SAVE THE DATESDon't Give Up the Fight for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) Join our DAYS OF ACTION on January 10 and 16, 2018Dear Home Visiting Colleagues:
Yesterday, Congress passed a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. We pushed for MIECHV to be a part of that bill, but the continuing resolution did not include a funding extension of MIECHV and included only 3-months of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and community health centers.
This stop-gap spending measure punts MIECHV and other critical decisions to January.
This is disappointing but we're not giving up hope and neither should you.
We remain committed to ensuring that MIECHV is reauthorized for 5-years at no less than its current funding level and without harmful provisions. We will continue to work with our legislative champions and allies on a bipartisan basis to ensure that happens.
Your advocacy to date has made a difference. For example, we're hearing that a five-year reauthorization that keeps funding stable is still on the table.
Because of you, MIECHV is in a great position to be renewed alongside CHIP in the new year. At that time, there will be a great number of programs and issues Congress must address, including the budget, MIECHV, CHIP, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and legislation to raise the debt ceiling.
In January, we'll need your help again and ask that you raise your powerful voices to let Congress know that they cannot leave children and families behind. Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Days of Action on
January 10th and January 16th. As we have in the past, we will provide resources to you in advance to use in your advocacy.
Thank you for your effective advocacy and your stalwart commitment and dedication to children and families served by home visiting and the MIECHV program. We look forward to working with you in the new year to renew this important program.
We wish you a happy and healthy holiday.
The Home Visiting Coalition
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Eli Briggs
Sr. Government Affairs Director
National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
Washington DC
202-507-4194
ebriggs@naccho.org------------------------------