A shared endeavor: Mid-session update for kids and youth
It is often said that the journey of childhood is a shared one, occurring across a diversity of contexts and over the course of many years. The experiences of each child growing up in our state unfold against a larger backdrop of values, systems, and structures that carry profound implications for the degree of community investment and support they will encounter throughout their lives. In this landscape, Voices builds our engagement around the knowledge that real systems change doesn’t happen in isolation. Our advocacy is part of a chorus of individuals, families, and communities that together are weaving a tapestry of systemic change for Vermont’s children and youth. While the scale of need in this moment may be significant, by choosing to approach our individual efforts as elements of an interconnected whole, the scale of what we can accomplish becomes amplified.
With this in mind, we are striving to present a more expansive frame to the news that we share, bringing together our usual legislative updates with news and information representing a spectrum of partner organizations, coalitions, and others from across the state whose work carries meaningful implications for equity, justice, and the lives of children. This is a first run at something we aim to continue building upon, and while it cannot cover the full breadth of organizations or work, we hope it provides you with a window into this larger movement of which we are all a part, and that you’ll take a minute to explore what each has to share. If you’d prefer, you can access the site directly here.
(Interested in sharing your work with Voices and our community? Let us know!)
Economic Justice
Reach Up (FY 25 Budget & report) -
The Governor's recommended FY 25 budget significantly underfunded Reach Up once again. Based on the Jan 29, 2024 report on unfunded budget pressures, the state's obligation for Reach Up is $56.05 million. The Governor’s budget maintains the 49.6% ratable reduction, reducing the appropriation for Reach Up by $28.25 million this fiscal year. This year’s base appropriation is less than last year’s and continues to use an outdated shelter allowance created in 2001 and a basic needs standard from 2019. We cannot ignore the reality that persistent poverty is harmful to kids, and parenting in poverty creates a level of stress that is untenable. By failing to shift toward stability, we can predict that about half of the children who are on Reach Up today will receive benefits as adult participants. Our children and families deserve so much better. The report from H.94/Act 49 can be read here. House Human Services recommended taking the first step towards eliminating the ratable reduction in their budget letter; the increase did not make it into the House version of the budget (H.883). House Appropriations added language asking the state to update the report to include bringing the housing allowance to current year levels. Voices will continue to advocate for additional funding in the Senate. Underfunding Reach Up in the administration’s budget is harmful to families.
Paid Leave
The Paid Leave Coalition continues to build capacity, power, relationships, and awareness around the critical need for paid leave in Vermont. The Coalition is committed to a comprehensive and inclusive paid leave policy (H.66). While paid leave has not advanced this session, the Coalition also supports changes made in the right direction, including H.856, which would make some changes to unpaid leave. Paid leave shouldn’t be a privilege of the few. Click here to read how access to paid leave shaped the experience of one Vermonter, then use this link to learn about opportunities to take action or join us in strategy calls.
Housing
There is broad agreement that Vermont needs more permanently affordable, accessible housing. The emergency housing program is not sustainable and not ideal for long term shelter. Voices supports creating family friendly, trauma informed, and stable housing options for all. In addition, there will remain a need for emergency shelter. We need both and it is critical that these two needs are offered - rather than offering one at the expense of the other. Vermont’s resources are not infinite, but we must commit to the basics to create safety and health.
Housing advocates are working hard to advance legislation (H.829) that would implement a ten-year vision for affordable housing that the Housing and Homeless Alliance of Vermont prepared for legislators. The plan provides a path forward by increasing affordable housing and decreasing homelessness. Recognizing the immediate and urgent need to address the need for emergency shelter, housing advocates are also supporting H.879, a bill that would create in statute an Emergency Temporary Shelter Program to replace General Assistance Emergency Housing. H.879 would provide more predictable access to emergency shelter and expands eligibility to include more people with serious medical conditions and disabilities.
Budget Bill
H.883, the budget bill, or the “big bill” is 183 pages long and a roadmap of our collective values. Legislators, advocates, state employees, and community members spent time, thought, and care to create a budget that balanced the importance of every tax dollar with our ability to provide infrastructure and support to the people of Vermont. Concessions were made - some of which will have significant impacts on children. The Senate will now have the opportunity to add their voice, morals, and constituent’s comments to the process.
H.883 is a policy document, made up of work from each of the committees. Voices was provided the opportunity to testify on our specific recommendations for the budget. As an independent advocacy organization, it is our role to evaluate the budget based on what is best for children. Voices will approach the difficult conversations ahead - education funding, basic needs, caregiving, and health through that lens. Our collective goal cannot be the accumulation of wealth and growth beyond our planet’s capabilities. Our well being is dependent on the policy choices we make.
Child and Youth Safety
Substantiation & registry
H.661 has passed the House and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. This bill shifts practice in order to ensure that in the Department for Children and Families’ efforts to protect children from abuse and neglect, the Department also ensures that investigations are thorough, unbiased, based on accurate and reliable evidence, and adhere to due process requirements. You can see Voices written testimony here. This reform effort is one piece of policy and practice reform that seeks to repair disparities between intentions (keeping kids safe) and impact (unnecessarily creating barriers to constitutional rights).
Hearsay bill -
S.190 has passed in the Senate and may be voted on this week in the House Committee on Judiciary. This effort was led by Jennifer Poehlmann of the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, who has been fighting for this shift for a long time. You can see Voices’ letter of support with many of our partners’ voices here.
DCF data system -
The DCF data system has received a great deal of attention in the media, among advocates, and within the media. The Committee on House Human Services recommended that the Appropriations Committee prioritize funding the necessary system improvements, using unspent tobacco litigation settlement funds. This is money that was designated for improvements within the courts and DCF under the category of Children in Need of Services. These are not general fund dollars, but are still eligible for the federal match. The Office of Child, Youth, and Family Advocate has more information on the cost of not investing in a new data system on their website. DCF has created a RFP for the data system. Advocacy will be critical to ensure that impacted people are able to participate in conversations about what we track and why, who has access to records, who can add to records and more. It is also important to use this opportunity to support a system that improves practice.
Records access for former foster youth
Passed the House and is in the Senate Committee on Government Operations. If passed, H.644 would allow people who experienced foster care as children to access their records once they turn 18. You can watch the testimony from 3/1 here. Voices for Vermont's Children has heard both from people who want to see their records and from people who do not. All of these individuals want to be able to make that choice for themselves. Voices brought the stories of impacted people to the House. There is still time to add your voice to the work in the Senate. Voices is gathering input about the amendment that was added in the House. Voices is grateful for all the work that went into this bill, especially the survivors of St. Joseph’s orphanage.
Deception of children and youth in police custody
Voices is disappointed that there has not been a vote to override the Governor’s veto last session of S.6, a bill designed to prohibit threats or deception to youth in police custody. At a minimum, we should be able to say that it is not okay for people in power to lie to kids. S.285, a bill that will prohibit threats or physical harm to people while in the custody of law enforcement or a government agent, is a step in the right direction. It will also mandate that the Vermont Criminal Justice Council develop, adopt, and enforce a statewide model interrogation policy that applies to all Vermont law enforcement agencies and constables exercising law enforcement.
Raise the Age
S.58 - Voices is concerned about S.58 and plans to engage in advocacy for shifts in the House. You can read the OCYFA letter to DCF regarding Raise the Age here.
Context from the Columbia Justice Lab report: In May 2018, Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed Act 201, otherwise known as the “Raise the Age” Bill, into law. This historic legislation gradually raises the upper age of family court jurisdiction from the 18th to the 20th birthday while still prosecuting youths as adults for the most serious offenses (known as the “Big 12”).2 The implementation dates are staggered: As of July 1, 2020, 18-year-olds began to be prosecuted in the Family Division. On July 1, 2024, 19-year-olds will be included in the juvenile system. The original date for incorporating 19-year-olds in the juvenile system was set for July 1, 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Legislature pushed back the implementation twice (to July 1, 2023, and more recently to July 1, 2024). The purpose of this legislation was to increase public safety: By providing more effective, developmentally appropriate responses to system-involved youth, Vermont’s law seeks to support youth in desisting from crime and successfully transitioning into healthy adulthood.
Prohibiting Child Manipulation
H.173 passed the House - This bill proposes to expand the 19 statute prohibiting luring a child to also prohibit manipulating behaviors 20 intended to facilitate sexual contact with a child. You can see Voices’ written testimony here. Voices supports additional legislation that focus on prevention going forward.
Education Policy
Community Schools
Act 67 of 2021 established Vermont’s Community Schools Framework enshrining Vermont’s commitment to the four nationally recognized community school pillars and created an additional pillar focused on equity, garnering national recognition. This provided nearly $3.4 million of grant funding over three years, beginning with the 2021-22 school year, to help schools start the transition to community schools. In the relatively short time since then, Vermont Community Schools have already shown strong preliminary results, including a 50% reduction in 9th grade absenteeism at Hazen Union School, the creation of an after school program in Cabot “that serves as a work-based learning experience rooted in student leadership and voice”, and the expansion of student dental health services in the North CountrySupervisory Union. Voices is pleased that the legislature is now poised to include ongoing funding for community schools in the 2024 budget. Voices further supports establishing an annual allocation to support the expansion of community school models that includes resources for ongoing evaluation support.
Health Equity
Doulas
S.109, a bill aimed at enabling Medicaid reimbursement for doula services, underwent significant changes in the Senate, and is now being heard in the House Committee on Health Care. The original bill would have created an avenue for Medicaid billing for doula support across the perinatal (prenatal, labor/birth, postpartum) period by 2025. The revised version passed by the Senate instead directs the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) as well as Vermont’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) to do the preliminary work that the legislature deems necessary before implementation of Medicaid coverage for doulas can take place. The current language in the bill directs OPR to engage stakeholders in their usual process of determining if/how doulas should be regulated as a profession, and directs DVHA to xplore methodology for determining costs and savings and make recommendations for implementation. Work on this bill resumes this week in the House Health Care Committee. We are grateful that legislative champions have worked hard to keep the conversation focused on the needs of families. Support in the legislature for the ultimate goal of increasing access to doulas is strong; we are optimistic that this preliminary work is still aimed at making that a reality. You can read Voices’ written testimony on doulas here.
Expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur
H.721, An act relating to expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur was scaled back significantly during the first half of this session. However, the bill that passed out of the House is a step in the right direction. The amended version would expand income eligibility limits to allow more young people, pregnant Vermonters and older Vermonters to access federally funded health insurance. Access to quality, affordable health care is critical to well being.
Youth Voice
Youth voice
Neither youth voice bill progressed this year. H.224/S.174 would have given youth voice in custody and visitation hearings. H.714 would have created a fellowship to engage in a multitiered initiative to bolster child and youth voices in Vermont, including within its legal, health care, and human services systems, in ways that incorporate racially and socially equitable approaches while ensuring the safety of the children and youth whose voices are bolstered. Voices is committed to continuing to work on this important topic and will seek opportunities to add language into existing legislation to support collaboration in the second half of the biennium. We have some ideas, let us know if you would like to support this effort by emailing amy@voicesforvtkids.org.