There has been a lot of activity at the Capital this fall, so we wanted to send a quick video update for those of you who may not have been able to attend. Basically, the video is four minutes that recaps five days of meetings! The update focuses on what has been disussed related to babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and mothers! If you are interested, you can use the links below to go back and listen to the full meetings.
STAY TUNED BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE MEETINGS TO COMING UP!
- There will be additional Women, Children, and Families study group meetings in November. Those dates are November 14th, November 18th, and November 19th.
- The meeting on the 14th begins some time around midday and will be held jointly with the Labor Force Study Group. We have been told it will focus on child care, upskilling women, and possibly paid family leave. If you can be there to show the senate that child care is critical, please plan to attend! We will share more information as we get it.
- Senator Boyd also mentioned that on the 18th and 19th, the issues of Early Intervention, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Neglect, and other topics will be discussed. If you have any information, please reply and let us know!
If you cannot join the senate hearings in person, you can stream them live here!
PLEASE SHOOT A QUICK EMAIL TO THANK the leaders who have been holding these meetings! They often hear from us when they are doing something we do not agree with, but by thanking them, we can help them see that we appreciate their leadership!
Here is where to find the contact information for the legislators who were coordinating and hosting these meetings to thank them:
Senator Daniel Sparks – Labor Force Participation Rate
Senator Nicole Boyd – Women, Children, and Families Study Group
Representative Derrick Simmons – TANF Hearing
Representative Robert Johnson – TANF Hearing
Please reach out to us if you want to talk about this or if you were also listening in and think we missed something major!
Video recap:
SENATE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION TASK FORCE
Day 1 video link and Day 2 video link
- The first two days of meetings focused on the labor force participation rate and what the state is doing to build up the workforce. Obviously, we know that child care is a critical aspect of the workforce infrastructure, so I made sure to listen in. It was exciting to hear that child care was referenced as a lever to potentially increase the labor force participation rate – from agency representatives to senators asking questions, and even by other speakers.
- The most relevant information for our group that was presented was an update and overview from Bob Anderson from the MS Department of Human Services that explained what current funding is going to child care. To see Mr. Anderson’s portion of the presentation, fast forward to 1:47:22 of the video.
SENATE WOMEN, CHILDREN, & FAMILIES STUDY GROUP
WEDNESDAY, October 2nd – Video Link
At the first meeting, Senator Boyd recapped legislation that impacts children and families since 2022, when they held the first study group. This included the postpartum Medicaid extension, the preemptive Prenatal Care bill, the Early Intervention Task Force, the creation of the Attorney General’s Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance website, the split of Children’s Protective Services from the MS Department of Human Services, the crisis pregnancy center, transitional housing, and low-income health care tax credits, and others. There were also reports about the Youth Court System and Child Protective Services. See the video at the link above if you are interested in learning more.
THURSDAY, October 3rd – Video Link
Maternal and Child Mental Health
- The first report focused on mental health services and programs for children and adults. There was significant focus on what is available to children in schools, the way crisis care works in Mississippi, and also how mental health services are provided. They also discussed the prevalence of postpartum depression in new mothers (1 in 7 new mothers).
- A community mental health center director shared some of the challenges and opportunities at the community level for maternal and child mental health. In response to this, she also said, “I do not think that in this state we are screening for and treating for autism well. We do not have early intervention programs,” and she shared her own experiences trying to get services for her own autistic child. This is an important connection between the importance of early intervention and later mental health. I recommend starting the video at 2:20:50 of the October 3rd Study Group on Women, Children, and Families to hear the question that she responds to and then her story.
- This practitioner also highlighted the importance of addressing other adverse childhood experiences (housing, access to food, etc) also helps to alleviate mental health issues for children as well.
Addiction and Substance Abuse – The National Center for State Legislatures shared data around the ways drug and alcohol abuse impacts unborn children. The Policy Considerations related to Pn-5 addiction and substance abuse that were mentioned were: Prevention and Intervention
- Enhance family supports through home visiting and night nurses for new mothers
- Enhancing family supports that impact social determinants of health, like housing, food, access to child care, etc.
- Treatment and Recovery (behavioral health therapies, and medication assisted treatment.
- They also highlighted Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Delaware are using their opioid settlement funds to support perinatal and maternal health outcomes related to substance abuse.
Women’s Empowerment Project / Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance – Attorney General Lynn Fitch presented about the work of the Attorney General’s office over the past two years. She revisited the importance of addressing the challenges within the foster care system, adoption pilot programs, and child support. She concluded her presentation by highlighting the need for the legislature to have State Employees paid maternity leave. She highlighted that Paid Maternity leave is a workforce issue and can help Mississippi recruit and retain state employees.
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATIVE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS TANF HEARING
TUESDAY, October 15th
The Mississippi Legislative Democratic Caucus held its third hearing about ongoing issues in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program last week. The hearing highlighted the significant amount of unspent TANF funds the state has, and it was announced that MDHS will be seeking to increase the cash assistance amount by $60 per family of two and more for larger families.