Voices for Georgia’s Children and The Whole Child Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Voices for Georgia’s Children Georgia’s Premier Child Policy and Advocacy Organization • We believe that all children deserve to have their Needs Met, so they can reach their full potential. • We focus on the “Whole Child,” so we can propose solutions that benefit children on multiple levels. • Take a Multi-Generation approach by considering the adults that surround children when creating policies Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Overview Ov rview and d In Indicators dicators • 2.5 million children live in the state of Georgia. • Nearly 200,000 Georgia children under age 19 lack health insurance. • An estimated 1 million (nationally) children under 5 years old were not counted in the 2010 census. • 22% of children in Georgia were living at or below the federal poverty level in 2017 ($25,100 per year for a family of four) • 16 of Georgia’s 159 counties do not have a dentist and 35 counties do not have a dentist who accepts Medicaid patients Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Po Poli licy cy Recommendat commendations ions & In & Init itiatives iatives • Ensure that the Georgia Gateway Integrated Eligibility System can receive completed applications 24 hours per day, seven days a week. • In partnership with GA Family Connection Partnership, we’ve launched a coordinated effort to ensure everyone is counted in Georgia. • Everyonecountsga.org • Advocate for access to healthcare for all adults caring for or living with children. • Prioritize comprehensive school-based health Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Overview Ov rview and d In Indicators dicators • Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Georgia children aged 10-17. • More than 100,000 middle- and high-school students in Georgia reported having seriously considered harming themselves. • Approximately 200,000 Georgia kids have at least one incarcerated parent. • More than 13,000 children were in Georgia’s foster care system as of July 2019. Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Overview Ov rview and d In Indicators dicators • Nearly half of Georgia’s counties don’t have a licensed psychologist and one-third lack a licensed social worker. • Statewide, 108,301 students received out-of-school suspension in the 2017-2018 school-year. Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Po Poli licy cy Recommendat commendations ions & In & Init itiatives iatives • Improve our ability to address workforce shortages by collecting and monitoring behavioral health workforce data similarly to our current practices for physicians with the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce. • Support the development of protocols and standards for improved and expanded provision of behavioral health telemedicine. • Trauma-Informed Universities Pilot Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Overview Ov rview and d In Indicators dicators • 62% of Georgia third-graders could not read proficiently by the end of third grade in the 2017-2018 school year. • 82% was the overall Georgia high school graduation rate in 2019. • 11% was the graduation rate for Georgia youth in foster care in 2018. • Approximately 11% of Georgia’s children participated in afterschool programs in 2018 Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Po Poli licy cy Recommendat commendations ions & In & Init itiatives iatives • Expand state funding to afterschool and summer learning programs to increase access and ensure affordability of care. • Increase state funding for the CAPS program (childcare subsidies). • Encourage technical education, work-based learning, and apprenticeships to older youth to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Go Good od News ws • 80,493 four-year-olds, or 60% of all four-year-olds in Georgia, participate in Georgia’s Pre -K Program • Georgia now enjoys unprecedented state funding for School- Based Mental Health • 35 comprehensive School Based Health Centers across the state • Admissions to DJJ jails and prisons are down 40% between 2013 and 2018 Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Good Go od News ws • Increased GaDOE training and awareness is positively impacting school climate • Obesity rates among 10-17 year olds are down from 18.6% in 2016 to 16% in 2018 • Teen births are down from 28 to 22 per 1,000 teenage girls • Child poverty is down from 27% in 2013 to 20% in 2018 Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Op Opportunities portunities to to En Engage gage • Listen to children and youth • Become more aware of trauma and how it affects child and youth outcomes • Donate money, equipment, expertise - school-based health and mental health centers, afterschool programs, affordable housing • Participate in your local Census Complete Count Committee to guarantee accurate data for the next 10 years Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Opportunities Op portunities to to En Engage gage • Read to kids • Become a foster parent, respite care parent, or adoptive parent • Develop youth apprenticeship programs • Support your local food bank • Implement family-friendly policies and those that support volunteerism Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Opportunities Op portunities to to En Engage gage • Host trainings, such as Mental Health First Aid training, Suicide Prevention, Darkness to Light, and others • Advocate for developmentally appropriate policies, such as • Raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from up to 17 up to 18 • Funding for child and family health and mental health • Increased funding for childcare subsidies and afterschool programs Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
Questions? Qu stions? Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions: Erica Fener Sitkoff, Ph.D. Melissa Haberlen, JD, MPH Polly McKinney Executive Director Policy and Research Director Advocacy Director 404-521-0311 404-521-0311 678-427-5945 Brittney Newton, MPH Policy Analyst bnewton@georgiavoices.org 404-521-0311 Educate. Convene. Influence. @GeorgiaVoices
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