Speaker Shekarchi, advocates and parents launch 2022 RIght Start agenda of early childhood education, family health and budget priorities

Today via Zoom conference, elected leaders including Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski, Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey and Governor Dan McKee, advocates and families came together to launch the 2022 RIght Start Agenda, a package of legislation and state budget investments (see below) designed to ensure that all Rhode Island children get off to the right start in life, and that our young children and families are able to weather the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – its many health, child care, and service program disruptions – and emerge even stronger on the other side.

“The General Assembly has been listening to the families and advocates who are sounding the alarm about the crises we are facing in child care and Early Intervention,” said Speaker Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick). “We have already made more than $50 million in immediate investments to support children, families, and social programs, but we know that these issues require comprehensive, long-term solutions. As we build back better from the pandemic, we know that if we want to get people back to work, good quality child care is essential.”

RIght Start 2022 Agenda:

• RI Child Care is Essential Act: Help more families access high-quality, reliable, affordable child care through the Child Care Assistance Program. Increase rates and expand eligibility for the Child Care Assistance Program. Safe, healthy, and high-quality child care options are essential for parents to work and for children to thrive.
• RI Early Educator Investment Act: Develop goals and strategies to improve early educator compensation in child care, RI Pre-K, family home visiting, and Early Intervention programs. Stagnant and uncompetitive wages are causing staffing challenges and reducing access to high-quality child care, Early Intervention and family home visiting services.
• RI Pre-K & Head Start: Prepare to expand high-quality preschool in diverse delivery settings (child care, Head Start, and public schools) so all 3- and 4-year-olds will be able to participate.
• Early Intervention & First Connections: Update Medicaid rates that have been frozen for 20 years so programs can retain and recruit skilled staff, eliminate waiting lists, and serve infants and toddlers with developmental challenges.
• Paid Family Leave program (Temporary Caregivers Insurance): Add weeks and improve wage replacement rates to help new parents. All new parents need adequate time and income to care for newborns, adoptive, and foster children at home for at least 12 weeks.
• Cover All Kids: Ensure all children in Rhode Island have health insurance, regardless of immigration status.
• Maternal Health Care: Extend Medicaid through 12-months postpartum, regardless of immigration status, so new moms can have consistent health care.
• Infant/Early Childhood Mental Wellness: Develop Medicaid strategies to improve screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of infant/early childhood mental health challenges (birth through age 5).
• Revenue for Rhode Island: Increase state general revenue to fund programs that young families and children need.
• Let RI Vote: Let’s make it easier for Rhode Island’s busy parents to vote by mail or early in-person.