Speak out for Babies!! Save CCEP!!

All MI-AIMH Members:

The Child Care Enhancement Program (CCEP) will be eliminated as of
September 30, 2010 unless you act TODAY and contact your legislators
about the importance of this program and why it needs to continue.
Since 1999, CCEP has helped thousands of infants and toddlers at risk of
being expelled from child care centers. But Governor Jennifer Granholm’s
budget proposal for fiscal year 2011 calls for the elimination of the
program and the Senate Department of Community Health subcommittee has
agreed. An estimated 7,000 young children under age five are expelled
from child care centers and preschools every year in Michigan. Forcing
these children out of care at such a tender age, rather than addressing
their underlying behavioral and mental health issues, only serves to
prolong problems, costing more in the long run and putting these
children on a trajectory toward failure. See attached fact sheet that
describes the program and the outcomes from the  3 year evaluation

 You can help protect funding for CCEP by contacting your legislators
and the members of the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees for
the Department of Community Health and telling them to maintain funding
for CCEP! It is critical that you contact the DCH House Appropriations
and the DHS Senate Appropriations Subcommittee today since they are meeting this week. See the contact information below: 

The DCH House Appropriation Subcommittee meets Monday, April 26 and Wed
April 28 –see below.  Send letters or emails to the chair of that subcommittee, Representative McDowell and other members.  Also the DHS Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
meets Tuesday April 27–all letters about CCEP should also be sent to
Senator Hardiman, the chair of that subcommmittee.  The specific testimony to be taken in that committee this week is on the child care funds.

Monday, April 26:
House Appropriations (Community Health Subcommittee) (Committee Record),
(Chr. McDowell, 373-8080), House Appropriations Room, Capitol, 9 a.m.

Public Testimony on mental health and substance abuse services and on
the Office of Services to the Aging 

Wednesday April 28
House Appropriations (Community Health Subcommittee) (Committee Record),
(Chr. McDowell, 373-8080), House Appropriations Room, Capitol, 9 a.m.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Public Health

Tuesday April 27
Senate Appropriations (Human Services Subcommittee) (Committee Record),
(Chr. Hardiman, 373-2767), Senate Hearing Room, Boji Tower, 12:30 p.m.

Michigan Home Based Child Care Council and Child Development and Care
Program 

Also, if you would like a model of what to say, check Michigan’s
Children (www.Michiganschildren.org ) to copy an email message to
legislators urging them to protect CCEP funding! (I tried to link this
and wasn’t able to ..it is their April 13th, Action Alert

CCEP Description
Michigan Children CCEP Policy Issue