Does it make sense to eliminate a program that returns $7 for each $1 invested? Governor LePage’s budget proposes to do just that.
Under the proposed budget, important public health services paid for by the Fund for a Healthy Maine (FHM) will be eliminated by shifting FHM money to the state’s general fund. The Fund, which was set up in 1999 as a result of settlement with the tobacco companies, is specifically intended to be spent on preventative public health programs like smoking prevention and assistance in cessation, substance abuse prevention, promoting oral health, and preventing child abuse and neglect and teen pregnancy. Eliminating these important programs will have far reaching effects on families, communities, and the state of Maine.
The Fund for a Healthy Maine is the only funding source for the home visiting program called Maine Families. This evidence-based, foundational early childhood program has been in Maine for over 15 years. The state has built and invested in a highly trained workforce and infrastructure. That investment would be lost if the proposed budget is approved. Even if the state were to try to resurrect the program in better times, the cost to rebuild the system would be enormous.
The benefits of home visiting are clear. Of home visited children, 98 percent are up-to-date with well-child checks, 95 percent have health insurance, 93 percent have up-to-date immunizations. In addition, of home visited expectant mothers, 94 percent receive adequate prenatal care. Prenatal care, regular immunizations, and preventive care can result in fewer preventable illnesses, complications, and hospitalizations. Moreover, reducing the likelihood of health problems means that health care treatment costs—a concern of many Maine citizens–are significantly less.
The benefits of home visiting extend beyond healthy children. Of parents who entered Maine Families without a high school diploma, 94 percent subsequently earn either a high school diploma or GED. Additionally, 91 percent of parents seeking employment achieve it, either part-time or full-time.
Obviously, home visiting is highly effective and saves the state significant amounts of money in the long run. Children are more likely to be healthy and safe, and their parents are more likely to graduate from high school and gain employment.
In our area, the Maine Families program is located in the Franklin County Children’s Task Force. Last year, this program served 130 families, many of them vulnerable and needing additional support. It did so by providing 1,351 home visits, doing 145 safety screenings and ensuring that 99 percent of the families had immunizations and well child checks. Eliminating Maine Families means that these families (and new families needing support) will not have home visiting services. In addition, the five employees who work at the Children’s Task Force will be unemployed.
Don’t let the Franklin County Children’s Task Force, a 33-year-old agency, become a skeleton of what it once was and what our community needs it to be – a thriving hub for all parents who benefit from support and education for the most difficult job of their lives – parenting!
Contact your representatives and let them know that you support Maine Families and that you do not want families in your community to lose the important services that this program provides. If you do not know the name or contact information for your representatives, visit www.maine.gov/legis/house/townlist.htm for a complete listing by town.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors for the Franklin County Children’s Task Force:
Mellisa A. Clawson
Natasha A. Erb
Gilbert D. Eaton III
Gordon Flint
Terry Eagers
Colon Durrell
Jennifer Hutchinson
Richard Rosol
Caitlin J Bogar
Thanks for your letter. The Franklin County Children’s Taskforce rocks and the home visit program is most valuable to new mothers and their families. When I tell my friends in other states about it, they are surprised that Maine would have such a high-quality program that aims at teaching families not only about raising their children but also about making a better life for their family.
Eliminating it is not going to solve any problems but it will make Maine a much worse place to live. Oh, and it will result in even more unemployment in Farmington.
Thanks to all of you for writing this great letter. It’s time for civic action. This type of cut is going to harm our society in a way that is going to be much much more expensive in the long run. I will use your link and get in touch with the representatives who can stop this ignorant cut from happening. Everyone needs to get involved.