Every child in Oregon deserves a happy and safe life. That includes the 16,000 children who pass through the state’s foster care system every year. These children need our support as their own families go through crisis and are unable to adequately care for them. Foster kids are our kids, and we have a responsibility as a state to ensure a safe and productive future for each one of these children.
A healthy future for Oregon children requires us to ensure their healthy development today – today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens, parents, and community leaders. That’s why we have a responsibility as a state to make sure that our collective resources are being used to build the strongest foundation for our kids. Ensuring that every child has access to high quality affordable health care will establish this foundation, and guarantee a strong future for us all.
The Oregonian, Friday, April 18, 2008
Last year on this page we told the story of a 12-year-old Portland boy, Keith Tupper, who almost died after his low-income family was bumped off the Oregon Health Plan.
Today that shameful story is reflected in the findings of a new study reported in a respected medical journal. The study supported precisely the point we made about the Tupper boy: Cutting the health plan may save money in one pot, the state budget, but it drains money from another pot, the state’s health care system, while it makes people sicker.
The Oregonian, Friday, March 21, 2008
No one should be allowed to defraud the state’s safety net, but The Oregonian’s front-page story about welfare cheats ("Welfare cheats cash in on Oregon’s sloppy system,” March 9) missed the real crime. Before we give such attention to the fewer than 1 percent who cheat the system, we ought to make some mention of the thousands of Oregonians in desperate need of social services who are forced to go without help.
3/20/2008, 3:47 p.m. PT By BRAD CAIN
The Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Gov. Ted Kulongoski plans to announce a renewed push to increase Oregon’s cigarette tax to pay for expanded children’s health care when he delivers his state-of-the-state address Friday in Portland.
Children First for Oregon is a trusted, independent child advocacy organization committed to improving the lives of Oregon’s children and families by shaping statewide public policy.
The number of children who have been victims of abuse or neglect in the past year.
The Oregon Department of Human Services needs your input on their 2009-2011 budget. Download the forum dates and times to find the meeting nearest you.
The Oregon Foster Youth Connection (OFYC) is comprised of young people between 15-25 years of age who have personal experience in the foster care system and an interest in strengthening the policies that governed their experiences.
The mission of this group is to use first-hand experience, combined with best-practices research, to educate lawmakers, administrators and the community about the unique issues facing foster youth. Get more information.
Children First for Oregon | P.O. Box 14914, Portland, OR 97293 | ph (503) 236-9754 | fax (503) 236-3048
