DENVER -- Three audio public service announcements related to the 2020 census are available to all media outlets in Colorado. The spots were created in order to reach parents and other adults caring for children. Numbers from the once-a-decade count help determine whether or not Colorado's children's health, education, nutrition, veterans' and seniors' programs and roads receive $13 billion in annual federal taxpayer funding. The following spots were produced by the Open Media Foundation.

This is the short, 15-second spot: Soy Jackie de Parent Possible. Aún hay tiempo para responder al Censo 2020. $13 billones de dólares en fondos federales están en juego. Si no contamos a los niños, programas importantes no contarán con fondos suficientes. Responde por teléfono, correo o en internet. Es fácil y está protegido por ley. En Colorado, todos contamos.

Next is the 30-second spot in Spanish: Soy Jackie de Parent Possible, y quiero recordarte que aún hay tiempo pare responder al Censo 2020. Responder es importante, ya que Colorado recibirá dinero que se destinará a programas esenciales. ¡Si no contamos a un niño de 2 años ahora, nuestra comunidad tendrá menos recursos para educación, cuidado infantil y atención medica por los siguientes10 años ¡Recuerda, tu participación es muy valiosa y tu información está segura por ley! Responde por teléfono, por correo o en internet en www.2020census.gov Los niños cuentan. Los bebés cuentan. En Colorado, todos contamos.

The full-length 60-second spot: Aún hay tiempo para completar tu Censo 2020. Soy Jackie, de Parent Possible, para hacerte saber que históricamente, los niños menores de 5 años no han sido contados en el Censo. Nosotros, en Parent Possible, queremos asegurarnos de que todos los niños y bebés sean contados en Colorado porque hay $13 mil millones de dólares en fondos estatales en juego. ¡Cuantas más personas contemos, más dinero obtenemos! Este dinero se destina a programas como atención médica, asistencia alimentaria, programas para la primera infancia entre otros. Te tomará solo 10 minutos completar 10 preguntas que impactarán los próximos 10 años de la vida de tu familia. Si no contamos a un niño de 2 años ahora, nuestra comunidad tendrá menos fondos para educación, cuidado infantil y atención médic hasta que ese niño esté en la escuela secundaria. ¡El Censo es seguro! Y no se permite compartir tu información personal con nadie. Así que ya sabes, el Censo es importante, seguro y está protegido. Nunca había sido tan fácil. Responde por teléfono, por correo o en línea en www.2020census.gov Los niños cuentan. Los bebés cuentan. En Colorado, todos contamos.

Open Media Foundation also has created a social-media tookit with PSAs in English and Spanish, along with material that can be shared on your media outlet's social platforms. Find the toolkit at openmediafoundation.org/census.

Reach Open Media Foundation at 720-222-0159, and online at openmediafoundation.org.




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A persistent child care worker shortage across New Hampshire is leaving families with few options.

The state is currently short more than 7,000 child care positions but low wages and burnout are driving workers from the field and forcing some centers to close.

Shannon Tremblay, director of the New Hampshire Child Care Advisory Council, said workers are struggling to care for their own families with wages barely above the federal poverty line.

"No one wants to come in for a low wage," Tremblay pointed out. "No one wants to come in making $15 an hour, working long hours in a stressful environment."

Tremblay argued greater state investment will create long-term benefits for both parents and children, some of whom may have disabilities or behavioral issues which could be identified earlier by trained child care staff.

Last year, state lawmakers invested more than $60 million in child care services, including $15 million for the creation of child care workforce grants and investments in the state's Family Resource Centers.

Tremblay emphasized the end of career and technical education programs in New Hampshire high schools broke the pipeline of workers entering the field, putting greater pressure on current staff to do it all.

"Our providers are the case manager, the cook, the plumber," Tremblay observed. "They want to provide that high-quality care and right now it's just, they can't do it."

Tremblay stressed pandemic-era funding to support the child care industry will run out in September, so state lawmakers need to act. She added the state could increase wages so the burden does not fall on New Hampshire families, who currently spend roughly $24,000 a year on care for two children under age five.

The child welfare system in Pennsylvania faces a staffing crisis affecting children and families throughout the system.

The Child Welfare Resource Center said about 30 counties report caseworker vacancy rates of 30% or higher

Terry Clark, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services, at a state Senate hearing on child welfare, challenged the Departments of Education and Human Services to work together to develop a STEM-focused model for human services. It could offer young people opportunities for training, apprenticeships and careers in child welfare, juvenile justice and behavioral health.

"We spend a lot of time focusing on colleges and universities," Clark noted. "But we believe we might want to back this up a little bit, and start looking at middle schools and high schools. Try to reinvigorate, get younger students motivated and trying to come into this field."

Clark pointed out some agencies have asked supervisors and even people from other departments to take on casework responsibilities. A recent Philadelphia study found Community Umbrella Agencies had an average 45% turnover rate, with vacancies ranging from 21-60 positions.

Clark observed private providers face workforce challenges similar to the county child welfare agencies. He emphasized counties are beginning to explore more contractual relationships with private providers for needed work.

"Counties are starting to put out RFPs, calls for private providers to help supplement their workforce," Clark stressed. "That means they're asking private providers to take on roles and functions that, in the past, were primarily done by counties themselves."

Clark argued competitive wages are seen as crucial to attract and retain child welfare workers, and county funding often falls short. He added student loan forgiveness and fellowship programs may be promising ways to bring new people into the field, but lawmakers would have to agree.

"There have been House bills and different Senate bills that have been introduced, or at least in draft form over the years," Clark acknowledged. "We hope that there's continued discussion about those, because if we can get some movement on those, we think those will really help."

He told legislators the turnover trends will not change significantly without increased investment in workers.

Despite a recent policy victory, Wisconsin labor leaders still express concern about the current environment for shielding young teens from unsafe work environments.

Gov. Tony Evers this month vetoed a bill which would have expanded the elimination of required work permits for those younger than 18. The bill's language applied to 14- and 15-year-olds, several years after the state did away with parental permission for 16- and 17-year-olds.

Stephanie Bloomingdale, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, said the recent debates are policy fights advocates thought they won decades ago when minors often worked in dangerous conditions. She cautioned there is a strong push to chip away at protections.

"We are seeing a growing movement from different, unscrupulous employers that want to put kids back in the workplace, and not have the kind of oversight that is needed," Bloomingdale contended.

The Economic Policy Institute said rollbacks have been approved in a dozen states in the past few years. While current efforts are thwarted in Wisconsin, Bloomingdale worries about similar debates in future sessions.

Meanwhile, violations are trending upward, with the U.S. Labor Department reporting an 83% increase in financial penalties. Backers of the Wisconsin bill said the goal was to reduce red tape for families.

Bloomingdale countered taking away another layer of protection does more to trample on the rights of parents and guardians. And with higher consumer prices placing more pressure on household budgets, she added some kids might feel the need to bring in additional income.

She emphasized the current law helps the whole family make an informed decision.

"It's important for kids to get a good work ethic," Bloomingdale acknowledged. "But at the same time, these kids need to make sure that they are getting enough sleep, that they are able to participate in their school, and really making sure that balance is there."

The Economic Policy Institute report showed amid the push in many states to weaken laws, several other states have advanced bills to strengthen protections. There have been bipartisan bills in Congress which, among other things, would crack down on violators.


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