1. February 2011 Kinship care in the new york state budgetthird update

2. Our plan Starting Today

3. Online Now: Previous webinars Talking points for providers and families Family letter to Governor, local legislator templates Cost benefit document Program checklists and lists of legislators Statistics from American Community Survey Sample letter to the editor Testimony from various kinship care advocates Step one: information

4. Leadership to call all agency CEOs and EDs to ensure advocacy strategies are in place Staff to contact each program with their program-specific information and get them started on their advocacy work next week Albany-based programs and advocates to meet again with: Division of Budget Office of the Governor NYS Office of Children and Family Services Senate Finance Committee and Counsel/Program staff Assembly Ways and Means Committee and Counsel/Program staff Senate and Assembly’s respective Children and Families Committees Step two: action in albany

5. Programs begin utilizing checklist: Families send letters to the Governor (see website) Meet with local legislators Invite local legislators to visit program Begin letter-writing and phone call campaign with families Distribute letters to the editor to local newspapers Use AARP-provided 800# to call legislators Additional ideas Step two: action on the ground

6. Begin press campaign, including series of releases and conferences for: Budget implications (sent) Census data Cost-benefit release Summit report release Other Step three: press

7. 2011-12 Our ask

8. We ask that kinship care programming be removed from the Primary Prevention Incentive Program and given a $3 million line item in the budget, without a local match Our ask

9. Webinars Keeping in touch

10. Whenever you need information, please feel free to: Call 518-833-0215 (National Committee of Grandparents for Children’s Rights) Email newyork@grandparentsforchildren.org and we’ll get the information you’ve requested to you as soon as possible Visit http://www.grandparentsforchildren.org/newyork.html