Arizona poised to end seizure of benefits owed to foster children
Arizona is one of a growing number of states considering proposals to prohibit child welfare agencies from seizing foster children’s federal benefits. Nationwide and in Arizona, roughly 5% of all children and youth in foster care qualify for Social Security Administration disability and survivor benefits….
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)...
Huge Win for AZ Child Care System-DES Provider Rate Adjustments!
On Friday, March 24th, the Department of Economic Security (DES) shared a message with early childhood educators throughout Arizona announcing new, exciting updates for the early childhood system statewide. These improvements are important to continue to strengthen Arizona’s early childhood system….
The Bills That Got Away
Every year, Arizona Legislators introduce hundreds of bills, and very few of them go through the entire process to end on the Governor’s Desk for a signature. And each year, many bills never get a hearing at all. There are many good proposals to help children and families in Arizona thrive that deserve…
The Countdown Begins - AZ Students Need a Permanent Fix to the School Spending Limit
Arizona voters approved into law a limit on what public schools can spend in a year based on the needs in 1980. If schools exceed the limit in a school year, as they did last year and again this year, the law allows the legislature to provide an “expenditure override” to allow districts to spend…
News you can use: CAA Priority Bills
Arizona’s state legislative session is in full swing. So far this session 1625 Bills, Memorials and Resolutions have been introduced for consideration. Each year, Children’s Action Alliance selects bills a dozen or so bills that we give our top priority. They are introduced by both Republicans…
Child Uninsured Rate Could Rise Sharply if Arizona Doesn’t Act to Protect Children’s Coverage
KidsCare successfully brought down the child uninsured rate and proved to be a critical lifeline for more than 50% of Arizona’s children during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families at the McCourt School of Public Policy. The…
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…
15,000 Arizona kids gained health coverage during the pandemic – but we’ve still got work to do.
Health insurance is a long-term investment for children. It helps families get the care they need, when they need it, without fear of expensive health bills. And it helps kids learn, grow, and play at their best. Racial and ethnic disparities in coverage rates persist, but a new report by Georgetown…