ADVOCACY 2015

MISSOURI COALITION OF CHILDREN'S AGENCIES

Together for children

Our Vision

Missouri Coalition of Children's Agencies envisions a society where all children reach their potential in safe, healthy, permanent families, empowered by comprehensive community support.

Health and Well Being

    Older Youth. Youth aging out of care, those who have aged out of care, and those who have not been in foster care frequently live the same lives that include homelessness, violence and poverty. What role can MCCA play in convening actors across sector lines to improve outcomes for these youth?

Every Child Graduates. Increase graduation rates for children in foster care to 100% Behavioral Health. Children are not tiny adults. Work to promote best practice and true parity in funding for behavioral health services for children and families, including those covered by Medicaid. Remove Obstacles to Youth in Foster Care Driving. Legislative progress has been made, but financial barriers still exist. Support access to affordable driver’s education.

Select and prioritize legislative agenda

     Children’s Services Fund. Support protecting current statute and intent, and expansion in interested counties. Promote broader issue of mental health services access for children  Ferguson and St. Louis County

Behavioral Health

. MCCA will advocate for statutes and funding that supports a strong community of care for vulnerable children and families, including those children in custody of the State of Missouri. Pilot design and implementation of efforts involving Missouri's foster care system should include current providers.

Increase Provider Rates. Foster care rates continue to lose ground to the cost of caring for Missouri's children. Gains made during the 2014 legislative session were vetoed. Early Childhood Education. Support increased funding of, and access to, early childhood education.

Juvenile Justice. Support children under 18 being removed from the adult corrections system, both pre and post disposition.

Federal

  Children's Health Insurance Program, CHIP is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2015, which would leave 37,000 children in Missouri uninsured. The Health Insurance Exchange does not offer affordable packages for lower oncome families. Either the premiums are too high, or the out of pocket maximum is unaffordable for families with children with considerable health issues.

HR 4980 Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Influence how Missouri response is designed and how resources are allocated.

Capacity Building

   Capacity Messaging Improve legislators’, funders’, and policy influencers understanding of the capacity and expertise MCCA members have in serving children and families with severe and persistent behavioral, mental health, and cognitive issues.

Contractor Rights. Improve members’ position in negotiating contracts, resolving bidding inequities, recovering reasonable cost of care, and influencing rules and policies that impact the care they provide, both quality and cost. Explore and identify administrative, legislative, other legal remedies.

Private and Public Sector Relationships. Continue to develop relationships with private and public sector organizations to raise the visibility and increase understanding of members’ capacities. Organizations include Governor's Office, hospital systems, Coalition of Mental Health Centers, MO Department of Mental Health, Children's Division, DESE, Division of Youth Services, UM-OSEDA, FACT, and others.