More Legislative News

The $2.5M request for funding has moved to the Executive Appropriations Committee (EAC).  All the subcommittees have presented their budget recommendations in EAC meetings.    

Now is the time to reach out to EAC members and ask them to support this request.  We’re going to rely heavily on support from programs and EI parents who are the constituents of these key committee members in the leadership positions. 

Chair-Sen Hillyard – Up to 3, Summit

Chair-Rep Sanpei – Provo PEIP, KOTM

Vice Chair-Sen Stevenson – Weber, Davis

Vice chair-Rep Dee—Weber, Davis 

If you refer to the attached list, you’ll see the bulk of the EAC members are from Davis and DDI.  Thank you in advance to the parents who take time to contact these committee members. 

  

EAC members really need to hear from EI parents & community stakeholders in their districts. Here are some simple instructions for contacting your Legislators:

1)      Email and/or call members of the EAC from your program area and identify yourself as a constituent IN THE SUBJECT LINE. 

2)      Thank legislators for their past support and be sure to reference BABY WATCH EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM instead of the Davis Early Intervention Program.

3)      Ask legislators to prioritize the full funding request for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

4)      Send individual instead of group emails to committee members.

5)      The link to email addresses and phone numbers can be found at

 http://le.utah.gov/asp/interim/Commit.asp?Year=2016&Com=APPEXE

Having parents communicate with Committee members has made a huge impact on the decisions that have been made so far.  Please continue to contact your House and Senate Representatives and encourage them to speak up for Baby Watch Early Intervention!

Good News from the Legislature

Good news!  The Social Services Appropriations subcommittee voted to prioritize the $2.5M ongoing for EI. This fantastic news is the direct result of a collective effort between EI programs around the state and the wonderful families and children we serve. The request now moves on to Executive Appropriations where we have more work to do, but this is a real victory for our program. 

Just know that together, this team of providers and the passionate families we serve are an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

Thank you all for contacting your Legislators and sharing your stories.  I will continue to keep you updated.

Legislative Update

It’s official. We are on the agenda for Wednesday 2/10!  Senator Luz Escamilla has agreed to propose that the request for state wide funding for Baby Watch Early Intervention Programs be considered by the Social Services Appropriations Committee.  This request will be heard at a committee meeting on Wednesday, February 10th.  

If you haven't written to your legislators, members of the Social Services Appropriations Committee or members of the Executive Appropriations Committee, please do so this week.  Your letter does not need to contain a lot of facts and figures.  It just needs to let them know your story and how early intervention has affected your family.  Please remember to thank them for their support and ask them to support the $2.5M funding request for direct services.  Please refer to the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program instead of Davis Early Intervention so they can link your letter the the correct funding request.

Our legislators have let us know that families are contacting them.  Let's continue to keep the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program on their minds while they make their important decisions regarding funding for Utah.

Thank you for all you do!

Three Reminders and a Request

Reminder #1

Please remember to respond to the survey that was emailed out last month.  We have only received 23 responses out of about 300 families.  If you don't know where yours is, let me know and I will send you another one.  You can just reply to the email that was sent - no need to print out the survey and send it in.  I will take them however I receive them!

If you have already responded - THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

Reminder #2

Everyone one who has a child that was in early intervention in 2015 should have a TC 40D tax form to keep with your records.  If you do not have the form yet, either let me know or let your service provider know and we will get one to you!

Reminder #3

The legislature is in session!  If you have not yet done so, please contact your legislator to thank them for past support of the Baby Watch Early Intervention Programs and ask them to continue to provide the funds necessary to service the growing number of children in our program.  Last week's blog has a lot of information on this.


Request

I would like to be able to share our family's stories with the legislators all year long.  Please email me your family story about your experience with early intervention so I can send them on.  (Hint: if you write to your legislator, you can just CC me at mzeschke@dsdmail.net and I will have your story!)

From all of us at Davis Early Intervention - We LOVE working with you and your children!  We meet amazing people on a daily basis and we want to thank you for all the wonderful things you are doing for your little ones!