Category: Announcement

Leadership Academies applications now open!

CAA and Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA) Leadership Academies are now accepting applications!

Both leadership academies are designed to bring community leaders together to amplify their voices in a unique way to influence policymakers on children and health issues.

CAA's Lived Experience Leadership Academy will focus on health care policies, and AZECA's Leadership Academy will prioritize early childhood issues that affect workforce development and the economy.

Participants will receive training and tools to advocate for policy changes and solutions.

*Please note that only current AZECA members are eligible to apply
for AZECA'S Leadership Academy.

For more information, click below to check out our applications!

CAA's Application.

AZECA'S Application.

Thank you for 35 years and counting....

Our annual gathering, Through the Eyes of a Child celebration, was a big success. More than 120 supporters gathered to celebrate CAA’s 35 years of improving the well-being of children, and the people who have worked to make it possible. We appreciate all our sponsors, and champions for children, including Governor Katie Hobbs, for her leadership and for officially proclaiming November 1st as Children's Action Alliance Day!

Your continued support is crucial in creating an Arizona where children and families thrive.

Incoming CEO January Contreras (left), and CAA Board of Directors Chair, Ayensa Millan (right) joined Governor Hobbs for presentation

(in center from left to right) Rep. Schwiebert, Rep. Pawlik, and Sen. Epstein joined CAA staff for the celebration.

CAA STAFF WITH GOVERNOR KATIE HOBBS (CENTER).

New Hires

Welcome our newest hires to Children's Action Alliance and the Arizona Center for Economic Progress.

Sarah Bentley is the Communications Engagement Coordinator for both CAA and the AZCenter. She leads both state and federal advocacy outreach for issues like the Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL) school spending cap, and Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML). Prior to joining the team, she worked as a Public Affairs Executive at Rose Allyn Public Relations where she specialized in crisis control, event management, and investor relations. During the pandemic, Sarah served as a Policy Intern for Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego where she handled constituent concerns and community outreach. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Service and Public Policy as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability from Arizona State University. She is excited to use her experience in community engagement to advance the mission and policy agenda of CAA and the AZCenter.

Matt Jewett returned to the role of CAA's Director of Health Policy in March 2023, having previously worked in that role and as CAA’s Research Associate from 2004 to 2013. He has led outreach campaigns that increased AHCCCS and KidsCare health insurance enrollment. Overseeing grants for Mountain Park Health Center from 2013 to 2023, Matt managed up to $35 million a year in grant funds, including for the construction of a new clinic. Matt was a member of the Creighton Elementary School District Governing Board in Phoenix for six years. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona, has studied graduate-level public health at A.T. Still University, and enjoys a good cup of tea, growing his vinyl collection, and exploring his home state of Arizona…and the world.

As an Economic Policy Analyst for the AZCenter, Connor Leavy Murphy performs data analysis, research, and advocacy to advance policy solutions at both the state and federal level addressing poverty, economic well-being, and a fairer tax code. Most recently Connor was a Policy Analyst with the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico in the City Attorney’s Office and the Office of Legislation and Policy Innovation. Previously, Connor worked as a Field Organizer with the Arizona Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign, Mission for Arizona. In May 2020, Connor graduated from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University with a Master of Legal Studies. Prior to earning his MLS, Connor worked as a Donald W. Reynolds Fellow with the Carnegie-Knight News21 Initiative, where he received the 2019 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in the college category as a member of News21.

JoAnna Mendoza is the Executive Director of the AZCenter and a retired US Marine Veteran. After retiring from the Marine Corps, JoAnna worked for a foster licensing agency contracted by the State of Arizona to find homes for children in foster care and developmental homes for children and adults with special needs. A few years later, JoAnna transitioned to working with vulnerable veterans and found her way to serving in government again, as a Veteran Service Representative and the Deputy District Director for a Member of Congress from the Arizona Congressional Delegation. JoAnna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Intelligence Studies, a Master’s of Science in Leadership with an emphasis on disaster preparedness, a Public Leadership Credential from Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School, a Brand Management Certificate from Cornell, and a Professional Certificate in Social Media Management from Georgetown.

Franklin Zyriek is an Economic Policy Analyst for the AZCenter and joins the team after serving as a legislative correspondent in Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s Office. In that role, he worked on energy, environmental, public lands, and Tribal issues and supported Senator Sinema’s actions on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Franklin grew up in Tempe and is a proud product of Arizona’s public K-12 schools. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy degree from American University as well as a B.A. in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government and a Certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies from AU. Other previous roles include serving as a deputy field organizer for the Biden presidential campaign in Iowa and graduate legislative intern in Salt River Project’s federal affairs office in D.C.

Meet the CAA and AZCenter teams

SAVE THE DATE: March 8 - Support oral health for the whole family at the Capitol

Research has shown that oral health is a core part of overall health, shaping well-being at every age. Dental disease can harm heart, and lungs, complicate diabetes, and even impact cognitive abilities as everyone gets older. Good oral health is also important in ensuring healthy pregnancies and thriving children. Untreated dental disease may lead to complications such as preeclampsia—a potentially fatal blood pressure condition, preterm delivery, and lower birth weight babies. Additionally, children are much more likely to have cavities if their birth parent has untreated cavities or tooth loss, and they are much more likely to miss school due to pain in the mouth.

In Arizona, over two million adults, over the age of 21 who participate in AHCCCS, do not have a dental benefit for preventative services. Oral health benefits in Arizona are reserved for emergencies and capped at $1,000, with very few exceptions. This leaves many Arizonans with costly visits to emergency departments as their only treatment option, and often it leads to the removal of teeth for preventable dental conditions. Recent research shows that offering a comprehensive dental benefit could reduce emergency department utilization in Arizona, and save the state millions of dollars each year, while improving the overall health of individuals and families.

Dental disease is a problem we can solve. Join Children’s Action Alliance and the Arizona Oral Health Coalition on March 8th for our Oral Health Day at the Capitol to tell lawmakers to make oral health a priority during this legislative session.

Visit the AZOHC website to learn more and take action!

Please Turn In Your Signature Petitions NOW!

In three weeks, Save Our Schools Arizona turns in signatures to stop yet another universal voucher scheme — they need them back ASAP!

This year’s ill advised, universal voucher expansion already has 6500+ applicants, the vast majority of which have NEVER stepped foot in a public school. Vouchers have never been about “choice”: it’s about subsidizing private education while defunding public schools. This number will expand dramatically over the next few months if we do not turn in 118,823 valid signatures by Sept. 23 — stripping hundreds of millions from our public school classrooms, teachers, and children. 

We have got to get this job done and stop this horrific bill in its tracks. That means we need every signature and every petition back ASAP. We’ve got this, but only if everyone does their part. 

Save Our Schools has events all over the state where you can notarize & return signatures: teamsosarizona.com/signature-slam/

Find a notary here: teamsosarizona.com/notary/

Public schools are on the line. Find detailed directions HERE for turn-in. 

AZECA’s Full Partnership Meeting and the Rollout of the New Membership Model

The Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA) will hold a full partnership meeting on August 29th, 2022 to discuss the roll out of the new membership model and updated website.

AZECA is an alliance of 50+ cross-sector partners statewide who are working together to give every Arizona child a great start in life. AZECA serves as Arizona’s shared and unified voice on early childhood, providing informed messages and credible resources that help leaders create positive change for Arizona’s children. These efforts are designed to ensure that all Arizona children are prepared for kindergarten and are on track to succeed by the end of third grade.

Starting in 2023, AZECA’s new membership model will offer partners exciting new benefits including access to the AZECA Children’s Policy Institute and an opportunity to participate in the annual Early Childhood Day at the Capitol lobby event.

AZECA welcomes new partners to join in on their critical work of directly influencing program and policy solutions for early childhood by collectively working together with lawmakers, practitioners, foundations, businesses, and other supporting collaboratives.

Please join AZECA virtually for the Full Partnership meeting:

When: August 29th, 2022 from 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Where: Zoom

Discussion and Insight on:

Legislative Update

The rollout of the new AZECA Membership Model
AZECA Member Benefits
Membership Drive Activity
Leadership Team Nomination Process
Partner Information, Celebrations and Announcements

Click HERE to register for the meeting

Save Our Schools Arizona Petition Drive

Save Our Schools Arizona is running a statewide referendum to stop the universal voucher expansion passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor earlier this summer. This expansion will strip Arizona public schools of hundreds of millions of dollars a year. This means our taxpayer funds will be diverted to unaccountable private academies with no transparency or oversight of public dollars. Mad? Furious? Join the efforts to Stop Voucher Expansion: teamsosarizona.com.

The Arizona legislature passed this bill in June, defying the will of Arizona voters who already rejected universal vouchers in 2018 by a 2-1 margin. But SOSAZ is fighting back. By collecting 218,823 valid signatures by Sept. 23, 2022, they are working to stop the law from going into effect and put it on the 2024 ballot, where AZ voters will reject it once and for all.

The stakes could not be higher - this is a referendum to decide the future of education in Arizona and across the nation.

How can you help?

Join the August Signature Slam this weekend: teamsosarizona.com/signature-slam/

If you already have petitions, thank you! Please turn them in as soon as possible, and consider grabbing another to fill out in August. There are easy opportunities to plug in and volunteer: bit.ly/SVEvolunteer.

If you need petitions to circulate to friends and family, PLEASE act quickly. You can get petitions at any Petition Hub at or any August Signature Slam event this weekend: teamsosarizona.com/signature-slam/

Make no mistake - our public schools are under attack and Arizona is the tip of the spear.

We must put a stop to this before they eradicate the cornerstone of our democracy - public education. Donate at sosarizona.org/donate.

Happy Birthday to the Children’s Health Insurance Program!

Today marks a special anniversary: the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is 25 years old. The program, known as “KidsCare” in Arizona, has established itself as a critical federal-state partnership to meet children’s health care needs.

Arizona hasn’t always embraced the program. In fact, for years Arizona was the only state in the US without an active CHIP. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t reaped its benefits.

Over the past 25 years, CHIP and Medicaid have sharply reduced the rate of uninsured children—in Arizona, the child uninsured rate dropped from 16% in 2008 to 9% in 2019, despite a lengthy KidsCare enrollment freeze.

KidsCare covers kids whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid (AHCCCS) but too little to afford private health insurance. Together with Medicaid (AHCCCS) and the Affordable Care Act, KidsCare works to provide no- or low-cost health coverage for kids - including doctor and dentist visits, immunizations, prescriptions, emergency care, and more. These programs work together to meet children’s health care needs and ensure that no one is left behind.

As we mark the anniversary of CHIP’s federal passage into law this week, we celebrate a bipartisan commitment to caring for our nation’s kids. We must renew this commitment and permanently fund CHIP so that states like Arizona can successfully and responsibly keep KidsCare running, and kids can get the care they need.

READ MORE:

When the COVID-19 continuous coverage protections are lifted, thousands of children in Arizona are at risk of becoming uninsured. This will disproportionately affect BIPOC children, children living in rural Arizona, and – importantly – families who participate in KidsCare.

That’s why Children’s Action Alliance worked with state lawmakers to pass legislation protecting coverage for children who participate in our CHIP program during the 2022 Legislative session.

HB2551 – sponsored by Representative Regina Cobb – helps cut through the red tape and burdensome paperwork requirements. It will ensure that children who qualify for KidsCare can stay continuously covered for a full year – even if their household’s circumstances temporarily improve.

Looking ahead, Arizona can do more to help children thrive by removing barriers to enrollment in AHCCCS and KidsCare. We must:

Make CHIP funding permanent at the federal level, so kids health care isn’t used as a political bargaining tool.
Raise the income limit for KidsCare to at least the national median of 255% FPL.
Remove monthly KidsCare premiums.

End the 3 month wait period for KidsCare coverage.
Expand coverage options for immigrant children.
Ensure children who participate in AHCCCS are also guaranteed twelve months of continuous coverage.

RESILIENCE Through the Eyes of a Child, Tuesday, October 25

Thank you to all our sponsors and attendees for their support of our mission!

Children's Action Alliance is proud to honor amazing community members and elected officials who support children and families.

2022 HONOREES

Horace Steele Child Advocacy Award Honoree

SHAWN PEARSON, Founder of Zion Institute

Jacque Steiner Public Leadership Award Honoree

SENATOR LELA ALSTON

Jacque Steiner Public Leadership Posthumous Award Honoree

SENATOR DAVE BRADLEY