In Mississippi, more than almost any state in the nation, cuts to federal programs are taking an enormous toll on families and children.
Last month alone 4,000 Mississippi children lost their child care subsidies - paid for through the Child Care Development Block Grant program -which helps parents afford child care and stay employed.
Since Mississippi provides little funding of its own to the nearly 70 percent of families that need assistance, they are left with few options. Many will be forced to quit their jobs or give up education programs that would help them secure stable employment. With further reductions in child care assistance now proposed in Congress, this situation is likely to grow worse without a persistent public outcry.
Recent polls show that most people do not want budget cuts to come at the expense of programs that help create jobs and give families a leg up in our economy.
In a recent poll for the Ms. Foundation for Women conducted by Lake Research Partners, nearly half of Americans said they would be extremely or very concerned if Congress, in an effort to reduce the federal deficit, significantly cut programs that help children and families.
Further cuts to child care assistance would place an unacceptable strain on Mississippi families. Average child care fees in our state are as high as tuition at state colleges and universities. Mississippi has no state-funded early childhood program and federal funds for low-income child care assistance serve only a fraction of those eligible.
Rather than strengthening our economy, such cuts are likely to deepen our state's fiscal troubles. For every dollar invested in early childhood education, communities gain eight dollars in the form of improved outcomes for children and economic and community development. What's more, studies show that child care subsidies increase employment rates and reduce need for government support.
Even before these cuts, about two-thirds of eligible Mississippi families were going without child care assistance. For those who are served, access to the funds needs to be far less onerous. Currently recipients must go through a complicated recertification process every six months, which frequently leads to disruptions in assistance. Extending the recertification to a year would help more families continue to receive assistance.
Decisions about how federal child care assistance funds are distributed are made by the governor's office. With the upcoming gubernatorial election, Mississippi voters have a chance to stand up for a better system.
We also need to make sure our voices are heard in Congress. As ranking member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Mississippi's Sen. Thad Cochran is in a powerful position to influence decisions about the federal budget. He needs to know that Mississippi voters do not support cuts in programs like child care that help children thrive and our economy grow.
Government programs like child care are a lifeline to better future for millions of people. In fact, the Ms. Foundation poll found that the desire for a stronger government role in fixing the economy rose four points this year to 56 percent.
We all want a smaller deficit, but not at the expense of programs like child care that help families succeed.
Carol Burnett
Executive Director
Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative
Biloxi
[Source: Jackson Clarion Ledger]
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