Good ideas that didn't fit the bill
The Arizona legislature set a deadline that any bills that did not receive an initial committee hearing by the end of last week cannot advance this session. Committee chairs wield a lot of power in deciding which bills receive consideration or not and with 1,823 bills introduced this session, we understand…
Healthcare.gov will re-open for a special enrollment period
The Biden administration has announced that it will reopen the federal ACA Marketplace for a special enrollment period in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From February 15 to May 15, Arizonans will be able to shop for affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage at healthcare.gov. The…
Urge Senate Education Committee to support SB1376 for Youth Mental Health Programs
More and more states are requiring mental health education in schools as young people are increasingly vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental illness. Today, Arizona has an opportunity to join the movement with SB1376 and to help more students – students like Briana. Briana...
Governor Ducey’s proposed budget - The good, the bad and more tax cuts
Last spring when the COVID pandemic began, the legislature passed a basic “skinny budget” so they could rapidly end the legislative session and return home. At that time, with large portions of the economy shutting down and thousands of Arizonans losing their jobs, state budget experts were predicting…
Latest stimulus bill provides much-needed COVID relief for transition aged foster youth
Thanks to the advocacy of thousands of young leaders throughout the nation, including Fostering Advocates Arizona, the latest federal stimulus package, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, contains much-needed COVID relief for young people transitioning from foster care. Key provisions in the package include:…
State of the State
This week, the Arizona legislature begins its work for the year at a time when many Arizona children and families are struggling to meet their basic needs during this health and economic crisis. Recently released data by the U.S. Census Bureau shows 1 in 6 Arizona households with children (16%) said…
Brighter days ahead
With the kind of year 2020 has been, the Children’s Action Alliance team and I want to focus on brighter days ahead. Our thoughts continue to be with everyone who has been impacted by the COVID pandemic and economic downturn; especially families who are struggling to meet their basic housing, food,…
It’s time for Arizona to step up for kin, during the pandemic and beyond
Kinship families are the backbone of Arizona’s child welfare system and kinship families are struggling. These two statements have never been truer than they are today in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Each year in Arizona, thousands of relatives provide loving homes for children in foster care,…
Arizona's drop in K-12 enrollment could mean lost funding for public schools
Arizona Department of Education reported 50,000 fewer students attending public schools than last year. This number far exceeds the number of families who have formally opted for homeschooling for 2020-2021. The unfortunate reality is that many children may not be in school at all during the pandemic….