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When we act together in service of an equitable Oregon, we create opportunities for our children, families, and our communities to thrive. Longstanding inequities and the ongoing pandemic continue to impact our state creating compounding challenges borne heavily by children and their families. In advocating for a brighter future, The Children’s Agenda sets forth a 2022 legislative agenda that elevates community-driven, equitable solutions to address the most pressing issues impacting communities while centering Oregon’s children of color, children living in poverty, and children who are immigrants.
Building off the wins of the 2021 legislative session, the 2022 Children’s Agenda urges the advancement of unfinished business including the implementation of strategies to address racial inequities in health care, to ensure universal representation for all Oregonians, and to increase quality child care and access. Moreover, children and families need access to expanded health protections and stable housing. Our family service providers deserve to make a living wage. And our counties and neighborhoods will benefit from greater investments in community safety.
Advocating with a unified voice for this shared agenda of impactful policy and investments for children and families, we can uplift both present and future generations of Oregonians. Together, we can build a future where all Oregonians have the opportunity to thrive.
2022 Children's Agenda Categories
Climate & Sustainability Agenda Items
Children need a sustainable future, resilient to climate change.
= Passed/Funded
= Agenda Priority
Click each block to see which of our partners submitted the agenda item, who’s supporting it, and links to learn more.
These links are updated as information is made available, so please check back to see how each concept is progressing.
Oregon is becoming more vulnerable to climate disasters such as wildfires, ice storms, and extreme heat, putting outside workers at higher risk of illness and death on the job. Outside workers and farmworkers are often from low-income and/or immigrant communities who are among the most vulnerable to workplace retaliation and injury. By providing health and economic protections, we will improve outcomes for these workers, their families, and our communities.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Neighborhood House, Oregon Environmental Council, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Center for Public Policy, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, Oregon Public Health Association, IRCO, Oregon Education Association
Economic Well-Being Agenda Items
Children need financially secure families with stable housing.
= Passed/Funded
= Agenda Priority
Click each block to see which of our partners submitted the agenda item, who’s supporting it, and links to learn more.
These links are updated as information is made available, so please check back to see how each concept is progressing.
Strengthen and Expand Child Care For Oregon
HB 4005 MORE INFO BUDGET REQUEST
Every county in Oregon is a child care desert and availability has become more scarce during the pandemic. Oregon has lost about 20% of our pre-pandemic child care supply. This lack of access to care has become a true emergency. These strategic investments must be passed to bolster the child care services necessary for Oregon’s economic recovery.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Families First Parent Resource Center, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Washington County Kids, Neighborhood House, Nurse-Family Partnership, Oregon Montessori Association, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Children's Institute, Oregon Center for Public Policy, Community Action Team/Child & Family Development Programs, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Oregon Coalition of Christian Voices, Latino Network, Oregon Pediatric Society, ORAEYC, Reach Out and Read Northwest, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, Oregon Public Health Association, IRCO, Oregon Education Association
Expand Oregon’s Commitment to Houseless Youth
Oregon has the highest rate of youth houselessness in the nation and over 22,000 youth experienced houselessness in the 2018-2019 school year. Black youth, in particular, are 2.67 more likely to experience houselessness. Oregon must expand services for houseless youth by providing culturally-specific, trauma-informed housing and wraparound services for K-12 houseless youth. This policy will positively impact houseless youth in Oregon by providing them more access to funds and wraparound services.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Washington County Kids, Neighborhood House, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Oregon Coalition of Christian Voices, Latino Network, Oregon Pediatric Society, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, Oregon Public Health Association, IRCO
Education Agenda Items
Children need quality learning environments beginning at birth.
= Passed/Funded
= Agenda Priority
Click each block to see which of our partners submitted the agenda item, who’s supporting it, and links to learn more.
These links are updated as information is made available, so please check back to see how each concept is progressing.
Ensure Wage Parity for Healthy Families Oregon
Healthy Families Oregon provides voluntary in-home visiting and parent education that help build nurturing, safe, and secure relationships between the parent and child. In 2019, community HFO programs provided screening and referral services to 4,666 families of newborns (11% of all Oregon births) and intensive home visiting services to 1,961 of Oregon’s most vulnerable families. This budget ask will stabilize the Healthy Families Oregon workforce and address pay disparities by ensuring staff receives a living wage.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Families First Parent Resource Center, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Oregon Child Abuse Solutions, Friends of Outdoor School, Neighborhood House, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Children's Institute, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Latino Network, ORAEYC, Reach Out and Read Northwest, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, IRCO
Health Agenda Items
Children need access to health care.
= Passed/Funded
= Agenda Priority
Click each block to see which of our partners submitted the agenda item, who’s supporting it, and links to learn more.
These links are updated as information is made available, so please check back to see how each concept is progressing.
Invest in Strategies to Address Racism as a Public Health Crisis
Racism causes harm, trauma, illness, and death to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) Oregonians. While 2019’s House Resolution 6 (HR6) acknowledged that Oregon’s very founding as a state was rooted in racist ideals, the perpetuating and damaging impact of these and other racist policies continue to exist within our present-day policies and systems. This bill makes investments to address these health inequities.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon Primary Care Association, Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Washington County Kids, Neighborhood House, Oregon Environmental Council, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Oregon Center for Public Policy, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Oregon Pediatric Society, ORAEYC, Everytown for Gun Safety, Reach Out and Read Northwest, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, Oregon Public Health Association, IRCO, Oregon Education Association
Implement Emergency Heat Relief for Communities
Oregonians experienced a record heatwave this past summer, the second-worst natural disaster in our state’s record history. Many people became more vulnerable because they did not have access to life-saving, cooling technologies. Children are at high risk for death related to heat exposure, especially children who have medical conditions. Improved access to cooling will keep families, but especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities or medical vulnerabilities, healthier and safer.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon,Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Neighborhood House, Oregon Environmental Council, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Oregon Coalition of Christian Voices, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, Oregon Public Health Association, IRCO
Fund the Oregon Child Abuse Prevalence Study: Youth Voice
The Oregon Child Abuse Prevalence Study is the first-in-the-nation to ask youth about abuse and neglect they may have experienced and their views on child abuse prevention and COVID impact. OCAPS is designed to establish an accurate baseline of child abuse and neglect in Oregon, to track changes, and to engage youth as partners in prevention. The study will elevate awareness of the problem and will directly pair that awareness with youth-informed prevention action.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Families First Parent Resource Center, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Oregon Child Abuse Solutions, Friends of Outdoor School, Neighborhood House, Oregon Environmental Council, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, Children's Institute, Community Action Team/Child & Family Development Programs, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, IRCO
Family & Community Agenda Items
Children and their families need safety and stability.
= Passed/Funded
= Agenda Priority
Click each block to see which of our partners submitted the agenda item, who’s supporting it, and links to learn more.
These links are updated as information is made available, so please check back to see how each concept is progressing.
Institute Universal Representation
Universal representation safeguards due process by allowing immigrant Oregonians to access their rights under the law. 1 in 10 Oregon residents is an immigrant and 1 in 12 Oregon children (more than 71,000) are US citizens living with at least one undocumented parent. Representation by an attorney improves someone's chances of staying with their family by more than 450%.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon School-Based Alliance, Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Children's Institute, Oregon Center for Public Policy, Community Action Team/Child & Family Development Programs, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Latino Network, SEIU Local 503, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, Oregon Education Association
Ensure Wage Parity for Relief Nurseries
Relief Nurseries focus services on children at the highest risk of abuse and neglect. Among the 2,300 children they serve, 45% are children of color and 100% of children live in families that are 200% below federal poverty levels. This budget ask will stabilize the Relief Nurseries workforce by completing the investment in equitable staff wages which, in turn, supports stable services for children at risk of child abuse.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon School-Based Health Alliance, Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Families First Parent Resource Center, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Oregon Child Abuse Solutions, Friends of Outdoor School, Neighborhood House, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Children's Institute, Community Action Team/Child & Family Development Programs, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Oregon Coalition of Christian Voices, ORAEYC, Reach Out and Read Northwest, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center, IRCO
Invest in Community Violence Intervention Programs
Black Oregonians are 5x more likely to die by gun homicide than their white neighbors. Oregon communities impacted by gun violence need increased investment. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds present an unprecedented opportunity to invest in the health, safety, and resilience of our communities. With additional state funding from ARPA, Oregon can invest more in evidence-based programs that intentionally work with people and in communities at the highest risk of involvement in gun violence.
SUBMITTED BY:
SUPPORTED BY:
Oregon Primary Care Association, 90by30 Initiative, Family Forward Oregon, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Verde, YMCA of Greater Portland, FACT Oregon, Friends of Outdoor School, Washington County Kids, Neighborhood House, Nurse-Family Partnership, Urban League of Portland, The Street Trust, Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America - Oregon Chapter, League of Women Voters, Oregon Women's Rights Coalition, Oregon Coalition of Christian Voices, Latino Network, Oregon Pediatric Society, Everytown For Gun Safety, Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, The Family Nurturing Center
Thank you to all our Children's Agenda Partners
Our partners give us the support we need to fight for real legislative change.
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