urgent for MO Parents-subsidy

NEW NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As HB970 is voted on this morning in the Children and Families Committee, we have another fire burning. Even if we successfully get HB970 moving, we need the money to pay for the bill. We have an opportunity TODAY to make that happen (I know you're probably tired of hearing the urgency of these messages...but I promise that we're just reacting to events as they unfold). The budget bill will likely be heard on the Senate floor TODAY. There are THREE calls that we need you to make, please. 1. Senator Chuck Gross, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has been VERY helpful to our cause. Please contact him TODAY and say (very politely), "Thank you for all you've put back into the budget. We know you support adoption assistance, and would appreciate your support of an amendment to raise adoption subsidy to 300% of the poverty level." His contact information is (573) 751-8635 or chuck_gross@senate.mo.gov 2. Senator Mike Gibbons is the President Pro Tem. He has lots of adoptive families who live in his district. Please contact him TODAY, saying, "Please support funding to raise adoption subsidy to 300% of the poverty level." His contact information is (573) 751-2853 or mrgibbons@senate.mo.gov 3. Finally, please contact your own senator (this is particularly important if you live in a republican district), saying, "I am a constituent, and I ask that you support funding to raise adoption subsidy to 300% of the poverty level." If you don't know who your senator is, you can go to [url]http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx[/url] to find out.

McKenna....Thank you for the updates!! Consider it done. It is an awesome privelege for me to fight for all the kids now and in the future that are depending on us. Let us know as soon as you hear something!

thanks tlc, here is the latest update Good work, folks!! Adoptive parent just reported that the House Children and Families Committee just adjourned. The vote was 7-1 in favor of HB970. Yippee! Beware...this is only the beginning! With only 9 working days left until the budget must be passed by the Missouri General Assembly, we have a long, long way to go. However, please take a moment to celebrate...then get back on the phones!!

new info!! The Senate just passed an amendment to bring up the adoption assistance cutoff to 250% of the poverty level. The amendment was offered by Sen. Gross. This is terrific news because EVERYONE thought that there was no way to get one more penny out of the budget. It simply would not have happened if you hadn't been so diligent in contacting legislators. I recognize that this does not give us everything we want, and we're working with some very dedicated lobbyists to figure out the next steps. In the meantime, please take time out to contact the four senators who were instrumental in making this happen. These four senators still have quite a fight ahead of them to KEEP this in the budget, and they'll need all the support they can get. Please tell them, "Thank you for your help today with the adoption subsidy amendment." Senator Chuck Gross (573) 751-8635 or chuck_gross@senate.mo.gov Senator Pat Dougherty (573) 751-3599 or pat_dougherty@senate.mo.gov Senator Joan Bray (573) 751-2514 or jbray@senate.state.mo.us Senator Rita Heard Days(573) 751-4106 or ritadays@senate.mo.gov thanks everyone!

Just heard that daycare might be cut across the board for kids over the age of 5....any word on that?

i heard that too, but it has not been confirmed yet.

Any word on HB970??? When I checked the bill tracking today it listed a hearing for 5/4 morning. McKenna.....get on your bat phone ;) !!

the most recent message left on my "bat phone" ( i got a good laugh out of this tlc) states: We just heard from Rep. Brian Yates' office that HB970 is on the fast track. This is great news!! They caution that we must, must keep up the pressure. As it stands today, the adoption subsidy program will be funded at 250%...but it does not make exceptions for special needs kids. Futhermore, the law recently signed by Gov. Blunt states that adoption subsidy agreements expire after one year. HB970 would "fix" these problems. Please have everyone you know contact Speaker Rod Jetton (573-751-5912) TODAY or TOMORROW, saying, "Please keep HB970 on the fast track. It is crucial that we protect Missouri's special needs kids."

So they don't want to make exceptions for special needs kids?? What about child care? Anything said about the "across the board" cut of subsidized child care? Wow... I've been waiting to be an adoptive parent, thinking I've found a really good match, and now subsidies are getting in the way. Already Missouri had low subsidies compared to other states. I'm not looking to get rich, but I at least want enough to put food on the table and keep them in clothes - not to mention activities, school expenses, etc.... Well, I just had to vent a moment!! Thanks Mckenna for all the updates!!

i have not heard anythign concrete about daycare but the rumors i am hearing are that daycare after age 5 will be cut across the board. but again let me say that is not info received from my "bat phone"

McKenna - I heard from our boys former foster mom that she was told the same thing. And now, if she goes back to work (which will have to happen if they lose subsidies) she is being told she will lose her daycare subsidy because she hasnt used it in the interm, while staying home to care for her special needs children (including one with downs syndrome, one with severe behavioral issues, and one that was severly premature and should NOT be in a daycare setting for health reasons). She has also been told that all therapy subsidies (including those for her behavioral issued child) will be eliminated.

new information: 1. Have you contacted Speaker Rod Jetton yet? If not, please do so before Monday. Also, get your family, friends and relatives to call. With only ONE WEEK left in the legislative session it is imperative to keep up the pressure. So please call Speaker Rod Jetton (573-751-5912) and say, "Please keep HB970 on the fast track. It is crucial that we protect Missouri's special needs kids." 2. Dr. James Dobson's organization, Focus on the Family, continues to help. Yesterday, they featured our issue multiple times on their radio show. Earlier this week, they featured adoptive parent Elizabeth Euer on their website. Please copy and paste this link into your Internet brower to see the story: [url]http://www.family.org/cforum/statenews/a0036430.cfm[/url] 3. I know this subsidy issue is difficult to follow. I hope this chart helps clear it up: Bill Number SB539 The Medicaid Bill Signed into law on 4/26 200% means test No exceptions for special needs kids Limits subsidy contracts to one year, but may be renewed annually Does not assure that Medicaid and daycare will continue. HB11 The Budget Bill Waiting to be signed by Gov. Blunt 250% means test Does not address this issue (Special Needs Provision) Length of Subsidy Contracts(Does not address this issue) HB970 Rep. Yates bill Passed out of House Committee 300% means test Provides exceptions for special needs kids Would keep contracts in place until the child turns 18 years old. Would provide Medicaid and daycare for all children.

new info, please help! HB970 made it to the House Floor! But there are only 4 DAYS LEFT in the Legislative Session...so it is time to MAKE OUR VOICES heard. Please contact Rep. Tom Dempsey (Majority Floor Leader) and ask him to, "Please bring up HB970 for debate." He can be reached at (573)751-1141 or Tom.Dempsey@house.mo.gov If HB970 does not come up for debate, it will likely "die" as the legislative session ends on Friday. So please get your friends, family, and co-workers to call Rep. Dempsey, too!

Any word now that the legislative session has ended? I fear that no news is not good news......

my son isn't title IV-E I think the best info I have found is on the missouri DSS site under memos......I wish I was better at getting links posted....anyway, the memo from 5/27 explains how they are going to process this.. Daycare is gone for children 6 and older they are going to base it this year on 250%, but our worker said the law reads 200% and next year they will go by that..they are going to look at 2004 tax returns all non title IV-E cases will expire Aug. 05 extra things will be reviewed case by case and only given per year in the memo it says parents who refuse to sign the new agreements will just loose their subsidy...but if you sign it (like in our case where we had career rate until 18th birthday) then you will not have much to protest on as you agreed to the new contract... and it really do read like they are coming after title IV-E next year...