Tag: Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting

Bipartisan Budget Deal Announced with Funding for Critical Programs for Moms and Babies

Yesterday, Senate Leaders announced a bipartisan budget deal to lift arbitrary funding caps for two years, allowing for much-needed increases in federal spending. The deal also maintains funding for domestic and foreign aid programs through March 23, 2018, giving Congress time to agree upon specific funding levels for the remainder of fiscal year 2018. 1,000 Days is encouraged by this important development.

We strongly support the additional funding announced for domestic and foreign aid programs vital to the health and well-being of moms and babies. We look forward to working with Congress to maintain support for effective, life-saving health and nutrition programs both at home and around the world.

We are particularly pleased that the bipartisan budget deal includes a two-year extension of funding for community health centers, the national health service corps and other health-related programs, helping to ensure millions of Americans will be able to continue to access the health services they need. The bipartisan Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program will receive an additional five years of funding and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will receive additional funding—providing vulnerable children with the health care security they need. Last, much-needed federal relief will be available to families and communities affected by the recent natural disasters in Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas and California as they continue to recover.

However, we are disappointed this deal includes a $1.35 billion cut to the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) over the next decade. Reducing the PPHF undermines the critical work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to protect our public health both at home and abroad, including jeopardizing initiatives that support breastfeeding and reduce health disparities.

Still, bipartisan support of this deal shows that Congress works best when Republicans and Democrats come together to put the needs of families first. Moms and babies here and around the world deserve no less.

Congress Comes Through On CHIP, Falls Short On Other Critical Public Health Programs

Yesterday, Congress passed and the President signed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government until February 8, 2018. Included in the legislation is a six-year funding extension for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

1,000 Days supports long-term funding for CHIP. Nearly 9 million children and 370,000 pregnant women depend on CHIP for their health coverage. Since last September, Congressional inaction left millions of families wondering if their children would be able to access the health care they need or if their state would announce an end in coverage. Yesterday those fears were finally put to rest.

However, yesterday’s bill does not include a deal to fund other critical health programs that expired at the end of September 2017, such as Community Health Centers and the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program. And there remains no agreement on a budget for the rest of this fiscal year ending September 30, jeopardizing continued funding for many additional programs that support the health and well-being of women and children.

1,000 Days calls on Congress to finish their work and fund these important programs, putting the needs of young children and their families first.