Provide children with necessities amid virus
The coronavirus outbreak is arguably one of the most significant crises that our nations and much of the rest of the world has faced. The governor has declared a state of emergency which will help route resources and policies to a proactive approach to ensuring health and safety, in a broad sense.
But let’s not forget who are most vulnerable as activities, schools and much of our cities shut down: children and youth who are low-income, who reside in state care, or who have recently come to this country seeking safety and opportunity. It is our moral, ethical and legal duty to advocate for our youngest residents, especially when emergency policies designed to protect public health can subsequently have devastating consequences for those at-risk.
To address the unique needs of this population, the Center for Children’s Advocacy proposes that the state immediately enact four policies designed to address the critical areas that touch all children’s lives: namely food security, educational access, income support, and health care access.
The State Department of Education (SDE) can replicate its extraordinarily successful Summer Food Service Program and Summer Seamless Option in order to support the approximately 170,000 students who will not receive free or subsidized breakfasts and lunches in school districts shuttered during the crisis. For the 12% of students in Connecticut who qualify for free- or reduced-cost school meals, a community-based food sive and innovative paid family leave policy, scheduled to start in 2021, should be immediately implemented and enhanced during the state of emergency (and beyond, if necessary), to provide income support to those who need to care for sick children and to those who must care for children due to school closures. Income security is crucial to keep at-risk families intact, to prevent homelessness and to help alleviate the inevitable sense of anxiety likely to descend upon economically vulnerable families.
HUSKY Health, the state’s public health coverage program for low-income children and families, should be expanded to all income eligible families,