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"Since the legislature has determined that there is a finite pot of money, you have to resort to rationing because not everyone can get healthcare. Who sits in the room when the decision is made that childless adults are less valuable that adults with children. Who determines that poor people are not valuable enough to receive transplants? Who are the voices that speak up when these decisions are made? These are moral decisions, it is important for us to know how they are made."
Rev. Jan Olav Flaaten
Executive Director, Arizona Ecumenical Council
Children's Action Alliance, Newsletter, March 2011
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Religious Leaders Meet with President and ask Him to form ‘Circle of Protection’ around Programs for those in Need http://www.ncccusa.org/news/110720obamameeting.html
Prominent Christians, Jews, Muslims unite to protect funding for poverty assistance
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/110714budgetcoalition.html
NCC Interfaith Relations Commission seeks nominees for 'Interfaith Engaged Congregations'
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/110623interfaithengagement.html
PROPOSITION 204 and more...
The biggest issue from AEC’s perspective are the health issues, particularly the proposal to cut “Prop 204” eligibility. 250,000 childless adults and 30,000 parents would lose health coverage. There are also a number of children who would lose coverage and we’re trying to get the number. Included in these numbers are 5,000 adults with serious mental illnesses. They would continue receiving very limited services – generic prescriptions, emergency services – just like the population that lost coverage last summer.
The freeze on KidsCare continues. Child care is capped – as of December 2010, 8,000 children of working poor families were waiting for someone to drop off child care assistance so they could receive services. Less than 12,000 children of working poor families are receiving assistance.
The Governor has called a special session for tomorrow (Wednesday) to pass legislation to give authority to cut back Prop 204 eligibility so AHCCCS can proceed with filing a waiver request with the federal government. No response from the feds is expected until August – a month after the new fiscal year starts.
Dept of Corrections is slated to get 306 new correctional officers over a 3 year period. This is not associated with increased prison populations, which are slightly decreasing. This is a matter of safety – and primarily staff safety, not prisoners. I don’t see anything that fits within our issues relating to the correctional systems.
On January 14, 2011, the governor released the executive budget proposals for 2012. The Governor's budget proposals contain drastic cuts to AHCCCS including eliminating up to 280,000 more people from coverage admitting and continuing KidsCare reductions. In the proposed new AHCCCS cuts there could be many individuals with behavioral health needs eliminated from coverage as part of the proposed elimination of General Fund support of the Prop 204 population. The Governor's budget reduces DES by another $91 million continuing past cuts, by not investigating 100% of CPS and APS referrals, continuing child care caseload reductions of 18,000 children, aging, vocational rehabilitation, domestic violence and other services reductions, including continuing a 47% TANF caseload reductions. The impact of more reductions in DES and other programs must be determined. Universities and K-12 education also take severe cuts. This is not necessary. There are other solutions.
From Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition: "Arizona needs a healthy state budget that will allow the state's economy to grow and citizens to thrive. Faced with unprecedented challenges the past two legislatures have betrayed and violated that fundamental premise of the healing arts and sciences. We call upon the 2011 Legislators and the Governor to - "Do no further harm!"
All members and friends of the AEC are encouraged to be present at action days at the capital as well as in sessions where appropriate, or to listen to legislative sessions on line. Our elected officials need to see the presence of the faith community throughout the morality of our state so deemed the state budget.