CPA’s Western Policy Leaders Join Forces for Children

Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer of Alaska opened CPA’s Western Policy Leaders Forum, Family and Work: An Investment Strategy for Communities, in June by emphasizing that we need to move away from an "it’s your problem" approach to child care.

Alaska’s Children’s Cabinet convenes six state agency heads, the OMB director and the lieutenant governor once a month to develop the governor’s policy priorities related to children. One of the Cabinet’s successes has been to secure appropriations for pieces of Smart Start, an initiative providing prevention programs to help break the cycle of family violence and a revamped child protection system.

Participants at the two-day conference explored a child care wage ladder — modeled after a similar plan by Seattle’s Economic Opportunity Institute — that enables early childhood care givers and teachers to be well-educated and adequately compensated in their field. In the $4 million pilot, the Economic Opportunity Institute estimates 1,000 workers in 100 centers will benefit.

Legislators, grassroots activists and other Western leaders in attendance endorsed and expanded CPA’s proactive work and family community agenda. Media training on how to raise public visibility on work and family issues is planned for a Western Policy Leaders Forum leadership retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho, in August. Model legislation, talking points and other resources on work and family are available on www.stateaction.org.