By Crystal Swann and Patricia Carter
February 2, 2009

Chaired by Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, the Standing Committee on Children, Health and Human Services convened during the winter meeting to focus on the congressional and programmatic outcomes for two key areas: healthcare reform and children and childcare. Committee members received a comprehensive briefing on healthcare reform from Aranthan "AJ" Jones II, Policy Director, Office of the Majority Whip, United States House of Representatives.

Jones predicted that the dialogue on healthcare reform will be shaped by seven key things, including concerns about the federal budget; current unfunded federal programs; the economic stimulus package; pension issues; how to structure and/or restructure medical reimbursement streams; the potential impact of rising childhood obesity epidemic; and finally how cities and states reformulate themselves in the current economy.

In his remarks, Jones noted that the federal budget is out of balance, creating a unique pressure on US Treasuries. The current borrowing the country is engaged in will come to bear on our abilities to formulate policy in the future. The federal government currently needs approximately $28 billion to fully fund Budget Function 550, the federal budget line item for all public health programs at their current level of activity. Jones also noted that we face a shortage of healthcare workers that would be critical to any reform effort. Lawmakers will also face the reality that because of the mortgage and banking crises, public and private pension funds have huge liabilities to retirees, which they may not be able to meet.

Committee members also heard from Dr. Olivia Golden, Senior Fellow, at The Urban Institute. Golden offered her perspective on children and families in this time of economic crisis. As parents and other caregivers are losing jobs and income, the greatest impact is felt on the low end of the scale with poor families, on average, losing a larger percentage of their income than more wealthy families. Current estimate are: for every one percent that unemployment increases, 1.1 million people lose health insurance, and although children may be covered under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), when the health of parents is compromised, children are still at risk for a host of possible poor outcomes. Golden also noted that the housing crisis presented an unprecedented challenge to the stability of children who have been in many case uprooted from schools and childcare by the current economic crisis. Golden noted that the economic recovery plan currently being considered has key supports for children and families, such as funds for Head Start and the extension of unemployment benefits.

Finally, Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup addressed the committee to report on The USCM Childhood Obesity meeting that took place in Tucson in December with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and USCM business council member, Kaboom! Walkup indicated that the meeting provided critical information to mayors on how to implement wellness programming that would ultimately reduce the burden of sick care in our cities.