CFAN One Voice for Children and Families in Southwest Louisiana

Children & Families Action Network               May 2007

The 2007 Legislative Session is Upon Us!

• Housing Issues

• State Budget Issues

• Disaster Planning and Response

Join your fellow leaders in the nonprofit sector for LANO’s annual Public Policy Conference and Nonprofit Day at the Capitol on May 9 and 10, 2007

• LANO Public Policy Conference
  May 9, 2007
  Baton Rouge River Center

• Nonprofit Day at the Capitol
  May 10, 2007
  Claiborne Building Baton Rouge

New this year!

• Gubernatorial Candidate Forum
  Moderated by Secretary of State Jay Dardenne

• Nonprofit Voter Engagement
  Learn what your organization can and should do this fall to get the vote out

Office Location

The Family Foundation of
Southwest Louisiana
220 Louie Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Sue@fyca.org
 

337-436-9533
337-439-9941 fax

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Newsletter Archives

April 2007

School Readiness Tax Credit – Updated Information

School Readiness Tax Credits Summary
By Geoffrey Nagle, Ph.D.

Background - Research demonstrates that as much as half of school failures may be due to gaps in learning and development before school entry. A recently released national study of child care licensing ranked Louisiana number 51 of 52. Efforts are underway to implement a Quality Rating System for child care centers. However, an increase in quality care will increase costs for providers and parents.

Solution - Tax policy is a funding option available to states as a means to support and increase quality child care. The School Readiness Tax Credits (SB 189 & HB 854), described below, are a comprehensive tax policy based on the quality of the child care setting as determined by the Quality Rating System. These tax credits are a part of Governor Blanco’s legislative package and already incorporated into HB 1.

Benefit - All Louisianans benefit as high quality child care has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to improve school readiness, school performance, high school graduation rates, job performance, and adult productivity.

Tax Credits to Parents/Consumers
Families with a child under six enrolled in child care would be eligible for a refundable tax credit based upon the quality rating of the center. This credit would help defray the increased costs associated with higher quality child care. A fiscal impact of $1 million is projected.

Tax Credits to Providers
This credit would assist providers as they incur increased costs that are associated with providing higher quality care (e.g., improving facilities, enhancing learning supplies, paying higher wages for higher educated staff). The refundable tax credits would be tied to the level of quality as measured by the rating system and the number of children served in the Child Care Assistance Program. A fiscal impact of $23 million is projected.

Tax Credits to Child Care Professionals
An occupational tax credit has the potential to partially address the persistent problem of retaining qualified staff. The refundable credits would be provided directly to child care professionals based on increased levels of educational attainment. These credits would effectively provide bonus funds for salaries into the child care system without driving up the price of care and thereby the costs paid by families. A fiscal impact of $10 million is projected.

Tax Credits to Businesses
This tax credit would be provided to businesses/employers that support quality child care. These credits may include employers who construct, renovate, or expand a child care center, purchase equipment for a center, maintain and operate a center, or subsidize child care for their employees. The amount of the tax credit would be tied to the quality rating of the facility. A fiscal impact of $1 million is projected.

With the legislative session now underway, I wanted to provide an update to everyone who has signed on in support of the School Readiness Tax Credits.  The legislation has been drafted and filed in both chambers and links to SB 189 by Sen. Ann Duplessis and HB 854 by Rep. Karen Carter are provided.  (Just click on SB 189 or HB 854.  Note that they are identical bills so you only need to read one if you are interested in all of the details.)  We are very pleased that there are a number of co-authors and other legislators have signed on since the bills were filed.

Geoffrey Nagle, PhD, MPH, LCSW is the Director of the Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Help Foster Children by Becoming A Foster Parent

Nationwide, there are more than 500,000 children in foster care; in Southwest Louisiana we have 325 children in the foster care system. Surprisingly, Southwest Louisiana has only171 active foster care parents.

Every day, foster families in Louisiana make an incredible difference by providing safe and caring homes for children in the foster care system. Family foster care and treatment foster care are designed to be temporary placements for children when their parents cannot care for them. There is an ongoing need for foster parents, especially those who can care for sibling groups, teenagers and children with disabilities.

Foster parents come from all walks of life, and Louisiana needs families with different abilities and strengths to care for the variety of children who enter the foster care system. Foster parents are single and married, own their own homes and rent apartments, work in and outside of their homes. Many foster families already have children, but some are caring for children for the first time. There is not a minimum income requirement for foster parents as long as you can take care of your family’s expenses. Most importantly, foster families need to provide safe and caring homes for children.

To become a foster parent, you must be 21 years of age or older, and a responsible adult. During the application process, a social worker will ask you about your family, your experience raising or working with children, past relationships, any criminal background or law violations and other background information. For more information about Foster & Adoptive Parents call Michele Broussard with The Office of Community Services at (337) 491-2900. Volunteer Today!!!!!!!!!