For Immediate Release:
January 12, 2023
Contact:
Gabriella Barbosa
310-597-7760
media@childrenspartnership.org
2023-24 State Budget Proposal: Governor’s Agenda Protects the Health of Children and Families
[Los Angeles, CA] JANUARY 12, 2023 – Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2023-24 state budget proposal reflects the economic situation California faces while protecting California’s core values, children and families. The Children’s Partnership thanks Governor Newsom for recognizing the complexity of families’ lives, and avoiding current and future cuts to safety net programs that combat barriers hindering children’s health and well-being, as well as maintaining the expansion of universal health coverage, continuing to provide universal school meals, sustaining funding for supporting the mental health of youth, and funding racial equity and youth empowerment commissions.
“The Governor’s 2023-24 budget takes a cautious approach to program spending, while demonstrating continued commitment to moving the needle towards a just, fair and inclusive society that improves the health of all children across California.” said The Children’s Partnership President Mayra E. Alvarez. “We look forward to working with the Governor to realize the goals of this budget and strengthen children’s and families’ health, which is the foundation for their lifetime success.”
The health of a child is dependent on the well-being of their family and community. The Children’s Partnership applauds Governor Newsom’s commitment to whole-child well-being and ensuring that California prioritizes the immediate and long-term health of our children, especially children of color, children from low-income backgrounds and children facing other barriers to robust and lasting health.
Yet in the aftermath of this pandemic and the unwinding of the federal Public Health Emergency, there is more work to do in our state’s budget to implement and expand policies and programs that support the immediate and long-term health of children of color and keep them connected to supports they need to be healthy and thrive, including:
- Expanding the CA Food Assistance Program to include all ages, including children, no matter their immigration status]
- Supporting the mental health of youth and young children with an emphasis on moving upstream toward true prevention and early intervention
- Valuing community wisdom and leadership in health delivery by not delaying the CHW workforce certification and training
We are also concerned about proposed trigger cuts in the areas of climate, transportation, and housing, given the major impact these areas have on health equity and racial justice for California’s children. We will watch these areas closely and advocate for the investments needed to support healthy communities for children of color in California.
The Children’s Partnership, a California-based children’s policy and advocacy organization committed to advancing child health equity through public policy, research and community engagement, deeply appreciates the governor’s bold budget proposal. The state budget proposal continues to protect the needs of California’s marginalized children and families through a strong response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and makes a clear commitment to the advancement of policies and investments that address inequalities experienced by children and their families.
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The Children’s Partnership envisions a California where all children—regardless of their race, ethnicity or place of birth—have the resources and opportunities they need to grow up healthy and thrive, and its mission is to advance this vision of child health equity through research, policy and community engagement. Learn more at www.childrenspartnership.org.
