McCleary sanctions should advance, not restrict, educational opportunity
The state Supreme Court must not order action that would endanger children’s constitutional rights to educational opportunity.
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No Kidding! The Children's Alliance blog
Love overflowing for Washington’s kids
Bremerton mother Natasha Fecteau has been learning how to make a difference for kids for several years. This year, she put her learning to work to a far greater extent than before.
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New report: For 1 in 14 Washington kids, incarceration worsens the generational pull of poverty
One out of every 14 children in Washington state has at least one parent who is or has been incarcerated.
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A Mother’s Day gift for Washington’s kids
This Mother’s Day, let’s give moms and other caregivers an important gift: access to high quality, affordable child care. While high quality child care is a critical component of supporting working parents and giving children a strong start in life, the cost of care is a barrier for many families.
Good jobs: A great way to end childhood hunger
The Children’s Alliance has endorsed Initiative 1433 for a higher minimum wage and paid sick leave all across the state of Washington. More about the endorsed Initiative 1433.
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Don’t undermine progress for Washington kids
Parents, advocates and community leaders during this 2016 legislative session have advocated for greater investments in access to early learning for kids ages birth to 5 and their families.
Our Statement in Response to Governor Inslee’s Executive Order
Governor Inslee’s Executive Order re: State Blue Ribbon Commission on the Delivery of Services to Children and Families
Statement from Children’s Alliance, Feb. 18, 2016
Voices for Access to Dental Care
The Dental Access Bill, Senate Bill 5465, had a public hearing in the Senate Health Care Committee on Monday, January 25, with members of the Washington Dental Access Campaign (WDAC)—representing the interests of children, elders, rural constituents, dental professionals and advocates for low-income people and communities of color—signing in PRO. Here are a few highlights from the testimony:
Dr. Kevin Nakagaki, DDS, has worked with dental therapists since they were first licensed to practice in Minnesota in 2011.
“Patients are very accepting of the Dental Therapist, as they are very familiar with the medical model of physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
“In my clinic, after hiring dental therapists, access for my population has increased, and the wait time to be seen has decreased by half. As I have shifted the straightforward dental restorations to the dental therapist, it has freed up my time to concentrate on more complex procedures.
“The dental therapists are very well trained to manage the pediatric population, and the patients (and parents) have been very satisfied-extremely satisfied with their care.
“As the dentists have had the opportunity to work with the therapists, they have found the concept safe, workable, desirable, and have begun requesting new hires for their offices.”
—Dr. Kevin Nakagaki, DDS, Minneapolis
Five facts about dental therapists
Momentum is building for the authorization and training of dental therapists across the state. You can help push this movement for oral health care forward—here’s what we would like you to know:
Dental therapists provide safe, quality care. A review of more than 1,100 studies and reports found that dental therapists provide high-quality care. There have been zero adverse patient incidents in 10 years in Alaska and Minnesota. Dental therapists would provide routine and preventive care to Washingtonians who can’t currently get it. Approximately 5 out of 6 services provided by dental therapists are routine and preventive, like fillings. Dental therapists can work in schools, nursing homes, and community-based health centers—bringing care within reach of those who are currently shut out of a dental care system that isn’t working for everyone.
Move forward—not backward—for quality early learning
Lawmakers took a big step forward for kids last year with the passage and funding of the Early Start Act. This year, we can’t afford to let them take a big step backward.
Legislators are opening the first week of the 2016 session with a close look at Governor Inslee’s proposed supplemental budget. Here’s one item that kids, working parents and employers need them to pay attention to.
Historic step for Tribes, kids, communities
Today the Swinomish Tribe in Washington state is taking the historic step of hiring an Alaska-trained dental therapist to bring preventive and routine dental care to its members.
In doing so, the Swinomish are taking the lead in providing preventive and routine care that’s been blocked for too many years.
The Children’s Alliance enthusiastically supports this action by the Swinomish to improve oral health. As the Tribe has noted, its dental professionals see twice as many patients as average oral health care providers. Hiring a dental therapist is an affordable way to meet the clinic’s demand for routine, preventive care.
Poll: Early learning is top priority
The voting public solidly backs babies, toddlers and preschool-age children.
Quality child care, pre-K and other programs are a necessity, not a luxury, say nearly 9 in 10 voters in a recent nationwide poll. Democrats, Republicans and independent voters all value early education for kids ages birth to five. And solid majorities of voters highly sought after by candidates for office—moderates, millennials, Latinos, non-partisan women—support early learning.