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Congress Includes MIECHV in Short-Term Spending Fix  

Congress approved a short-term spending package signed by President Biden on September 30th, the last day of the federal fiscal year. The continuing resolution (CR) will fund the federal government until December 16th, giving legislators an additional ten weeks to agree on a comprehensive federal spending bill.  

MIECHV authorization ended with the federal fiscal year at the end of the month, but PPC and other home visiting advocates were relieved to see the inclusion of program and spending authorization for it in the CR. The inclusion of MIECHV, which lapsed entirely during the last reauthorization period in 2017, signals to home visitors that their work is essential, and reauthorization remains a priority for congressional leadership. 

The Today Show recently highlighted home visiting and MIECHV. We hope this coverage will help advocates keep up the momentum as we work toward the final passage of the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 (HR 8876). HR8876 passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee in September and is awaiting a full vote in that chamber. We also are happy to report seven Pennsylvania delegation members are currently co-sponsors and thank them for their support: Reps. Brendan Boyle, Dwight Evans, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mike Kelly, Lloyd Smucker, Susan Wild and Guy Reschenthaler. 

Voter Registration Deadline Approaches 

Election Day is less than a month away. Up-to-date voter registration is the first step in getting ready to vote on November 8th, and the deadline to register or update your registration is coming up. The last day to update your registration is October 24th. You should update your registration if you have moved, changed your name, or would like to change your political party. You can register to vote online, by mail, or at several government agencies, including PennDOT Photo License and Driver's License Centers. Not sure about your registration status? No problem, you can check it online.  

There are multiple ways to vote this November. Review the State Department's FAQ page for questions.  

Election dates to remember: 

• October 24th—voter registration deadline 
• November 1st—mail-in ballot or absentee ballot application deadline 
• November 8th—Election Day (polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm, and all vote-by-mail and absentee ballots must be received by 8 pm) 

KIDS COUNT® Data Center Updates 

Check out our data webpage to access updates to numerous indicators within the Pennsylvania KIDS COUNT® Data Center. These indicators now include estimates provided by the U.S. Census Bureau's release of the 2021 American Community Survey.  

Here are the most recent updates: population data within the Demographics category, employment, income and poverty data within the Economic Well-Being category, young adult educational attainment within the Education category, and uninsured children within the Health category.  

Refer to "Why This Indicator Matters" for research-based context supporting how the data is essential to track the well-being of children. 

Data Did You Know?

The recent release of the 2021 American Community Survey data for Pennsylvania revealed the following: 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey 

In Case You Missed It...

• Our President and CEO, Kari King, joined Terry Madonna on Newsmakers last week to discuss PPC’s 13^th edition of our State of Child Welfare Report. Spoiler alert! The interview covers it all—kinship care, the stress on the system, what the data means and our recommendations. Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/e32VUYxU  
• Check out other great coverage on the State of Child Welfare report, including pieces from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, ABC 27 Harrisburg, and Fox 56 Wilkes-Barre. 
• President Biden became the first president to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2021, and did so again this year. Check out this resource from NPR: Which Indigenous lands are you on? This map will show you.

• Oregon becomes the first state in the country that will allow continuous Medicaid coverage for kids from birth through their 6th birthday, even if their eligibility status changes. Children 6 years old and older will stay enrolled for two years at a time. This exciting news comes at a time when states are preparing for the end of the public health emergency—and would provide a new approach to help reduce the loss of insurance coverage for kids.