Alert to all my readers who have children with special healthcare needs

As if we didn't have enough on our plates, I received the following from a colleague and hope that you'll help to take action, inform others about this, blog about it, post it on FB, scream it out your apartment building window, down the farm road on which you live or through the telephone.

Today House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R-KY) released initial details of a House proposal (available here) to revise the current continuing resolution (CR) that would fund federal government through the rest of the fiscal year.  The proposal includes a $210 million cut to the Title V Maternal & Child Health Block Grant and is expected to be voted on in the House early next week.  It is absolutely imperative that your Members of Congress hear from you today about how devastating this cut would be to the maternal and child health and children with special health care needs programs in your state.

AMCHP urges all members and friends to call your elected officials NOW with the following message:

·       I am calling in strong opposition to the proposed $210 million cut to the Title V MCH Block Grant included in the revised House continuing resolution. $210 million is a 32% cut to an effective, important, and vital program in our state.

·       Cuts this deep will devastate state and local programs serving women, babies, children, and children with special health care needs in our state.

·       This cut is counter-productive because health issues that we don’t prevent or detect early through this program now will ultimately cost us all more later.  For example, the average cost of a premature baby is $58,000 - it makes no sense to cut programs that work to prevent maternal and child health issues like prematurity that will save us money in the future.

·       Please tell (Your Representative’s/Senator’s name) that we should not balance the budget on the backs of babies and our nation’s most vulnerable.

Members of Congress need to hear from you today.  They listen to constituents and it is imperative they know how these cuts will impact mothers and children in their jurisdictions.  Therefore, in accordance with your organization’s advocacy rules, AMCHP urges you to contact your elected officials now.  AMCHP also asks that you share this email with all MCH advocates in your state and urge them to also contact their Members of Congress.

Your efforts to reach Members of Congress will be critical to preventing deep cuts to MCH programs in FY 2011. Please share any  feedback you receive with AMCHP staff about your contacts as this will be helpful as we continue our advocacy efforts  on your behalf.   For more information or to share feedback please contact Joshua Brown (jrbown@amchp.org) or Brent Ewig (bewig@amchp.org) via email or at (202) 775-0436. 

Need helping finding your Representative’s or Senator’s Phone Number?

To find your senators' and representatives' phone numbers, use this searchable online congressional directory or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your senators' and/or representative's office.  Ask to speak with the aide who handles health issues and leave a voice mail if you cannot reach them directly.   While the urgency of the situation requires immediate phone calls, you may want to follow-up with an email or fax to reiterate your point.  You can find email addresses and fax numbers at www.house.gov andwww.senate.gov.   First priority is to contact members of the House of Representatives as they will vote first, and we also urge you to call your state’s two Senators to share your views with them as well.