While the health care system has been the target of many of the proposed bills filed during the legislation session, one important issue has practically gone unmentioned—access to adequate behavioral health services for children. These gaps continue to make...
On April 16 we remember and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his call to action in the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. He warned, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the...
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) would like to publicly thank the U.S. Senate for passing a bill that extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), better known as ARKids First here in Arkansas. Arkansas’s delegation, both...
Despite the desperate need for pre-K funding, lawmakers sank their teeth into a nice, juicy capital gains tax cut for the rich this session. Fighting to keep state coffers adequately filled with tax dollars feels like announcing the tired...
Children from lower-income families have fewer resources, and this directly impacts a child’s brain development. A new study published by Nature Neuroscience adds to a growing body of evidence that “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” isn’t as simple as...
JUVENILE JUSTICE: SB982, “An Act to Improve the Effectiveness of the Juvenile Justice System,” passed both chambers and is off to the governor’s desk. This critical piece of legislation seeks to stop the ineffective and costly practice of incarcerating...
The tax collections that fund statewide programs like pre-K, education and roads took a dip last month, but are still ahead of schedule for the year as a whole. Because Arkansas requires a balanced budget according to the Revenue...
The following is a statement from Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families: Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) and the Invest Early Coalition would like to thank Governor Hutchinson and the Arkansas General...
The state of Arkansas gives funding to school districts based on their levels of poverty. The money is intended to support low-income children and help public schools narrow the achievement gap in education. But many would argue that it...
There was a flurry of activity at the State Capitol this week as the session nears its end. Next week, perhaps the final one of the session, promises to be busy as well. EDUCATION: Earlier this week, the senate...
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