Advocating for Texas Kids and Families
Category: News
November 25, 2024
Legislative Session Priorities
Any Baby Can has a direct line to families’ homes. This gives us an opportunity—and a responsibility—to amplify parent voices and advocate for their needs and the needs of their children. We're working to break down barriers and create a Central Texas community where all kids and families can thrive.
The Stakes are High
The 89th Texas legislative session is approaching, and it's a critical moment for Texas children. Our neighbors need your help to advocate for policies that will make a real difference.
Our Key Priorities
1. Increase funding for Early Childhood Intervention and home-visiting programs.
Early Childhood Intervention provides critical support to infants and young children with developmental delays and disabilities. In recent years, we’ve encountered significant financial challenges: escalating costs, staff recruitment and retention, rising operational costs, and urban vs. rural service delivery costs.
1 in 6 U.S. children aged 2–8 years (17.4%) had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
Although the demand for early intervention services has increased, the funding has not kept pace. The funding that ECI providers receive to serve kids is consistently lower than the per-child funding allocated by the state.
Home visiting programs, such as Nurse-Family Partnership and Parents as Teachers, provide evidence-based support to families during crucial developmental periods .
Legislators need to prioritize programs that have been shown to improve child health, school readiness and parental well-being, and prevent costs for taxpayers down the road.
We will educate and advocate for increased funding to ensure that more families thrive with access to support through programs with proven outcomes for Texas kids.
2. Increase funding for mental health services.
Access to quality mental health services is crucial for children, adolescents, and adults. Mental health is an essential component of individual and family well-being.
50% of people struggling with post-partum depression go undiagnosed. Women experience depression at roughly twice the rate of men.
Mental health challenges impact parents’ ability to effectively care for their children and impact children’s mental health and well-being. Any Baby Can screens 100% of our pregnant moms for mental health concerns.
Early identification and treatment of mental health conditions can significantly improve well-being for kids and families.
We will educate and advocate for increased funding for mental health services, particularly for children and families, to address the growing mental health crisis in Texas.
3. Increase Texas Medicaid Reimbursement Rates
Adequate reimbursement rates are essential for providers to deliver quality care to Medicaid recipients.
Nearly 1 in 11 children (9.0%) lived in households that experienced medical hardship, defined as problems paying for the child’s medical or health care bills during the past 12 months.
We will educate and advocate for an increase in Texas Medicaid reimbursement rates to ensure that providers can continue to offer essential services to low-income families.
4. Advocate for Policies that Promote Family Well-Being
Strong families are the foundation of strong communities. Any Baby Can focuses on the child, while knowing that the real change happens within the family. Family well-being is essential for the health, development and long-term success of children. Unfortunately, Travis County is the most expensive place in Texas to raise a child.
Parents were more likely than other adults to report that financial strain increased in their household (46% vs. 34%). In Travis County, 28% of kids are in low-income households that can't afford childcare.
Investing in childcare means better education and health outcomes for children. That’s why Any Baby Can was a champion for the Travis County Prop A on affordable childcare, which was approved by voters in November 2024.
We will continue to educate and advocate for policies that support affordable childcare, maternal and infant health, and other factors that contribute to strong families.
5. Reduce Administrative Burdens
Excessive administrative burdens can divert resources from direct care. We need to streamline paperwork and bureaucracy to make it easier and more efficient to provide quality care.
We will educate and advocate for a decrease in administrative burdens and costs associated with government-funded programs to allow providers to focus on providing quality care.
Join Us in Advocating for Texas Families
Working together, we can create a brighter future for Texas children and families! We invite you to join us and advocate for these important priorities.
- Talk to your lawmakers! Let your elected officials know you support these important issues.
- Spread the word! Share our message on social media and with your friends and family.
- Volunteer your time! Get involved with Any Baby Can and help us make a difference.
Together, we can ensure more Texas families have a brighter future.
Share:
Share:
Share:
RELATED RESOURCES
We address the physical, developmental and emotional well-being of families.
Read stories from our clients about how they’re best supported in parenting and child development.
Share your time and talents with us to help make our vision a reality.
THANKS TO OUR MISSION & THRIVE PARTNERS
Investments from our supporters create long-term benefits for thousands of families across Central Texas. Join us in building a community where all families and children thrive.
