Thank you to Governor Ducey
For months, the early childhood community has experienced a workforce shortage crisis, and as more Arizonans return to work, it has been a challenge for child care providers to hire enough staff. For health and safety reasons, child care providers must maintain strict child-to-staff ratios, and with…
Restore supports for all Arizona kinship families
Meet Nancy. Nancy and her husband faced a real challenge when twelve years ago they stepped in as informal caregivers to raise two grandchildren. As Nancy describes, “Twelve years ago the bio-mother of our granddaughters then 2 and 3 years old, called to tell me that she would have to put the babies…
This is our rainy day – why isn’t Arizona investing in children’s health?
The American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, went into effect on March 11. The effort passed through Congress with several provisions that will make it easier for Americans to get high-quality, affordable health coverage. Notably, the plan increases and expands premium subsidies for health coverage through…
Foster Youth Need Stimulus Payments Too
“It’s not controversial. Give young people the cash and trust them to make the decisions they need to make for their lives and their priorities. That’s my message,” said Aysha Schomburg, the Biden Administration’s top child welfare official during a town hall hosted by the national nonprofit…
Federal Funding could help looming workforce shortage crisis in child care
In mid-March, Congress passed the American Recovery Act (ARA). The legislation was the latest in a string of COVID relief bills intended to assist families, businesses, and communities through the pandemic. The Act set aside $39 billion to help the child care system which has struggled to remain afloat…
Announcing David Lujan, President and CEO
On behalf of the board of directors, I am pleased to announce David Lujan as President and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance. Since January, David has led CAA through the development of a new three-year strategic plan, and a theory of change that focuses on equity as the foundation on which CAA will…
State lawmakers should expand KidsCare eligibility ASAP
A year into a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 16,000 Arizonans, the state legislature has repeatedly declined the opportunity to provide low-cost, comprehensive health coverage to tens of thousands of children. CAA’s new fact sheet explores why this measure is so important – and…
American Rescue Plan is a major victory for Arizona children and families
The American Rescue Plan passed by Congress and signed by President Biden this week is a major victory for Arizona children and families. According to data released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the expansion of the child tax credit alone will lift 112,000 Arizona children above the…
Pandemic reveals need for direct financial support of former foster youth
Last week, Arizona’s Department of Child Safety was awarded nearly $10.5M in federal funding to provide much needed and long-awaited pandemic relief to older and former foster youth up to age 27. These supplemental funds were provided by the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the…