260 likes | 412 Views
Child Poverty Council. Agenda. Welcome and Introductions Review Public Act 04-238 Review and Discuss Council Structure Review and Discuss Draft Workplans Review and Discuss Fact Sheet Review and Discuss Analysis of Effects Next Steps. Public Act 04-238.
E N D
Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • Review Public Act 04-238 • Review and Discuss Council Structure • Review and Discuss Draft Workplans • Review and Discuss Fact Sheet • Review and Discuss Analysis of Effects • Next Steps
Public Act 04-238 • Establishes a Child Poverty Council to develop a 10-year plan to reduce child poverty by 50% • Composed of OPM,DCF, DSS, DOC, DMR, DMHAS, DOT, DPH, SDE, DECD, OHCA, DOL, BOGHE, OCA, Prevention Council, Children’s Trust Fund, Commission on Children and legislative appointees
Public Act 04-238 • The plan shall contain: • Identification and analysis of the occurrence of child poverty in the state; • Analysis of the long-term effects of child poverty; • Analysis of costs of child poverty to municipalities and the state;
Public Act 04-238 • Plan requirements (continued): • Inventory of statewide public and private programs that address child poverty; • Percentage of target population served by such programs; • Identification and analysis of any deficiencies or inefficiencies of such programs;
Public Act 04-238 • Plan requirements (continued): • Procedures and priorities for implementing strategies to achieve a 50% reduction in child poverty, including: • Vocational training • Educational opportunities • Housing • Day Care and After School programs • Health care access • Treatment Programs and Services • Child Nutrition
Public Act 04-238 • In developing the plan, the Council shall consult with experts and service providers • The Council shall submit the plan to the legislature by January 1, 2005 • The Council shall report annually beginning on January 1, 2006 on the implementation of the plan
Council Structure • Monthly meetings on the 3rd Wednesday of each month between 7/04 and 12/04 • Council will set direction based on the public act • Council will establish and provide guidance to a subcommittee. • Council will review, modify and approve all subcommittee work.
Council Structure • The subcommittee will meet monthly in between Council meetings, unless more frequent meetings are needed. • The subcommittee will serve as a working committee to execute activities tasked by the Council • The subcommittee will develop the Child Poverty Plan with guidance from the Council
Draft Workplan • First Council Meeting – 7/28/04 • Discuss P.A. 04-238 • Review Council Structure and Meetings • Review and Approve Role of Subcommittee • Select Subcommittee members • Review Draft Fact Sheet on Child Poverty • Review Draft Analysis of Long-term Effects of Child Poverty
Draft Workplan • Second Council Meeting – 8/18/04 • Review outline of plan • Approve fact sheet on child poverty • Approve analysis of effects of child poverty • Review analysis of costs of child poverty • Review questions and methods for inventory • Review recommendations on participation of panel of experts
Draft Workplan • Third Council Meeting – 9/15/04 • Approve analysis of costs of child poverty • Review draft inventory of statewide programs that address child poverty • Discuss any deficiencies or inefficiencies of statewide public and private programs with panel of experts and service providers
Draft Workplan • Fourth Council Meeting – 10/20/04 • Approve identification and analysis of any deficiencies or inefficiencies in statewide programs • Review potential strategies to achieve a fifty percent reduction in child poverty in the state by 6/30/14
Draft Workplan • Fifth Council Meeting – 11/17/04 • Public Hearing • Sixth Council Meeting – 12/15/04 • Review and approve plan • Next steps
Draft Workplan • First Subcommittee Meeting – 8/5/04 • Review P.A. 04-238 • Discuss charge and deliverables • Identify approaches, resources and meetings • Develop outline for plan • Modify fact sheet and analysis • Develop analysis of costs of poverty • Develop methods for inventory • Develop participation for experts
Draft Workplan • Second Subcommittee Meeting – 9/1/04 • Revise analysis of costs of child poverty • Prepare and conduct inventory • Third Subcommittee Meeting – 9/20/04 • Revise inventory based on Council comments • Develop description of deficiencies or inefficiencies of programs based on discussion with experts • Identify potential strategies to achieve a 50% reduction in child poverty
Draft Workplan • Fourth Subcommittee Meeting – 10/22/04 • Revise strategies based on Council comments • Fifth Subcommittee Meeting – 11/10/04 • Prepare for public hearing • Sixth Subcommittee Meeting – 12/8/04 • Incorporate all necessary changes from public hearing comments • Draft final plan for review by Council
Draft Fact Sheet • Connecticut Population in 2002 • Total state population = 3,460,503 • Children under 18 = 872,853 • Poverty in Connecticut • Children in poverty = 87,285 • 2004 poverty level for family of 4 = $18,850 • Child poverty rate in CT decreased from 14% in 1996 to 10% in 2001
Draft Fact Sheet • Demographics of Child Poverty • In 2002, child poverty rate in Hartford was 41%, in New Haven was 32%, and in Bridgeport was 25%. • In 2002, child poverty rate for Latinos was 31%, for African Americans was 25%, and for whites was 4%. • 24% of CT children live in households with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Draft Fact Sheet • Family Income • In 2000, the median family income in CT was $64,692. • The median family income for married couple families was $78,587 and the median for single female headed households was $24,626. • It takes two full-time, year round jobs at $9/hr to raise a family of 4 above the poverty level
Resource List • Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Book, 2004 • U.S. Department of HHS, Poverty Level Guidelines for 2004, www.uscensus.gov • Connecticut Association for Human Services, Investing in Families…Investing in Our Future • Annie E. Casey Foundation, Latino Children and African-American Children: State Level Measures of Child Well-Being 2002 • National Center for Children in Poverty, Investing in Children by Supporting Work: Information Forum on Child Poverty 2004
Effects of Child Poverty • The Context • The United States has the highest child poverty rate out of the 17 wealthiest countries • Between 2002 and 2003, the number of poor children in the US rose from 11.7 to 12.1 million • In 2002, the state child poverty rate was the 7th lowest in the nation • In seven of the state’s communities, more than one-fifth of the children live in poverty
Effects of Child Poverty • Health Effects • Children in poverty are 3.6 times more likely to have poor health and 5 times more likely to die from an infectious disease. • Connecticut ranks 22nd among states with babies of low birth weight. • Infant mortality, serious physical disabilities, grade repetition and learning disabilities are more prevalent among low birth weight children.
Effects of Child Poverty • 34% of children from lower income households are obese, compared to 19% of children from higher income households. • Poor children are at a higher risk for asthma, and lead poisoning. • Poor children who go hungry perform significantly below non-hungry low-income children on standardized tests. • Children under the age of 6 who’s parents exhibit depression are at two to five times greater risk for: homelessness, use of food banks, lack of medical care, unreliable child care and placement in foster care.
Effects of Child Poverty • Learning Effects • High school students from low income families drop out of school six times as often as students from high-income families. • In Hartford, Bridgeport, New London and New Britain the high school drop out rate is between 29-31% • Children that live below the poverty level are 1.3 times more likely to have developmental delays or learning disabilities that non-poor children • A child growing up on welfare hears about 3,000 words by age 6, while children from higher-income families have a 20,000 word vocabulary
Effects of Child Poverty • Effects of Teen Pregnancy • Poor teens give birth 3 times the rate of non-poor teens. • Children of teenage mothers are more likely to perform poorly in school. • Children of teenage mothers are more likely to repeat a grade, score lower on standardized tests and are less likely to complete high school. • Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school and are less likely to receive a college degree.