Issues
Improving Child Health Care Coverage and Access
Every child should be able to count on good health care 365 days a year, but kids can’t insure themselves.
Just as it’s our responsibility to educate every child, kids also need our help to be sure they have appropriate care – right when they need it.
Nothing is as important as a healthy start in life. We can give Oregon children that start by making health insurance available to all kids.
Reducing Child Abuse and Neglect
All children need a safe home so that they can grow into healthy and responsible adults.
Oregonians look out for one another, especially for our most vulnerable children who have been abused or neglected.
We can prevent abuse by supporting prevention programs, and we can help those kids who have been abused or neglected by giving them the care they need to be successful.
Improving the Lives of Foster Children
Foster care provides a separate, safe home for children away from a dangerous living environment.
Oregon has made a promise to provide a safe place for foster kids, and we must make sure that these children are getting the supports they need.
As foster children reach the age of 18 and begin their own lives, they need ongoing support so they can grow into happy, productive adults.
Making Child Care Affordable
Safe, clean child care gives young children a healthy place to grow and learn.
Providing affordable child care for families makes parents betters workers, and helps to drive Oregon’s economy.
We can give Oregon families the support they need by helping them paying for child care, and improve our state’s economy at the same time.
Lifting Families out of Poverty
A financially stable family gives children the best chance at a healthy, safe, and happy life
All Oregon children should have a chance to live up to their full potential regardless of where they begin.
Providing smart, limited, and temporary help to struggling families makes Oregon a stronger state, and will help us build a better future for our children.
Children First for Oregon Releases 2004 County Data Book
Oregon’s leading child advocacy group recommends renewed investments in prevention strategies to combat increase in reports of abuse and neglect
Portland, OR – January 11, 2005 – Oregon’s children are facing increased threats to their health and safety according to Children First for Oregon’s County Data Book 2004 released today in the Capitol. Every county in Oregon is dealing with a disturbing number of children who are victims of abuse and neglect, who lack access to quality health care or who go without nutritious meals during the summer months. With Governor Kulongoski’s proposed budget further reducing proven programs that work to strengthen the health and safety of Oregon’s children, these numbers are an urgent reminder to lawmakers that our state’s future is under threat.
“If we are to keep children safe, Oregon must increase, not decrease, its investment in prevention and intervention services,” said Robin Christian, Children First’s executive director. “Legislators and the Governor have a responsibility to protect kids. More cuts are not the answer. That’s why we support exploring all revenue recovery ideas, including a rigorous review of all tax breaks, because our children’s safety should be a top priority.”
A struggling economy and the resulting stress to families have placed increased demands on the state’s child protection system. Recent high-profile cases involving the death and injury of children in state care reveal a system straining to keep up. The number of reports of suspected child abuse and neglect have risen 61 percent over the last ten years. Today, less than half of these reports are investigated. For the first time in four years, more children entered foster care than exited.
Recommendations to improve children’s health and safety from the 2004 Data Book include: • Keep our children safe by expanding the availability of alcohol and drug treatment programs and strengthening investments in child abuse/neglect prevention and intervention. • Improve access to quality health care by expanding school-based health services, investing in health insurance for more eligible children and ensuring access to health care for low-income parents. • Help foster children and youth to succeed by decreasing the number of placement changes and improving services and supports for youth aging out of the foster care system. • Fight childhood hunger by investing in child nutrition programs, such as summer food programs, and building up the financial stability of families.
“The Governor’s budget falls way short of being a sound investment strategy for Oregon’s children,” said Christian. “We have to reverse the shortsightedness of the last few years and stop the nickel and dime decisions that undermine the state’s safety net for kids.”
Data Highlights
Abuse/Neglect
• Today, one child in every 100 children in Oregon is a confirmed victim of child abuse.
• The rate of confirmed victims of child abuse/neglect and children at substantial risk of harm (“threat of harm”) increased from 2002 to 2003 (up 9 percent and 18 percent, respectively).
• Between 1994 and 2003, reports of child abuse or neglect increased by 61 percent.
• In 2003, less than half (48 percent) of the reports of children being harmed or at a substantial risk of being harmed received further investigation after the initial intake.
Foster Care
• 13,447 children have been in foster care at least once during the past year.
• More children entered foster care than exited last year (4,946 to 4,443), reversing a three- year trend.
• On average, nearly 14 percent of children in Oregon’s foster care system experience three or more changes in foster placements. Some counties have placement instability rates of 20 percent and higher.
Access to Health Care
• 113,000 children in the state do not have health insurance on any given day (from 10 to 12 percent).
• Only 65 percent of teen mothers receive early prenatal care (compared to 81 percent of all mothers).
• Nearly one in four eighth graders is overweight or at risk of becoming overweight (22 percent)
• There were 922 youth suicide attempts in 2003 (approximately 2 for every 100 children ages 10 to 17).
Child Hunger
• Nearly one in five children lives in a home where parents worry about how to provide the next meal.
• Access to free lunches falls dramatically during the summer months. In 2004, only 28,039 children ate summer meals compared to 145,335 children who ate free or reduced price lunches during the school year.
The 2004 County Data Book, part of the KIDS COUNT project, is made possible by a generous grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. NIKE, Inc. is the presenting sponsor of the Data Book.
Children First for Oregon has served as the state’s leading voice for children since 1991. A non-profit, non-partisan group, Children First uses public education, research, and community capacity building initiatives to speak to the legislature, media and local communities on behalf of Oregon’s children and families. Visit our website at http://www.cffo.org.
Children First Releases 2006 Report Card
2006 Annual Report Card Shows State is in Dire Need of Strong Leadership for Children and Families.
CONTACT: Cathy Kaufmann / (503) 236-9754 / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Oregon Earns Dismal Grade for Child Well-Being;
Troubling Trends Reflect Mediocre Public Investments
Portland, OR – September 26, 2006 – Oregon earned a grade of “D+” in overall child well-being in the annual Report Card on the Status of Children issued today by the nonpartisan group Children First for Oregon. As the state passes another target year for benchmarks set by the Oregon Progress Board, the data show downward trends and sluggish progress in several areas, resulting in another year of disappointing grades. Modest improvements since last year in the Family Financial Stability category are encouraging, but stronger political and public will are needed to move the state in the right direction.
“If your children continued to bring home C’s and D’s on their report cards, wouldn’t you do something?” asked Robin Christian, Executive Director of Children First. “Wishful thinking won’t improve these grades – it’s time to act and step up our investments in programs that work.”
The ongoing decrease in the teen pregnancy rate and improvements in reading and math scores among 3rd graders are bright spots, but grades in three of the five categories – Health, Early Care & Education, and Child Welfare – continue to languish. Oregon is held back by its failures, which include: 117,000 uninsured children; nearly 6,400 eligible 3 and 4-year-olds unable to access Head Start; and 11,255 known victims of child abuse or neglect.
“Candidates running for office should look at this report card and ask themselves what they can do to get us to an “A” grade, and voters need to pay close attention to what they propose” said Christian. “A lack of solutions isn’t the problem. We know what we need to do. What we lack is the courage to act.”
This year’s Report Card combines new indicators and reorganized categories to provide a more extensive view of child well-being in the state. These are the first major content changes since 2000 and include the following new indicators: obesity, Head Start eligibles served, recurrence of maltreatment among child abuse victims and foster care placement stability.
FIVE STEPS TO HELP GET OREGON TO AN “A” GRADE:
1.Protect Our Investments: Defeat Measures 41 and 48 at the ballot in November.
2.Stabilize State Revenue: Convert the corporate kicker tax refund into a “rainy day” fund.
3.Increase Access to Health Care: Enroll all children currently eligible for the Oregon Health Plan (approximately 67,000 of the 117,000 uninsured children).
4.Improve Outcomes for Abused and Neglected Children: Increase supports to foster families, including relatives, and expand the availability of proven substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
5.Invest in Early Childhood: Fully fund Head Start/Oregon Prekindergarten and strengthen the state’s child care subsidy program for working families.
SUMMARY OF 2006 GRADES:
Overall Grade:D+
Family Financial Stability: C
Health: D+
Early Care and Education: D-
Youth Development and Education: C
Child Welfare: D
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2006 REPORT CARD:
Positive Trends in Child Well-Being:
•Unemployment and food insecurity rates have improved.
•Third grade and eighth grade math and reading scores continue to improve.
•Immunizations among two-year-olds are up slightly.
•Use of illicit drugs among 8th graders is down slightly.
Negative Trends in Child Well-Being:
•The number of known victims of child abuse and neglect has increased again. The overall rate of child maltreatment increased 20% from 2003 to 2005 (10.8 to 13.0 per 1,000).
•Recurrence of maltreatment and foster care placement stability remain below national standards.
•Use of alcohol and cigarettes among 8th graders has increased.
•Working families continue to struggle to find affordable, quality child care.
SPONSOR: For the seventh consecutive year, Portland General Electric is the presenting sponsor of the annual Report Card on the Status of Oregon’s Children. PGE’s community investments focus on education, environment, livable neighborhoods and cultural diversity in communities where its employees live and work.
KIDS COUNT is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable organization that funds a nationwide network of projects that support disadvantaged children and families. http://www.childrenfirstfororegon.org.
Report Cards
Using the Oregon Benchmarks as targets, the Report Card provides a statewide overview of the well being of Oregon’s children in the areas of family financial stability, health, early care and education, youth development and education, and safety.
Children First Releases 2006 Annual Report Card
Oregon Earns Dismal Grade for Child Well-Being;
Troubling Trends Reflect Mediocre Public Investments
Children First’s annual Report Card shows state is in dire need of strong leadership for children and families.
Portland, OR – September 26, 2006 – Oregon earned a grade of “D+” in overall child well-being in the annual Report Card on the Status of Children issued today by the nonpartisan group Children First for Oregon. As the state passes another target year for benchmarks set by the Oregon Progress Board, the data show downward trends and sluggish progress in several areas, resulting in another year of disappointing grades. Modest improvements since last year in the Family Financial Stability category are encouraging, but stronger political and public will are needed to move the state in the right direction.
“If your children continued to bring home C’s and D’s on their report cards, wouldn’t you do something?” asked Robin Christian, Executive Director of Children First. “Wishful thinking won’t improve these grades – it’s time to act and step up our investments in programs that work.”
The ongoing decrease in the teen pregnancy rate and improvements in reading and math scores among 3rd graders are bright spots, but grades in three of the five categories – Health, Early Care & Education, and Child Welfare – continue to languish. Oregon is held back by its failures, which include: 117,000 uninsured children; nearly 6,400 eligible 3 and 4-year-olds unable to access Head Start; and 11,255 known victims of child abuse or neglect.
“Candidates running for office should look at this report card and ask themselves what they can do to get us to an “A” grade, and voters need to pay close attention to what they propose” said Christian. “A lack of solutions isn’t the problem. We know what we need to do. What we lack is the courage to act.”
This year’s Report Card combines new indicators and reorganized categories to provide a more extensive view of child well-being in the state. These are the first major content changes since 2000 and include the following new indicators: obesity, Head Start eligibles served, recurrence of maltreatment among child abuse victims and foster care placement stability.
- MORE -
FIVE STEPS TO HELP GET OREGON TO AN “A” GRADE:
1. Protect Our Investments: Defeat Measures 41 and 48 at the ballot in November.
2. Stabilize State Revenue: Convert the corporate kicker tax refund into a “rainy day” fund.
3. Increase Access to Health Care: Enroll all children currently eligible for the Oregon Health Plan (approximately 67,000 of the 117,000 uninsured children).
4. Improve Outcomes for Abused and Neglected Children: Increase supports to foster families, including relatives, and expand the availability of proven substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
5. Invest in Early Childhood: Fully fund Head Start/Oregon Prekindergarten and strengthen the state’s child care subsidy program for working families.
SUMMARY OF 2006 GRADES:
Overall Grade: D+
Family Financial Stability C
Health D+
Early Care and Education D-
Youth Development and Education C
Child Welfare D
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2006 REPORT CARD:
Positive Trends in Child Well-Being:
• Unemployment and food insecurity rates have improved.
• Third grade and eighth grade math and reading scores continue to improve.
• Immunizations among two-year-olds are up slightly.
• Use of illicit drugs among 8th graders is down slightly.
Negative Trends in Child Well-Being:
• The number of known victims of child abuse and neglect has increased again. The overall rate of child maltreatment increased 20% from 2003 to 2005 (10.8 to 13.0 per 1,000).
• Recurrence of maltreatment and foster care placement stability remain below national standards.
• Use of alcohol and cigarettes among 8th graders has increased.
• Working families continue to struggle to find affordable, quality child care.
SPONSOR: For the seventh consecutive year, Portland General Electric is the presenting sponsor of the annual Report Card on the Status of Oregon’s Children. PGE’s community investments focus on education, environment, livable neighborhoods and cultural diversity in communities where its employees live and work.
Children First for Oregon works to make Oregon a place where all children thrive. We educate and engage Oregonians to promote programs and policies that get results for kids. KIDS COUNT is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable organization that funds a nationwide network of projects that support disadvantaged children and families. http://www.childrenfirstfororegon.org.
Publications
Children First for Oregon uses research to inform our public policy agenda. Good data drives good public policy.
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Main Publications
Report Cards
Using the Oregon Benchmarks as targets, this state level report card provides an overview of the well being of Oregon’s children in the areas of family financial stability, health, early care and education, youth development and education, and safety. Published annually, fall release.
Data Books
The Data Book provides county-level data on the Benchmark indicators included in the Report Card and data related to a specific focus area. Policy recommendations are also provided. Published annually; winter release.
Policy Briefs
Policy briefs provide data, information and policy recommendations on a specific topic. Published several times per year.
Press Releases
Census Poverty Data Release (September 13, 2011)
Oregon KidsCount Databook Release (August 12, 2011)
HB 3471 to House Floor for Vote (June 14, 2011)
Packard Grant Award (February 4, 2011)
2009 County Data Book Released (March 16, 2010)
2009 Progress Report Released (November 13, 2009)
Paid Family Leave Hearing Draws Overflow Crowds (April 8, 2009)
Paid Family Leave Policy Brief Released (April 2, 2009)
Press Statement on the Reauthorization of SCHIP (February 4, 2009)
2008 County Data Book Released (January 27, 2009)
2008 Report Card Released (October 21, 2008)
Census Press Statement (August 26, 2008)
2007 County Data Book Released (March 4, 2008)
2007 Report Card Released (October 16, 2007)
2006 County Data Book Released (January 23, 2007)
TuitionBilltoFloorPR_v03_JM.pdf
Policy Briefs
Children First’s widely respected policy briefs provide data, information and policy recommendations on a specific topic. Published several times per year.
You may download a copy of one of our policy briefs below. To request a hard copy, please e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Data Books
The Data Book provides county-level data on the Benchmark indicators included in the Report Card and data related to a specific focus area. Policy recommendations are also provided. Published annually; released in January.
Download a copy of the 2006 Status of Oregon’s Children County Data Book below. To request a hard copy please e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Children First has updated our donation page!
You can make a donation to Children First and affect the lives of the nearly 1,000,000 children in Oregon. Whether you want to become a sustaining donor with a monthly contribution or make a one-time gift - our donation page is set up to give you the chance to make the difference.Visit our donation page here!
Our work would be impossible without you!
Ongoing Issues
We believe every child has the right to be healthy, safe and secure. In order to work collaboratively with partners and address key areas of need in our state, we focus our work on the following areas:
Child health care coverage and access
Growing up healthy, both physically and mentally, is essential for a child’s success. Health needs that go unmet significantly impact a child’s well-being and reduce her or his ability to learn and grow into a productive adult. Every child and youth in Oregon deserves access to quality health care. This care must be comprehensive, including oral health and mental health services. Access to affordable, quality and comprehensive health care is not only vital to a child’s health and well-being, it is an essential component of every family’s financial stability.
Child care affordability, quality, and access
Affordable, quality child care is an economic necessity for working families and for families looking for work. Without child care, parents face significant barriers to obtaining or maintaining employment. This is especially true for low-income families. Child care is also a bottom-line issue for businesses, employers and our economic well being. When employees have access to quality child care, they are more productive, miss less work and experience higher morale. Conversely, lack of quality care for their children can result in lost productivity, higher turnover and reduced profits.
Child abuse and neglect
The physical and emotional scars from abuse can last a lifetime and negatively impact individual victims and entire communities, especially if adequate intervention and support services are not available when needed. Paying for the effects of abuse means paying for more hospitals, child welfare caseworkers, law enforcement and court officers, mental health therapists, special education classes, and prisons. Investments in prevention not only saves taxpayers money, but also saves children’s lives.
Foster care improvement
Efforts to address child abuse and neglect encompass a continuum of prevention, intervention, and healing services and supports. Foster care is the part of the system that provides substitute care for children outside their own homes in a variety of settings, such as non-relative family foster homes, relative care homes, family group homes, emergency shelters, residential treatment programs, and pre-adoptive homes. Oregon must deal with the lack of quality foster families by increasing support to these families. The state must also increase the amount of support it provides to foster youth as they transition to adulthood out of the foster care system.
Family financial stability
Children lose out when families experience financial instability. A growing body of research shows poverty put children at increased risk for negative outcomes in health, social and emotional development, educational achievement and future economic success. Financial stress in a family also put children at risk of abuse or neglect. Because poverty is a key risk factor for decreased child well being, it is a smart investment to assist low-income families in succeeding financially.
Mission and History of the Annie E. Casey Foundation
The primary mission of the Annie E. Casey Foundation is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today’s vulnerable children and families. In pursuit of this goal, the Foundation makes grants that help states, cities, and neighborhoods fashion more innovative, cost-effective responses to these needs.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation was established in 1948 by Jim Casey and his siblings George, Harry, and Marguerite. They named the philanthropy in honor of their mother, who had struggled to raise them as a young widow. But the Foundation’s history really starts back in 1907, when Jim Casey began a messenger service in Seattle, Washington to help his family make ends meet. That small family business became the global, multi-billion dollar UPS.
Jim Casey had no children, and by 1948 he had amassed wealth beyond his personal needs. In that year, he and his siblings began the charitable foundation named for their mother, reflecting Jim’s belief that the future chances of kids depends largely on what their parents—their families—are able to provide emotionally, ethically, and materially. For about 20 years, the Casey Foundation was a small operation primarily funding a camp for disadvantaged children in Seattle.
By the mid-1960s, when Jim Casey gave up his administrative responsibilities as chief executive officer of UPS, he turned his attention to reshaping the focus of the Foundation. He decided to launch Casey Family Programs, an independent operating foundation headquartered in Seattle, which provides long-term foster care and other child and family serving programs. When UPS moved its headquarters to the East coast, similar programs to improve foster care were established in New England that later became Casey Family Services, operating today as the Foundation’s child welfare agency, providing direct services to thousands of children and families across New England and in Maryland.
Upon his death in 1983, Jim Casey bequeathed a substantial amount to the Foundation. With these additional resources, the Foundation expanded Casey Family Services’ locations and scope of work. And, more than half of the Foundation’s newly enlarged endowment was reserved for the purpose of making grants to organizations, agencies, and systems across the country that were in the business of helping disadvantaged kids.
In 1994, the Casey Foundation relocated its headquarters to Baltimore. By that time, a series of major multi-year, multi-site system reform initiatives were already providing relationships and lessons that shape Casey’s current and future projects.
Jim Casey once said that “what is needed is a renewed determination to think creatively, to learn from what has succeeded and what has failed, and, perhaps most important, to foster a sense of common commitment among all those concerned with the welfare of children.” Over the years, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has tried to grow its agenda, ambition, and vision in ways consistent with its founding.
The KIDS COUNT Initiative
KIDS COUNT is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the U.S. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children.
Visit the KIDS COUNT website to get the latest national news concerning the status of kids in the United States.
Taken from the Annie E. Casey Foundation Website.
Contact Us
Mailing Address
Children First for Oregon
P.O. Box 14914
Portland, OR 97293
Phone: (503) 236-9754
Fax: (503) 236-3048
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Physical Address
Children First for Oregon
1209 SE Belmont Street
Portland, OR 97214
Map of our Physical Location:
Voices for America’s Children
Voices for America’s Children is a nonpartisan, national organization committed to speaking out for the well-being of children at the federal, state and local levels of government. Since 1984, Voices has supported child advocates nationwide who have achieved public policy victories for children in early education, health, juvenile justice, child welfare, tax and budget decisions and other areas.
Mission
The mission of Voices for America’s Children is to improve the lives of children in the United States by advocating for effective public policies.
Vision
Voices envisions every child in the United States healthy, free from poverty, educated, safe from abuse and violence, and an engaged member of a nurturing family and community.
Strategic Focus
Voices for America’s Children (Voices) is a nonprofit organization that coordinates a nationwide network of state and local child advocacy organizations in the United States. It pursues its mission and vision by:
- Supporting member organizations advocating for children on local, state, and federal public policy issues;
- Advocating for children on national and federal public policy issues; and
- Leading national campaigns to improve public policies affecting children.
Taken from the Voices for America’s Children Website.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
Employment Opportunities
No employment opportunities currently available.
Volunteer Opportunities
No volunteer opportunities currently available.
Join our Children’s Action Network
At Children First, we have been working in the Oregon Capitol for more than fifteen years to make sure that all vulnerable children and families in Oregon have a trusted, independent voice. Part of our commitment to these groups is to keep everyday Oregonians informed about what is happening in Salem that will dramatically influence kids’ day-to-day lives. But, often times the pace of the legislative session moves too quickly for us to send out physical mailings to rally your support. That’s why our Children’s Action Network (CAN) e-Newsletters proves so invaluable for both us, and more importantly, the kids of our state. Not only does the newsletter keep you up-to-date on the latest work and publications of Children First, but it also allows you to easily become a voice for the most vulnerable children and families in Oregon. Our e-Advocacy campaigns typically take less than two minutes to participate in, but will impact legislation lasting a generation.
Sign-Up today to begin receiving our Children’s Action Network e-Newsletter in your inbox, and see how easy it is to make a lasting difference for children. And don’t worry about unwanted spam, we never sell or share our member lists.
Help Your Friends Put Children First
We spend much of our time here at Children First educating Oregonians about issues surrounding vulnerable children and their families. We go about this by putting together publications that are based on the most reliable studies and data sources. We are proud of the work we do producing these respected publications, but it is clear that the message is not reaching enough people, and here is how we know:
•Too many children in our state still do not have health insurance, while at the same time health care costs continue to rise.
•Children in foster care don’t have the resources they need to succeed, both in the foster care system and beyond.
•Working families don’t have the supports needed to break the cycle of dependence and poverty.
•And More…
That’s why we need your help to spread the message that the children in Oregon need a strong, trusted, independent voice. Tell your family, friends, colleagues, and congregation about the work we are doing, and let them know that they can become a voice for children too!
Oregon Newsfeed
Below you will find the latest news stories from around Oregon about Children First and the issues that we are working on.
2007 Legislative Victories
The 2007 legislative session brought many important wins for Oregon’s most vulnerable children and families. There were a few disappointments, but overall the 2007 Legislature did a commendable job of putting children, not politics, first. We are proud of the many legislative wins we’ve had over the past six months, and look forward to working with our supporters for even bigger wins in the next session.
Here is a summary of the issues on which Children First for Oregon worked on this session:
Legislative Victories for Children’s Health
Affordable, Comprehensive Health Care for All Children on the November Ballot: Sadly, the Healthy Kids Plan, funded by an 84 ½ cent cigarette tax, was not passed by the 2007 Legislature; however, Democratic lawmakers succeeded in to referring the bill out to the people. It will appear as a constitutional amendment on the November ballot, and we are confident that Oregonians will make the right choice.
Expand School-Based Health Centers: Secured a $2 million investment to bring school-based health centers to 6 new counties. School-based health centers are a cost-effective way to deliver quality, comprehensive primary and preventive care to children and youth.
Junk Food Out of Schools: School districts will phase out high-sugar, high-fat junk food and soda in favor of healthier snacks.
Legislative Victories for Low-Income Families
Improved Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program: $28.5 million in new revenue for stronger up-front assessments to ensure families with multiple barriers get the help they need to be successful, as well as increased access to higher education, more supports to help them transition into the workforce (like child care and health care assistance). Children will now also be able to receive some of the child support payments they are owed.
Child Care More Affordable for Low-Income Families: $39.9 million investment to strengthen the Employment Related Day Care Program (ERDC) by restoring income eligibility levels to 185 percent of the federal poverty level and increasing provider reimbursements to 75 percent of market rate.
Legislative Victories for Child Welfare and Foster Care
Support for Relative Caregivers: Secured $4.8 million to provide financial support to relative foster parents so more children can be placed with relatives, rather than with strangers.
Improved Stability and Accountability in the Foster Care System: Passed a bill that requires greater efforts be made to place siblings together whenever possible and caseworkers to document face-to-face visits with children in foster care, as well as track their educational outcomes.
Increased Substance Abuse Treatment: Dedicated $10 million in new revenue to mental health and substance abuse treatment for parents of children in the child welfare system, so that more foster children can return home safely.
Decreased Child Welfare Caseload Ratios: Added $3.4 million in funding for child welfare services to restructure staffing in order to improve workload efficiency and child safety. The package does not resolve workload problems for the agency, but is a low-cost approach to improve staffing ratios to at least meet national standards. A work load study in this area will also be completed, and is expected to make further recommendations for staffing or operational improvements.
Other Legislative Victories we Supported
Expansion of Head Start: $39 million in new revenue will mean 3,000 more children around the state will have access to the highly successful Head Start program.
Child Care Collective Bargaining: Passed legislation that allows child care providers to collectively bargain with the state of Oregon, which will improve child care by stabilizing the underpaid day-care labor force.
Challenges Remaining
Paid Family Leave: We fought a good fight, but unfortunately, the family leave benefits insurance program (HB 2575,) which would have provided benefits to employees taking family leave to care for critically ill family members or new children, did not make it pass the Senate, although it was passed in the House. The importance of paid family leave was brought to the forefront of lawmakers’ attention, and we are confident that we can help this program succeed in the future.
Water Fluoridation: A measure that would have ensured all Oregon water systems serving 10,000 or more would provide recommended levels of fluoride in their drinking water, remains among the Oregon legislature’s unfinished business. This means Oregon will remain 48th among the 50 states in protecting its citizens – especially children and seniors – from dental disease and decay.
2007 Report Card Launch Event
Click here to order your tickets to the event and be among the first leaders in Oregon to learn our state’s grade.
October 15, 2007
Doors open at 5:00 PM
The Armory 128 NW Eleventh
Tickets are:
$50 for general admission
$200 for one or $350 for two VIP tickets.
Order yours now!
Who is Children First for Oregon?
Founded in 1991, Children First is Oregon’s most respected non-profit, non-partisan child advocacy organization committed to improving the lives of Oregon’s vulnerable children and families.
Expert Testimony
Below you will find the testimony submitted by Children First for Oregon Policy and Communications Director, Cathy Kaufmann, during the 2007 legislative session.
Written Testimony on The Healthy Kids Plan, January 24, 2007
Written Testimony on The Healthy Kids Plan, February 8, 2007
Written Testimony on School-Based Health Centers, May 8, 2007
Written Testimony on the Foster Care System, February 19, 2007
Written Testimony on Child Care Affordability, March 19, 2007
Written Testimony on TANF, March 7, 2007
Written Testimony on Paid Family Leave, March 19, 2007
Written Testimony on Paid Family Leave, June 14, 2007
Public Education
Children First for Oregon works in a variety of ways to educate the public about the most pressing issues facing Oregon’s kids. Click on the various links below to get more information on how we go about educating our elected leaders, foundation executives, nonprofit organizations, and everyday Oregonians.
Publications
Good data drives good public policy. Children First compiles the most reliable data to put together our various publications. We let the data tell us where we need to focus our efforts for kids in our state, not the other way around. Each one of our publications not only identifies the obstacles Oregon’s children are facing, but lays out specific and attainable policy recommendations to solve current problems.
Children’s Action Network
Our Children’s Action Network, or CAN for short, serves as one of our most powerful tools to keep you up-to-date on the latest policy news affecting kids in our state. During the state legislative session, the CAN gives you the most current information regarding bills passing through the Oregon Capitol, and makes it easier for you to send letters to your lawmakers telling them what you think about a particular piece of legislation. Out-of-session, the CAN will keep you informed on policy developments on the federal level, along with all the latest news regarding Children First and our partners.
Media Outreach
We work hard to reach out to everyday Oregonians on a personal basis as much as possible to make sure they know about the issues impacting kids in our state, but we are a small staff and know that our reach can only go so far. That’s where the print and broadcast media come in. We coordinate and work with the media to expand our reach across the state, and make sure that everyone from Baker City to Bandon knows what’s going on with kids around Oregon.
Mission
Who is Children First for Oregon?
Founded in 1991, Children First is Oregon’s most respected non-profit, non-partisan child advocacy organization committed to improving the lives of Oregon’s vulnerable children and families.
What is our Vision?
Our vision is to make Oregon a place where all children are healthy and safe, and struggling families have the support they need to thrive.
What is our Mission?
Our mission is to make long-term systemic change by advocating for the adoption of policies and programs that keep children healthy and safe, and strengthen families.
Who do we serve?
We advocate for the:
• 80,000 newly insured children who need access to quality, comprehensive health care
• 13,291 children in foster care
• 11,090 children who are either victims of abuse, neglect or threat of harm
• 152,000 children who live in extreme poverty
What is Vision 2020?
Vision 2020 is the roadmap Children First will use to guide our work over the next ten years. It is a set of realistic, achievable goals designed to move us towards accomplishing our vision. Our goals by 2020 are to:
• Ensure all Oregon children have health insurance and access to quality, comprehensive health care
• Safely reduce the number of Oregon children living in foster care by 50%
• Reduce the number of Oregon children living in poverty by 50%
What do we do and why does it matter?
We advocate for the adoption of policies and programs that keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.
• Keeping Children Healthy: Every child should be able to count on good health care 365 days a year. Neglecting the basic health care needs of children can multiply health problems and costs as they grow into adults. We work to ensure that every child has access to quality, affordable health care and can see a doctor when they need to.
• Keeping Children Safe:A safe and stable home sets kids up for future success. Working to ensure families get the support they need helps prevent children from entering foster care. When children do enter the foster care system, we work to ensure that the experience does not impede their future success.
• Strengthening Families: A financially stable family gives children the best chance at a healthy, safe, and happy life. Far too many families are struggling to make ends meet. Any little setback can push a family into the ranks of the impoverished. We work to increase access to programs that improve the lives of children, keep parents working and lift families out of poverty.
How do we do it?
We develop a policy agenda for each legislative session. Using a variety of strategies, we educate legislators and state agency administrators, rally partners and build public support to achieve our Vision 2020 goals.
o Research- We are an expert resource on state and federal policies that affect children and families. We are Oregon’s only National Kids Count Project grant recipient. Every year, we release a carefully researched County Data Book and policy briefs. The focus of these data-driven reports, analyses and recommendations is to inform policy makers and build public support for policies and programs that keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.
o Advocacy - We educate legislators and state agency and community leaders on the issues that affect children and families by making research-based policy recommendations that are good for kids. We provide legislative testimony, serve on statewide panels, task forces and committees, work with staff in the Governor’s office, Department of Human Services and other state agencies to keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.
o Strategic Communications - We continuously connect with our stakeholders through targeted communications. We employ specific campaigns to get the attention of decision makers and opinion leaders. Our news releases, press conferences, editorial board meetings and opinion articles help set the agenda, frame the debate and build public support for advancing policies and programs that keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.
o Coalition Building - We lead and make key contributions to statewide and national coalitions. By partnering with diverse organizations, we speak with one united and powerful voice to advance research-based policy solutions that keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.
o Grassroots Mobilization & Leadership Development - We mobilize thousands of Oregonians to take action on the issues that affect Oregon’s most vulnerable kids and families. Through our regular communications, advocacy trainings and membership groups, we are building an effective network of child advocates who take action to keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families.
How Do We Measure Success?
We hold ourselves accountable by continuously measuring, reporting and communicating progress toward our annual policy agenda and Vision 2020 goals. For a full list of our recent accomplishments, click here.
Learn more about our issues >>
Coalitions
Children First for Oregon is a member of the following statewide and national coalitions:
National Coalitions
KIDS COUNT Steering Committee
Voices Health Policy Team
Statewide Coalitions
Child Welfare Advisory Committee
Covering Kids and Families Leadership Team
Human Services Coalition of Oregon
Media Messaging Group
Nonprofit Association of Oregon
Oregon Foster Youth Connection
Oregon Nutrition Policy Alliance
Oregon Revenue Coalition
Oregon School-Based Health Care Network
Ready-to-Learn Statewide Leadership Team
SCHIP Coalition
Time to Care for Oregon Families
Foundation & Corporate Sponsors
Children First would like to thank the following foundation and corporate supporters of our work:
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Hanna Andersson HannaHelps Foundation
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP
Knowledge Learning Corporation
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
Penney Family Foundation
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Spirit Mountain Community Foundation
Breaking News: Leadership changes at DHS
The Oregonian is reporting that Ramona Foley will be retiring from her role as the director of Oregon’s child welfare system. Dr. Bruce Goldberg has turned to Children First’s Executive Director to lead a task force to help develop strategies to provide effective prevention and intervention strategies to help families and keep children out of the system. We are eager to continue our work with DHS to improve the well-being of children in the care of the State.
You can read the full article here: The Oregonian.
Helpful Links
AbuseWatch.net
A website that provides extensive and reliable information concerning child abuse awareness and prevention.
Brookings Institution
A nonprofit public policy organization who conducts high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, provides innovative, practical recommendations.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
A policy organization working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals.
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Develops and advocates for policies at the federal, state and local levels that improve the lives of low income people. In particular, they seek policies that work to strengthen families and create pathways to education and work.
Child Welfare League of America
A coalition of hundreds of private and public agencies serving vulnerable children and families.
The Commonwealth Fund
A private foundation that aims to promote a health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable; by supporting independent research on health care issues and making grants to improve health care practice and policy.
Community Catalyst
An organization whose first priority is quality affordable health care for all. They provide leadership and support to state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations working to change the health care system so it serves everyone - especially vulnerable members of society.
Employee Benefit Research Institute
An independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization. It explores the breadth of employee benefits and related issues, delivers a steady stream of research and analysis, and makes this information available to all.
Economic Policy Institute
A nonprofit Washington D.C. think tank, broadens the discussion about economic policy to include the interests of low- and middle-income workers through careful research.
Healthy Kids
A free or low-cost health care coverage for Oregon children who don’t have health insurance. Healthy Kids believes that every kid in Oregon should be a healthy kid and their goal is to make sure they have health coverage.
To enroll, please call 877-314-5678
Kaiser Family Foundation
A non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy. A non-partisan source of information, and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the public.
KidsCount National Data Center
Provides hundreds of crucial statistics and measures of child well-being in an accessible format for anyone who seeks information about the welfare of children.
Families USA
A national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Working at the national, state, and community levels, giving organizations and individuals policy information and notifications.
First Focus
A bipartisan advocacy organization that is committed to making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.
The Future of Children
A collaboration of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and the Brookings Institution; working to translate social science research about children and youth into information that is useful to policymakers, practitioners, grant-makers, advocates, the media, and students of public policy.
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families
An independent, nonpartisan policy and research center whose mission is to develop effective, practical strategies to improve access to, and quality of, health care for children and families, particularly those with low and moderate incomes.
National Partnership for Women and Families
Promotes fairness in the workplace, reproductive health and rights, access to quality affordable health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.
North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)
Committed to meeting the needs of children and the families who adopt them; working to find a permanent, nurturing, and culturally sensitive families for all children.
Oregon Center for Public Policy
Conducts in-depth research and analysis on budget, tax, and economic issues to improve decision making and generate more opportunities for all Oregonians.
Oregon Prescription Drug Program
A prescription drug purchasing pool that helps increase access to prescription drugs for the uninsured and lower costs for state and city governments to help them stay within budgeted goals.
To join the discount I.D. card program, please go to the website and click on “Enroll Here”.
Oregon State Legislature
This website contains information about the legislature, as well as methods of contacting representatives to make all voices heard.
Pre[k]now
A public education and advocacy campaign that advances high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds.
United States House of Representatives
This website contains a wealth of information about anything pertaining the activities of the House or the country as a whole, as well as ways to contact representatives and make voices heard.
United States Senate
Contains a wealth of information about anything pertaining the activities of the Senate, as well as ways to contact senators and make voices heard.
Voices for America’s Children
A nonpartisan, national organization committed to speaking out for the well-being of children at the federal, state and local levels of government; supporting child advocates nationwide working on public policy for children in early education, health, juvenile justice, child welfare, tax and budget decisions, and other areas.
Zero to Three
A national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.
Healthy Kids
Nothing is as important as a healthy start in life. Every child should be able to count on good health care 365 days a year, but kids can’t insure themselves. Neglecting their basic health care needs can multiply health problems and costs as these kids grow into adults. Just as it’s our responsibility to educate every child, kids also need our help to be sure they have appropriate care – right when they need it. And families need the peace of mind knowing that childhood bumps and bruises won’t turn into life-long health problems, and medical emergencies won’t drive families into bankruptcy.
2011 Legislative Achievements
- Passed Health Insurance Exchange legislation
- Protected funding for School-Based Health Centers
2009 Legislative Achievements
- Passed free health coverage for an additional 80,000 children in Oregon who are under 200% FPL and low-cost coverage for children up to 300% FPL.
- Expanded funding to School-Based Health Centers by $1.38 million, along with $5 million in available grants.
2007 Legislative Achievements
- Brought School-Based Health Centers to six new counties.
- Reduced administrative barriers to make sure more kids get and keep health insurance.
Reducing Child Abuse and Neglect
All children need a safe home so that they can grow into healthy and responsible adults. Children in families who are struggling with violence or addiction are more likely to be abused or neglected. By addressing those issues that put families into crisis (substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health), we can tackle child safety on the front end and keeping families together, when possible.
2011 State Legislative Achievements
- Protected funding for Family Support and Connection, a child abuse prevention program.
- Increased funding for local child abuse prevention programs through a “Keep Kids Safe” license plate.
2009 State Legislative Achievements
- Passed legislation allowing Child Welfare offices to provide domestic violence specialists on-site so the abused parent and children can access safety from the abuser and alleviate the need for foster care.
- Stopped cuts to Family Support Teams, System of Care, Family Support and Connections, and IV-E Federal Waiver programs that help kids stay out of foster care or return home safely and quickly.
2007 State Legislative Achievements
- Secured $10 million so that parents of foster kids could receive the substance abuse and mental health treatment they need so their kids can return home safely.
- Kept more foster kids safe by reducing the workload of caseworkers with $3.4 million in new funding.
- Helped secure $4.8 million to keep foster children with their families when possible, where they’re proven to have better outcomes.
- Helped reduce the amount of times foster kids move from home to home.
Improving the Lives of Foster Children
Foster care provides a separate, safe home for children away from a dangerous living environment. Every single day there are almost 10,000 Oregon children in foster care. While foster care effectively meets the immediate safety needs of a child, it also increases a child’s risk for future problems. Research shows foster children experience greater difficulties (in the areas of employment, education, and mental health) than abused or neglected children not placed in foster care.
Oregon has made a promise to provide a safe place for foster kids, and we must make sure that these children are getting the supports they need. As foster children reach the age of 18 and begin their own lives, they need ongoing support so they can grow into happy, productive adults.
2011 Legislative Achievements
- Provided free tuition to Oregon’s public universities and community colleges for former foster youth.
2010 Legislative Achievements
- Extended health coverage for former foster youth until age 21
2009 Legislative Achievements
- Secured funding for driver education for foster youth so they can get their driver license before they turn 18 and leave foster care.
- Increased funding for Child Welfare caseworker staffing levels to compensate for increased numbers of children entering the foster care system during the tough economy.
2007 Legislative Achievements
- Secured $10 million so that parents of foster kids could receive the substance abuse and mental health treatment they need so their kids can return home safely.
- Kept more foster kids safe by reducing the workload of caseworkers with $3.4 million in new funding.
- Helped secure $4.8 million to keep foster children with their families when possible, where they’re proven to have better outcomes.
- Helped reduce the amount of times foster kids move from home to home.
Affordable and Safe Child Care
Affordable, safe child care is crucial to the well-being of children and the economic stability of families. Child care helps children succeed in school and allow parents - who represent a large portion of the workforce - to work. Unfortunately, too many Oregon families struggle to afford child care, forcing them to quit work or leave children home alone.
2011 Legislative Achievements
- Protected child care assistance for 9000 families
2009 Legislative Achievements
- Maintained Employment Related Day Care for former TANF families and low-income parents struggling to remain in the workforce. Protected provider reimbursements and limited co-pay increases for parents.
2007 Legislative Achievements
- Helped make child care more affordable for low-income families by investing $39.9 million in the Employment Related Day Care program with provides child care subsidies for very low-income working families.
Lifting Families out of Poverty
All Oregon children should have a chance to live up to their full potential regardless of where they begin. A financially stable family gives children the best chance at a healthy, safe, and happy life. Providing smart, limited, and temporary help to struggling families makes Oregon a stronger state, and will help us build a better future for our children.
2011 Legislative Achievements
- Stopped a proposed budget cut that would have made Oregon’s TANF program have the the shortest lifetime limit in the nation.
2009 Legislative Achievements
- Stopped cuts to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, specifically cutting cash assistance to two parent families which would have caused 2/3 of these families to split up.
2007 Legislative Achievements
- Provided low-income parents with the support they needed to get them back on their feet through a $28.5 million investment in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.
Supporters
20th Anniversary Sponsors
Platinum 20th Anniversary Sponsor
Gold 20th Anniversary Sponsor
Silver 20th Anniversary Sponsors
Bronze 20th Anniversary Sponsors
U.S. Bank
D.A. Davidson & Co.
Morrison Child and Family Services
2008 Oregon County Data Book Press Materials
Please note all of these materials are embargoed for release until 12:00 am, Tuesday, January 27, 2009.
Press Release
Suggested Contacts
Complete Data Book
Data Book Essay
Complete State and County Data Sheets
County Data Maps
Scroll down for county-level highlights and data sheets:
Statewide: Highlights, Data Sheet
Baker County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Benton County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Clackamas County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Clatsop County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Columbia County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Coos County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Crook County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Curry County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Deschutes County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Douglas County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Gilliam County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Grant County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Harney County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Hood River County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Jackson County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Jefferson County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Josephine County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Klamath County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Lake County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Lane County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Lincoln County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Linn County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Malheur County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Marion County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Morrow County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Multnomah County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Polk County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Sherman County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Tillamook County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Umatilla County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Union County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Wallowa County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Wasco County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Washington County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Wheeler County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Yamhill County: Highlights, Data Sheet
Legislation
State
Our state legislative agenda, including victories from the previous session and plans for the current or upcoming Oregon legislative session.
Federal
Federal issue such as the State Children Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) or child welfare reform on the national level.
State Legislation
Victories from the 2007 Legislative Session
Legislative Agenda for 2009
Federal Legislation
Victories
Continuing Priorities
Victories from the 2007 Legislative Session
Legislative Victories for Children’s Health
Expand School-Based Health Centers: Secured a $2 million investment to bring school-based health centers to 6 new counties. School-based health centers are a cost-effective way to deliver quality, comprehensive primary and preventive care to children and youth.
Junk Food Out of Schools: School districts will phase out high-sugar, high-fat junk food and soda in favor of healthier snacks.
Legislative Victories for Low-Income Families
Improved Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program: $28.5 million in new revenue for stronger up-front assessments to ensure families with multiple barriers get the help they need to be successful, as well as increased access to higher education, more supports to help them transition into the workforce (like child care and health care assistance). Children will be also now be able to receive some of the child support they are owed.
Child Care More Affordable for Low-Income Families: $39.9 million investment to strengthen the Employment Related Day Care Program (ERDC) by restoring income eligibility levels to 185 percent of the federal poverty level and increasing provider reimbursements to 75 percent of market rate.
Legislative Victories for Child Welfare and Foster Care
Support for Relative Caregivers: Secured $4.8 million to provide financial support to relative foster parents so more children can be placed with relatives, rather than with strangers.
Improved Stability and Accountability in the Foster Care System: Passed a bill that requires greater efforts be made to place siblings together whenever possible and caseworkers to document face-to-face visits with children in foster care, as well as track their educational outcomes.
Increased Substance Abuse Treatment: Dedicated $10 million in new revenue to mental health and substance abuse treatment for parents of children in the child welfare system, so that more foster children can return home safely.
Decreased Child Welfare Caseload Ratios: Added $3.4 million in funding for child welfare services to restructure staffing in order to improve workload efficiency and child safety. The package does not resolve workload problems for the agency, but is a low-cost approach to improve staffing ratios to at least meet national standards. A work load study in this area will also be completed, and is expected to make further recommendations for staffing or operational improvements.
Other Legislative Victories We Supported:
Expansion of Head Start: $39 million in new revenue will mean 3,000 more children around the state will have access to the highly successful Head Start program.
Child Care Collective Bargaining: Passed legislation that allows child care providers to collectively bargain with the state of Oregon, which will improve child care by stabilizing the underpaid day-care labor force.
For Children, Health Reform Must Follow One Simple Principle
First_Focus_fed_health_reform_statement.pdf
February 2010 Special Session Begins
Here is what Children First will be focusing on for the short February 2010 legislative session:
Employment Related Day Care(ERDC): Keep children safe and families working! The current 09-11 budget funds ERDC only through July 2010. We expect 2,913 families (5,500 children) will lose child care due to the July 2010 reduction. The parents of these children will be forced to either leave children home alone or quit their jobs.
OHP coverage for former foster youth- Give foster youth a Adolescents who age-out of foster care at 18 struggle to secure health insurance. This bill will utilize 2-1 federal Medicaid matching funds to provide OHP coverage for former foster youth from ages 18-21. Twenty-one other states utilize this Medicaid option to provide health care to for this population.
BPA ban in children’s products- Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in plastic which leaches out into food and beverages, and then into our bodies. More than 200 scientific studies have linked very low doses of BPA to prostate and breast cancer, obesity, altered brain development, cardiac disease, diabetes, and early puberty. The bill bans bisphenol A in food and beverage containers intended for the use of children under 3, including baby bottles.
Earned Income Tax Credit- The federal EITC has been the most successful anti-poverty programs, lifting over 2 million American children out of poverty every year. Oregon currently has one of the lowest levels for an EITC state, utilizing only 6% of the 18% maximum. The bill will phase-in an expansion of Oregon’s EITC to 18%, which would eliminate income taxes on families below the poverty line and benefit over 200,000 households (1 in 7) in Oregon (a majority going to families with children).
For more information about our policy agenda and ways to take action, click here.
Oregon Foster Youth Connection
Check out the Oregon Foster Youth Connection, a program of Children First for Oregon.
Help Save Employment Related Day Care!
Join us in Salem on February 7th to tell lawmakers to protect ERDC.
If you can’t join us, please take the time now to write your legislator, and tell them how important ERDC is to you.
Thousands of Oregonians depend on ERDC in order to keep their jobs, but the program is in danger of budget cuts.
Parents, Providers, Children, and Supporters
Advocacy Day to Save ERDC
9:00-1:00, February 7, 2012
Capitol Building, 900 Court St NW, Salem
Hearing Room 350
Agenda
- Learn about the status of ERDC in the budget
- Visit legislators to show the need for ERDC
- Make our presence known in the House and Senate
- Talk to statewide press about ERDC
- If you are able to: please schedule a personal meeting with your representative, in advance, for some time after 11 a.m.
Help us save ERDC for working Oregonians!
To RSVP, or for more information, contact Stacy (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) at Children First for Oregon
You can download this message as a pdf flier to get the world out offline as well.
Staff
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) is the Executive Director at Children First for Oregon. Robin is responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the organization. She oversees management of personnel, fiscal policy & budgeting, fund raising, policy and program development, advocacy, legal and fiduciary compliance, public relations, networking and board development.
Prior to joining Children First, Robin spent over 20 years in the corporate world including 11 years at Fred Meyer. She was executive director of The Fred Meyer Foundation from 1998 – 2001 where she developed and implemented the initial grant making strategies and policies for the foundation. As a long-time community volunteer, Robin has served as president of the parent organization at the elementary and middle school level, chaired a district-wide coalition of parent leaders, served on the board of several local Portland nonprofit agencies and been a reading mentor for The Oregon Children Foundation’s SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) program. Robin graduated from Ithaca College and pursued graduate studies at San Francisco State University and the State University of California at Los Angeles. A native New Yorker, Robin spent 13 years in California and has been in Oregon for over 18 years and considers it home.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Development Director, is responsible for diversifying, strengthening and expanding Children First’s fundraising efforts. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in History and has over 15 years of Development experience. She has raised funds for a variety of nonprofits throughout the Midwest and on the West coast including: Women’s Funding Network, Habitat for Humanity, Sojourner Truth House, St. Andrew Legal Clinic, United Way, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, and the YMCA. She currently volunteers as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the African Women’s Coalition. She has also served as a Board member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Latino Health Organization as well as a youth mentor and crisis line attendant for several years. When she’s not working or volunteering, you can find Laura outside hiking, running, paddling, skiing, or biking.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Policy Director, is responsible for Children First’s policy agenda, policy publications, and public education. Regan has spent over nine years working in the Oregon Legislature, both as staff and in the lobby. She leads and participates in many coalitions, currently chairing the Healthy Kids Steering Committee and Save ERDC Coalitions. In the past, Regan served as Chair of the Oregon Commission for Women, Board member at Basic Rights Oregon PAC, lead staff for the Oregon Women’s Health and Wellness Alliance, and Steering Committee member of the 2002 Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage. Her past research and policy experience has focused on health care, human services, domestic violence and labor rights. Regan graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Women’s Studies, and minors in Political Science and Art History.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Communications Director, is responsible for both traditional graphic and layout design of Children First’s publications and data products as well as some application development. Proficient in HTML, CSS, MySQL, PHP and JavaScript, Matt feels that these technologies are always just tools in service of better communication. Matt got his professional start in the field of design and online interaction while employed at the Working Class Acupuncture Clinic in Portland. As a healthcare practitioner and designer for all publications, both traditional and new media, he was able to further the clinic’s basic social justice mission. After four years of playing these dual roles, he decided to give his technological role top billing. Matt received his undergraduate degree in Religious Studies from Indiana University, and his MAOM (Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) degree from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Child Welfare Policy Manager & Oregon Foster Youth Connection Program Director, is responsible for implementing the organization’s Fostering Success initiative, under the direction of the Policy Director. She aged out of Oregon’s foster care system at 18, and went on to graduate Cum Laude from the University of Oregon with a BA in Spanish and has been an advocate for child welfare reform for nearly 10 years. She represents Children First on the Child Welfare Advisory Committee (including the Future Issues Workgroup, and Chairing the Safety in Foster Care Subcommittee). Pamela founded and acts as Program Director for the Oregon Foster Youth Connection, a program of Children First that brings together current and former foster youth to improve the system through advocacy, activism, and leadership. She also volunteers as a Board member for Bridge Meadows, an inter-generational community for adoptive families and elders, and as a Steering Committee member for A Home Within, a network of volunteer mental health practitioners committed to providing emotional support to current and former foster youth. In the past, Pamela volunteered as a Board member for the Coalition of Advocates for Equal Access for Girls and has been a spokesperson for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). In her spare time she enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, traveling, and wondering the aisles of Powell’s for the next great story.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Development Associate, works under the Development Director and is responsible for coordinating Children First’s Women for Change Network, planning Children First’s events and writing grant reports and proposals. She also provides assistance to the Executive Director, including ongoing communication with the Board of Directors, and coordinates day-to-day operations for the entire staff. With over four years of experience in development and donor relations, Deb is also the nicest person in the office, and can be relied upon to provide encouragement, sympathy and a great recipe for home-made marshmallows. Deb received her undergraduate degree in History from Reed College. When not at Children First, Deb can be found reading, crafting, and contemplating gender studies and the local food economy.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Policy Associate, works under the Policy Director to advance Children First’s policy agenda and provide public education in the areas of health care and children and family services. She brings both legislative and advocacy experience to the role, having worked for both the Oregon Legislative Assembly and the education policy nonprofit, Chalkboard Project, prior to joining Children First. When not working, Stacy can be found enjoying Portland’s various eateries and bookstores as well as the local film community. Stacy is a native Oregonian and has a BA in Politics from Willamette University.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Communications & Office Coordinator, earned her Master’s degree in journalism at the University of Oregon and her work has appeared in Ms. magazine, Portland Monthly magazine, and Eugene Weekly among other titles.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Oregon Foster Youth Connection Program Coordinator, works under the direction of the Oregon Foster Youth Connection Program Director to support the extremely important work of the Oregon Foster Youth Connection.
Board of Directors
Howard Finck, Board Chair
President
SoundFriends Consulting
Javier Fernandez, Vice Chair
Senior Vice President
D.A. Davidson & Co.
Christine Reynolds, Board Treasurer
Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP
Angie Blackwell, Board Secretary
Sales Representative
Spirit Mountain Casino & Lodge
Bob Lawrence, Immediate Past Chair
Communications Consultant
Beth deHamel
Chief Financial Officer
Trimet
Tia Gray Stecher
Chief Executive Officer
Morrison Child and Family Services
Barbara Kohnen Adriance
Manager, Governance & Business Plan Development
CareOregon
Linda Martensen
Account / Project Manager
Sign Wizards, Inc.
Julie Reed
Public Relations Specialist
Legacy Emanuel Medical Center
Raejean Sly
Principal Broker
Prudential Northwest Properties
Rebecca Taylor
Senior Associate
Point B Solutions Group
Felicia Tripp-Folsom
Deputy Director
Portland Housing Center
Children First is a proud member of the following organizations
County Data Sheets
Find out how kids are doing in your community.
20th Anniversary Sponsors
Health Insurance for All Children
Follow Us On Facebook!
National Status of Kids
You can access all of the Kids Count Data online here.
How Can I Help?
Sign up to be on our e-mail list. Our Children’s Action Network is delivered by e-mail 1-4 times a month. And don’t worry about unwanted spam, we never share our member list.
Donate Now! Support the work of Children First, and help make Oregon a place where all children thrive!
Tell Us Your Story
Stories help put a personal face on the lives affected by the policy decisions Children First advocates for. Your story helps us draw the case for continued support and improvement of the programs that keep children healthy and safe and strengthen families. Tell Us Your Story
Other 2005
RC Media
01-11-2005
01-12-2005
01-13-2005
01-15-2005
01-16-2005
01-17-2005
01-18-2005
01-19-2005
01-20-2005
01-21-2005
01-23-2005
02-15-2005
02-16-2005
02-21-2005
02-24-2005
03-03-2005
03-08-2005
03-11-2005
03-12-2005
03-16-2005
03-24-2005
03-30-2005
04-01-2005
04-11-2005
04-20-2005
04-23-2005
04-26-2005
05-10-2005
05-11-2005
05-12-2005
05-14-2005
05-25-2005
06-07-2005
06-24-2005
06-26-2005
06-30-2005
07-09-2005
07-15-2005
07-17-2005
07-21-2005
07-27-2005
07-28-2005
08-03-2005
08-09-2005
08-10-2005
