U.P. Children’s Coalition to Set Priorities for 2010-11
posted on August 25th, 2009
MARQUETTE – The Upper Peninsula Children’s Coalition is scheduled to set their policy advocacy priorities for 2010 and 2011 at a Policy Advocacy Retreat scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, in Marquette.
The priorities chosen will be the causes for which the coalition most vocally advocates during the 2010 elections and into the legislative session of 2011.
“The whole point of the U.P. Children’s Coalition is to speak with one voice on behalf of the unique and diverse needs of children and families in the Upper Peninsula,” said UPCC Chairperson, Paul Olson. “This meeting is important because it will be the event at which we decide specifically what it is that we want that voice to say.”
The UPCC chose three priorities for 2008. Those priorities were health care, prevention services, and self-advocacy.
“During the last month, we surveyed our members to see if there has been any change or improvement in the priority areas we chose two years ago,” Olson said.
What the survey found was that the majority did not feel access to health care, mental health or substance abuse services had improved. “It seems to have gotten worse,” Olson added. “Of course, we all know that the economic situation in Michigan has caused state budget cuts of effective programs. Similarly, we know that the worsening unemployment rate has been a factor in health care, mental health and substance abuse services. If anything, these worsening situations really point out the importance of us gathering as a coalition to set priorities and advocate strongly for them.”
Olson also pointed out that the news was not all bad. “At the same time, the survey indicated that people’s willingness to make their voices heard in Lansing and Washington has improved. This is borne out every day by news reports,” he said.
Members of the coalition from across the Upper Peninsula will meet Tuesday afternoon to reevaluate their advocacy priorities and the new priorities will be announced to the public at 4:00 pm in Marquette.
For more information about UPCC contact Paul Olson at 906-228-8919 ext. 29 or Cookie Aho at 906-360-7118
PO Box 881, Marquette, MI 49855 ~ Phone: (906)226-5138 ~ Fax: (906)226-5141
