State must closely monitor health concerns and provide federal funds to providers
Testimony to House Appropriations Article III Subcommittee
High-quality early education and support for students facing non-academic challenges are critical for ensuring student success. We urge the Subcommittee to maintain the current level of annual funding for the high-quality grant program by providing $236 million and direct TEA to develop a plan to coordinate resources available for addressing non-academic barriers, among other steps.
Testimony to the Senate Finance Committee
We urge the Committee to withdraw the across-the-board cut contained in Article IX of the Senate budget and consider each program’s funding needs on a case-by-case basis. The proposed $1 billion cut would undermine the state’s efforts to improve child protection. It would lead to Medicaid cuts far in excess of the controversial therapy rate cuts for children with disabilities. It would also make it harder to reach full funding for the new pre-k grant program and other services that are critical to the success of children.
Testimony to Senate Finance Committee
Every school day, teachers, counselors, nurses, principals, and coaches interact with students experiencing social, emotional, and behavioral challenges that interfere with learning. Just as Texas needs to help schools better address academic barriers to learning, it must also help schools implement strategies and classroom conditions that address non-academic barriers to learning.
Please join Texans Care for Children, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)-Texas, the Postpartum Health Alliance, and the Texas Pediatric Society for a stakeholder meeting to discuss and receive feedback on policy proposals aimed at ensuring more women experiencing perinatal depression are identified and have access to services and supports they need for the health and well-being of moms and their babies alike.
