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Public Policy

2011 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

The United Ways of Washington (UWWA) is the statewide association of Washington’s 26 local United Ways.  This year presents an unprecedented challenge as well as an opportunity to prioritize investments that are essential, provide a high return on investment and are research based.  Particularly in economic hard times, business, philanthropy, government and non-profits must partner to help foster economic recovery and support the needs of the most vulnerable.  All sectors must be valued and supported in order to accomplish this.  Washington State has long been a leader in providing health and human services to the most vulnerable including children, low income families, the disabled and those experiencing homelessness, and that commitment is at risk.  This commitment is part of what makes working and living in our state special.

For this legislative session, UWWA prioritizes two overarching issues, Early Learning and Access to Services.

Early Learning.  Research overwhelmingly demonstrates that quality early learning is the best long-term investment to increase positive economic outcomes in a child and family’s lives and at the same time decrease negative social costs.  We therefore strongly support investments impacting state and local Early Learning infrastructure and programs ensuring children are ready to succeed upon starting school.  In particular, we support:

• evidenced based Early Learning programs like home visiting,
• quality improvement in licensed child care,
• programs that improve the transition from home and child care to kindergarten,
• services to families with young children that enhance the ability to obtain quality care, and
• services which support parents/families with young children, including home visiting and health care access.

Access to Services.  This is no time to be cutting off communication channels with those most in need; such open channels are needed now, more than ever.  Therefore, we vigorously support funding for WIN 211, which is a vital, easy-to-use telephone and computer-based helpline for those trying to connect to needed services.  We support access to existing public benefits as well as the work of local asset building coalitions that work to highlight savings and banking, provide financial education and free assistance with income tax returns, help with credit repair, market the Earned Income Tax Credit and promote homeownerships and business start-ups. 

PRIORITIES

1. Quality, subsidized child care

Issue:  Quality early care and education can help ensure children enter school ready to succeed.  Further, continued access to child care subsidies allows families to maintain jobs while their children are in a safe environment.  Quality care is greatly influenced by trained caregivers.  These principles are supported by investments in:

• Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP),
• Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and
• Working Connections Child Care.

2. Home Visitation. 

Issue:  Home visiting programs connect new and expectant parents with trained professionals who visit the families’ home on a regular basis to teach parenting skills, impart health and developmental information and help parents provide a stimulating environment and prepare children for school.

• Support continued funding for Home Visiting, including for the public-private Home Visiting Services Account.

3. 2-1-1

Issue:  2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember phone number and webpage (www.win211.org) that provides access to local health and human service resources.  Over 300,000 calls from Washington State residents are being handled by this line at present. 

• Support continuation of a statewide 211 system with $3 million in biennial funding from the Washington Telephone Assistance Program. 

4. Local Asset Building Coalitions

Issue:  Local asset building coalitions that work to highlight savings and banking, market the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and promote homeownerships and business start-ups.  Through the work of marketing the EITC, for example, Washingtonians have claimed millions of dollars in earned tax credits that are then turned right around into the local economy, saving or creating other jobs.

• Continue the state’s $438,000 investment in local asset building coalitions.

Adopted by the United Ways of Washington Board of Directors on November 4, 2010.