The Michigan Federation for Children and Families is working hard on behalf of its member agencies to advocate for the populations they serve in the middle of the budget discussions taking place at the State Capitol. With just a week until the end of the fiscal year, the Federation continues to pursue every option available in its advocacy toward resources for its member agencies serving so many vulnerable children and families in Michigan.
In order that children’s services issues are at the table for all budget discussions, we are in regular communication with:
- Legislative Leaders,
- Top DHS Administrators
- The State Budget Office
- Children’s Rights
- and the State’s Monitoring Team
Legislative leaders are currently working to negotiate and find a solution to the state’s budget deficit. At this time reports mention that $1.2 billion in cuts may be agreed upon between the House and Senate, with the hope that the legislature could restore some of these funds through supplemental budget bills.
The Federation’s greatest strength is our membership. As these efforts continue forward, the Federation also recognizes the membership’s specialized ability to communicate to legislative leaders the needs of children and families. You are positioned within your communities to be able to carry the voices forward of the vulnerable populations you serve within your agencies, serving as an asset to their futures.
The Federation can help by providing tools for your ongoing advocacy efforts. This is a critical time within the legislature as there is a lot of work going on to complete the 2010 fiscal year budget before September 30. This means the time to act is now, and your elected representatives need to be hearing from you!
You can contact the Federation at 517-485-8552 for information and materials and visit http://www,michfed.orgfor more details. We also hope that you will follow-up to communicate the results of your advocacy efforts. Feel free to email me at janet@michfed.org.
Respectfully,
Janet Reynolds Snyder
Executive Director
Michigan Federation for Children and Families
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | Advocacy
