improve nutrition for children in child care.
• Raising reimbursements for sponsoring organizations, such as CCR, in order to support nutrition and wellness education requirements, rural transportation costs and sustain family child care providers’ participation in the CACFP.

Contact your representative today and urge them to use their leadership position to increase the level of funding so no Montana child is hungry.

Contact Senator Baucus >>
Contact Senator Tester >>
Contact Representative Rehberg >>

Montana Advocates for Children (MAC)

The Montana Advocates for Children (MAC) Project is a collaboration between four Montana advocacy groups: Montana Child Care Resource & Referral Network, Montana Association for the Education of Young Children, Montana Child Care Association, and Montana Head Start Association. Together the group is working to involve its members in public policy debate and to urge increased funding of the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant.

Additionally, MAC advocates on Montana legislative issues, such as funding for early childhood programs, children’s health initiatives and other issues of common interest.