Priorities for
New Hampshire Children | 2015
NH CAN
2015 Partners
Advocacy Partners
American Federation of Teachers- NH, Appalachian Mountain Teen Project,
Bi-State Primary Care, Cedarcrest Center for Children, Child and Family
Services of NH, Conservation Law Foundation, Disabilities Rights Center,
Early Learning NH, Endowment for Health, Every Child Matters, Family
Assistance Advisory Council, Family Support NH, Lamprey Health Care,
League of Women Voters of NH, Manchester Community Health Center,
Mountain View Counseling, NAMI- NH, National Association of Social
Workers, National Education Association- NH, New Futures, NFI North, NH
Afterschool Network (SERESC), NH Association for the Education of Young
Children, NH Children’s Trust, NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual
Violence, NH Community Loan Fund, NH Council For Youth with Chronic
Conditions NH Civil Liberties Union, NH Dental Society, NH Developmental
Disabilities Council, NH Fiscal Policy Institute, NH Legal Assistance, NH Oral
Health Coalition, NH Partners in Service (NHPS), NH Pediatric Society, NH
School Administrators Association, Richie McFarland Children's Center,
Southern NH Services Area Health Education Center (AHEC), The Alliance
for Better Child Care, The Grapevine Family and Community Resource
Center, United Way - Greater Seacoast, United Way- Massachusetts Bay &
NH CAN Steering Committee
Ellen Fineberg, Chair
NH Kids Count
Jeff McLynch
NH Fiscal Policy Institute
John DeJoie,
NH CAN Coordinator
NH Kids Count
Karen E. Cusano
NFI North, Inc
Keith Kuenning
Child and Family Services
Lynn Stanley
NH Afterschool Network
Dr. Mark Joyce
NH School Administrators
Association
Michael Skibbie
Disabilities Rights Center
Scott McGilvray
National Education
Association- NH
Merrimack Valley.
The New Hampshire Child Advocacy
Network (NH CAN), a 17 year-old
partnership of child-serving
organizations, develops the only annual
legislative agenda focused solely on kids.
Led by NH Kids Count, the NH CAN
coalition engages its members in lively
debate on issues of the day.
We work alongside lawmakers
to promote policies that improve
life for all Granite State children.
NH Kid’s Count appreciates support
throughout the year from:
New Hampshire Kids Count is dedicated to improving the lives
of all children by advocating for public initiatives that make a
real difference. We ensure that laws, policies, and programs in
the Granite State are effective and improve kids' lives.
Two Delta Drive, Concord, NH 03301 (603) 225-2264
nhkidscount.org
Promote Workforce Development
through Afterschool Learning
Lynn Stanley, NH Afterschool Network
Research shows that afterschool programs can foster better work
habits, improve academic performance, and lead to fewer
school absences. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM) curriculum in afterschool programs have been shown to
increase the likelihood of students taking higher level STEM
classes in the upper grades. Therefore, when new legislation
related to workforce development or STEM is introduced, it
should include afterschool and summer learning programs as a
viable strategy for educating our youth to become contributing
adults. This is an Education Priority.
Support Educational Opportunities
for All Children
Dr. Mark V. Joyce , NH School Administrator’s Association
Scott McGilvray, National Education Association- NH
Laura Hainey, American Federation of Teachers- NH
Over the past six years, the Legislature has fulfilled its mandate
to define, create, cost and fund public education in New
Hampshire’s schools. New Hampshire needs to support full
funding of all schools to protect all children's right to a quality
public education. Our state legislators should oppose
legislation that will weaken our state's constitutional obligation
or the public education system. This is an Education Priority.
Create The NH Educator Equity Plan
Laura Hainey, American Federation of Teachers
The NH Department of Education must update its Educator
Equity Plan by April 2015. The revised plan will focus on
low-income and minority communities to ensure that schools
have effective teachers and services in place. The Department
of Education should solicit a diverse group of stakeholders
including advocates, state agency personnel, and community
members to ensure that the new plan reflects the requirements
of these constituents. This is an Education Priority.
Protect Students’ Online Privacy
Devon Chaffee, New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union
More schools are requiring students to turn over their social
media account access information and submit to monitoring by
schools administrators. New Hampshire should ensure that its
privacy laws and school policies keep pace with technology by
prohibiting this practice unless there is substantiated cause. In
2014, HB 1200 sought to prohibit schools from requiring
students to disclose their online IDs and passwords. This bill was
thwarted in conference committee. A new effort convening
diverse stakeholders will bring forward additional perspectives
and legislative possibilities to address this need.
This is an Education Priority.
Priorities for NH Children by NH CAN: 2015
Utilize Community Health Workers to
Improve Access to Services
Ensure Community Based
Prevention Services
Strengthen Homeowners Property
Tax Relief Program
Paula Smith, Southern NH Area Health Education Center
Kris McCracken, Manchester Community Health Center
Keryn Bernard- Kriegl, NH Children’s Trust
Kristen Vance, The Grapevine Family & Community Resource Center
Karen Welford, Family Support NH
Jeff McLynch, NH Fiscal Policy Institute
Community Health Workers (CHWs) connect people to needed
services and help bridge the gap between medical care,
behavioral health, social services, and the community. First steps
include bringing people together to share information about
Community Health Workers, and ensuring a common language
and understanding about the roles of CHWs in health, behavioral health and social service settings. Next steps involve a
legislative strategy to include CHWs as authorized service
providers under Medicaid and the NH Health Plan. This is a
Health and Wellness Priority.
Reduce Childhood Lead Poisoning
The creation of Designated Family Resource Centers of Quality
which welcomes all children and families would have a positive
impact on New Hampshire’s communities. Amending existing
legislation (Chapter 126- M- Wellness and Primary Prevention
Council) can build a system of Family Resource Centers of
Quality around the state. Steps include developing the
amendment language, recruiting sponsors, educating members
of the legislature, and testifying during the legislative process.
Let’s work together to ensure a vital and productive society built
on a foundation of healthy child development. This is a Safety
Priority.
Tom Irwin, Conservation Law Foundation
Each year, hundreds of New Hampshire children are found to
have elevated lead levels in their blood. Because even small
amounts of lead can cause children to suffer permanent,
irreversible adverse health effects, it is essential that lead
poisonings be prevented. NH must use both legislative and
community education to address the ongoing threat of
childhood lead poisoning. Strategies include encouraging
prevention approaches; aligning NH’s blood lead level
standard with nationally accepted standards; generating
needed resources to support poisoning prevention efforts; and
greatly improving NH’s screening rates. This is a Health and
Wellness Priority.
Strengthen the Juvenile Justice System
Keith Kuenning, Child and Family Services
New Hampshire enhanced the state’s juvenile justice system
through Children in Need of Services (CHINS) legislation in
2013 and the Juvenile Justice Modernization bill in 2014. HB
1624, the Juvenile Justice Modernization bill, changed the age
of majority from 17 to 18 years thereby safeguarding the rights
of juveniles as well as their rehabilitation, among other changes. In order to help these young adults find their way into
productive lives, the NH Legislature must ensure that HB 1624
is implemented as passed. This is a Safety Priority.
279,716
17
YEARS OF WORKING
TO MAKE LIFE BETTER
FOR NH’S KIDS
Educate Legislators about TANF,
Food Stamps and EBT Cards
MaryLou Beaver, Family Assistance Avisory Council;
Every Child Matters NH
Over the last eight years, there were more than 20 legislative
initiatives dealing with the Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families Program (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP or Food Stamps), and Electronic Benefits (EBT)
cards. During the same time period NH’s child poverty rate has
increased, the need for Food Stamp assistance skyrocketed, yet
funding for support programs like TANF was cut. Investing in
low-income families to ensure they have the basic necessities to
raise healthy, productive children is an investment in our state’s
future. Educating our policy makers and our citizens about these
programs will benefit all Granite State children. This is an
Economic Security Priority.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IN NH
Priorities for NH Children by NH CAN: 2015
New Hampshire’s state and local tax system imposes greater
responsibilities on low- and moderate-income families than on
more affluent ones. This situation arises, in part, because, unlike
many states that count heavily on property taxes, New Hampshire
does not make widespread use of homestead exemptions. It
instead relies on a relatively modest Low- and Moderate-Income
Homeowners Property Tax Relief Program to mitigate the impact of
such taxes. Unfortunately, the number of taxpayers
participating in this program has declined sharply in recent years.
New Hampshire should strengthen this program by updating key
income and property thresholds for inflation, enabling thousands
more Granite Staters to benefit and increasing the amount of relief
available. This is an Economic Security Priority.
Investing in Our Children,
Investing in Our Future
NH CAN Steering Committee
New Hampshire’s biennial budget is one of the chief means by
which the state invests in its children, builds healthy and vibrant
communities, and maintains the Granite State’s quality of life.
Flaws in New Hampshire’s tax system as well as recent policy
changes have helped to leave state revenues below their
pre-recession levels, impairing New Hampshire’s capacity to
provide education, health, and other services critical to child
well-being. New Hampshire needs to explore incremental reforms
to our tax system, making it more equitable and sustainable, to
fuel our future growth and development.
This is an Overarching Priority.
102
SUCCESSFUL PRIORITIES
INCLUDING
CHINS MODERNIZATION – KINDERGARTEN –
BULLYING REDUCTION – MEDICAID EXPANSION